Nainital Lake

Naini Tal, also known as Naini Lake, is a natural freshwater body, situated amidst the town of Nainital in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. It is tectonic in origin and was almost circular,until frequent landslides made it crescent shaped and has an outfall at the southeastern end. Nainital, along with other lakes of Kumaon, is integral to tourism and recreation in Kumaon. The lake is also an integral part of Kumaoni folklore.
Nainital Lake in Nainital Town of the Nainital district, often called the Lake District of India, is one of the four important lakes of Kumaon; the other three are Sattal Lake, Bhimtal Lake and Naukuchiyatal Lake. It's the 3rd biggest lake by surface area in Uttarakhand.
Historical records confirm that in 1839, Mr. P. Barron, who is supposed to be the first one who visited Nainital. He was an English business man in sugar trade, on an expedition accidentally coming across the lake at Nainital was so captivated that he decided to build a European Colony on shores of the lake. The news magazine, the Englishman Calcutta, reported in 1841 discovery of this lake near Almora.
The lake is bounded by the high and steep Naina peak on the North West side, by the Tiffin Top to the south west side and snow view peaks on the north. Coniferous forest trees cover these hill ranges. The annual rainfall in the basin area of the lake is reported to be 1,294.5 mm (50.96 in). Tropical monsoon climate with maximum temperature 24.6 °C and minimum of 0.5 °C are recorded. The water is reported to be alkaline in nature (ph value of 8.4–9.3).
The lake receives flows from the surrounding catchment basin which comprises the hill slopes and springs. The hydrologic studies related to water balance and sedimentation was done using radioisotopes for estimating/measuring the various components of the inflow and outflow into the lake. Studies indicated that the subsurface inflow and outflow were significant – ranging from 43 to 63% and 41 to 54%, respectively, of the total inflow and outflow, except in years of exceptionally heavy rainfall. The components of outflows were the surface outflow, the subsurface outflow through the springs on the downstream side and draft through wells for meeting the water supply of Nainital town and evaporation loss from the lake surface. The mean water retention time for the lake was computed as 1.16 years for the mean annual rainfall.
The Krol group of rocks, comprising slates, marls, sandstones, limestones and dolomites with a few small dykes intrusives, is the dominant geological formation of the lake's surroundings. The lake is deduced to have been formed tectonically. Balia Nala, which is the main stream feeding the lake is along a fault line and the subsequent streams align parallel to major joints and faults. 26 major drains feed the lake including the 3 perennial drains. The lake catchment has highly folded and faulted rocks due to poly phase deformation. Landslides are a frequent occurrence in the hill slopes surrounding the lake, which are steep. The slopes are highly vulnerable to landslides and mass movement due to various geological and human factors. Several landslides have occurred in the past (pictured) around the lake. Many settlements around the lake are located in landslide areas.
While the Nainital district where the lake is situated (in the middle Himalayan ranges up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft), a temperate zone), is rich in flora (typical temperate climate plants) and fauna, the details of the flora and fauna specific to the lake and its surroundings recorded are the following.
The trees and bushes grown in the region (lake's basin) with their botanical and common Indian names (in parentheses) are reported to be: a) Quercus leucotrichophora Oak (Banj); b) Aesculus indica (Pangar or Horse chestnuts); c) Juglans regia (Akhrot or walnut), d) Populus ciliata (Hill Pipal, a sacred tree); e) Fraxinus micrantha (Ash tree or Angu); f) Platanus orientalis (Chinar); g) Rubus lasiocarpus (Hisalu); h) Rosa moschata (Kunj or Musk rose); i) Berberis asiatica (Kilmora);j) Cupressus torulosa (Surai or Himalayan cypress); k) Rhododendron arboreum (Buruns); Cedrus deodara (Deodar); l) Salix acmophylla (Weeping Willow); and m) Pinus (Pine).
The Aquatic Macrophytic vegetation recorded are the a) Potamogeton pectinatus, 2) Potamogeton crispus, 3) Polygonum glabrum, 4) Polygonum amphibium and Polygonum hydropiper (Water pepper).
Several species of medicinal flora and horticulture plants have also been reported.
The fishes found in the lake are generally carps: species of mahseer, hill trout, and the mirror carp which breed several times during one spawning season during May to September. Two species of mahaseer fish are present: Tor tor, the red-finned mahseer, and Tor putitora the yellow-finned mahseer, a food fish which grows to varying sizes from 20 to 60 cm (8 to 23.5 in) are reported. The three species of hill trout found in the lake are Schizothorax sinuatus, S. richardsoni and S. plagiostornus. The imported fish bred in the lake is mirror carp, a variety of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. The mosquitofish Gambusia affinis has been introduced in the lake for the biocontrol of mosquito larvae.
Seven hundred species of birds and have been recorded in the Nainital district.
A scientific study indicates that the open drains feeding the lake introduce toxic substances from the catchment of the lake, particularly heavy metals which get adsorbed onto the suspended sediments, which in turn settle down in the bottom of the lake. A study of the risk assessment code has revealed that 4–13% of manganese, 4–8% of copper, 17–24% of nickel, 3–5% of chromium, 13–26% of lead, 14–23% of cadmium and 2–3% of zinc exist in exchangeable fraction which puts the lake under the low to medium risk category and infers that it could enter into food chain and also cause deleterious effects to aquatic life. This study provides the basic database to formulate guidelines for the dredging operations and/or restoration programmes in the lake.
The water quality studies carried out by the National Institute of Hydrology during 1999–2001 on physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature profile, Secchi's transparency, dissolved oxygen, BOD, COD and nutrients), biological profile (density of population, biomass and species diversity of phyto, zooplankton and macrobenthos) and bacteriological characteristics have led to the conclusion that long-term limnological changes have occurred in the lake. Excess of nutrients inflow have contributed to the eutrophic conditions and the internal recycling of nutrients from sediments during water circulation has resulted in luxurious growth of phytoplankton. The lake is thus anoxic and has reduced hypolimnion, winter circulation, large phytoplankton and relatively lower animal population.
The problems facing the lake which were also listed in the plea in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Supreme Court of India in 1995 seeking court directive for redress measures could be summarised as below:
The National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) of Roorkee who prepared a plan for the restoration of the lake, at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore (about US$10 million), sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, are also now guiding the restoration measures. The Conservation and Management Plan evolved by NIH is not only lake centric but also proposes to tackle the immediate periphery of the lake which contributes an adverse impact on the lake. The "Nainital Jheel Parikshetra Vishesh Kshetra Vikas Pradhikaran", the Lake Development Authority notified under U.P. Special Area Development Act 1986 is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) set up for implementing the restoration works. The restoration works that have been implemented or are in different stages of implementation are the following:
The Honourable Supreme Court of India in its judgment of 1995, in response to the Public Interest Litigation, gave the following recommendations which have also been addressed in the restoration measures mentioned above.
In the "India Today" magazine, Prasanta Rajan, a journalist, in a preamble to the particular interest shown by the Lady District Magistrate of Nainital in restoration works of the lake has very vividly described the lake in these words:
The Nainital Yacht Club, housed in the Boat House Club, offers yachting facilities at the lake, where a fleet of Half Raters, designed by Linton Hope, sails. It is also known for its boating, birding, and scenic views. The Annual Kingfisher Yachting Competition (Regatta) is held here in the third week of June. The Kumaon festival which brings out the local cultures and traditions is organized every year during the winter months of October and November, by the Tourism Department.