page_title: Ashtamudi Lake
section_title: Hydrology
hierarchical_section_title: Ashtamudi Lake / Hydrology
caption_attribution_description: English: Ashtamudi Lake (Ashtamudi Kayal), in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala, is the most visited backwater and lake in the state. It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped (also described as octopus-shaped) water body, second only in size to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight coned' (Ashta&#160;: 'eight'; mudi&#160;: 'coned') in the local Malayalam language. The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat and backwater resorts.[1][2][3] Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands മലയാളം: വലിപ്പംകൊണ്ട് കേരളത്തിലെ രണ്ടാമത്തേതും ആഴമുള്ള നീർത്തട ആവാസവ്യവസ്ഥയുമുള്ള ഒരു കായലാണ്‌ കൊല്ലം ജില്ലയിലുള്ള അഷ്ടമുടിക്കായൽ. പനയാകൃതിയുള്ള ഈ വലിയ ജലസംഭരണി വലിപ്പത്തിൽ വേമ്പനാട് കായലിന്റെ തൊട്ടു പുറകിൽ സ്ഥാനമുറപ്പിക്കുന്നു. അഷ്ടമുടി എന്നതിന്റെ അർത്ഥം എട്ടു ശാഖകൾ എന്നാണ്‌ (അഷ്ട=എട്ട്;മുടി=ശാഖ,കൈവഴി). ഈ പേര്‌ കായലിന്റെ സ്ഥലചിത്രീകരണം സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നു;ബഹുശാഖകളുള്ള ഒരു കായൽ. കേരളത്തിലെ ശുദ്ധജലതടാകങ്ങളിലേക്കുള്ള കവാടം എന്നും ഈ കായലിനെ വിശേഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. നീർത്തടങ്ങളുടെ സം‌രക്ഷണവും അവയുടെ സന്തുലിത ഉപയോഗത്തെയും കുറിച്ചുള്ള റാംസർ ഉടമ്പടി പ്രകാരം അന്തർദേശീയ പ്രാധാന്യമുള്ള നീർത്തടങ്ങളുടെ കൂട്ടത്തിൽ ഉൾപ്പെടുന്നതാണ്‌ അഷ്ടമുടി നീർത്തടം. കായലിന്റെ വലതുഭാഗത്ത് ചരിത്രപ്രാധാന്യമുള്ള തുറമുഖ നഗരമായ കൊല്ലം സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്നു.
context_page_description: Ashtamudi Lake, in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala, is the most visited backwater and lake in the state. It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped water body, second only in size to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight braids' in the local Malayalam language. The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat and backwater resorts.
  Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.
  Along both banks of the lake and its backwater canals, coconut groves and palm trees interspersed with towns and villages are seen. Kollam, is an important historic port city located on the right bank of the lake. Boat cruises are operated by the Kollam Boat Club from Kollam to Alappuzha providing transport access to many other towns and villages along this route. Luxury houseboats also operate on the lake.
context_section_description: The average annual runoff from the river system into the estuary is reported to be 76 cubic kilometers of freshwater. The basin drainage area is 1,700 km² (660 mi²) and with an average annual rainfall of 2400 mm (94 in) it discharges 3.375 km³ (2,740,000 ac·ft) of flow annually. It acts as a flood storage lake thus protecting the thickly populated city of Quilon (Kollam) and the coastal land. The Kallada dam built across the Kallada river is 85.3 m high by 35 m long (280 ft by 115 ft) with a reservoir area of 23 km² (8.9 mi²) with a storage volume of 0.505 km³ (409,000 ac·ft). Though it provides irrigation to 61630 ha for paddy and upland crops, it has aggravated the salinity ingress into the wetland and the river due to reduced outflows during summer months.
  Temperatures recorded in the area are a maximum of 27.5 °C (81.5 °F) and a minimum of 25.5 °C (77.9 °F). The climate is hot and humid during April–May while cool during December–January.
caption: Astamudi Lake Near Veerabhadra Swami Temple
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