Keenjhar Lake (Urdu: کینجھر جھیل; Sindhi: ڪینجھر ڍنڍ), commonly called Karli Lake (Urdu: کرلی جھیل; Sindhi: ڪلري ڍنڍ), is located in Thatta District of the Sindh province in Pakistan. It is situated about 36 kilometres (22 mi) from the city of Thatta.[3] It is an important source of drinking water for Thatta District and Karachi city.[4] Through the construction of a bund on the eastern side, it is said that the lake was formed by the union of two lakes: Sonehri and Keenjhar.[1]
Keenjhar Lake | |
---|---|
ڪینجھر ڍنڍ (Sindhi) | |
Location in Sindh | |
Location | Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan |
Coordinates | 24°57′N 68°03′E / 24.950°N 68.050°E |
Basin countries | Pakistan |
Max. length | 24 km (15 mi) |
Max. width | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
Surface area | 13,468 ha (33,280 acres) |
Average depth | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
Max. depth | 7.9 metres (26 ft)[1] |
Water volume | 0.53×10 6 acre⋅ft (650 hm3) |
Surface elevation | 15 metres (49 ft) |
Official name | Kinjhar Lake |
Designated | 23 July 1976 |
Reference no. | 99[2] |
Keenjhar Lake has been declared a Ramsar site and a wildlife sanctuary. It provides a favorable habitat for winter migratory birds like ducks, geese, flamingos, cormorants, waders, herons, egrets, ibises, terns, coots and gulls. It has been observed as a breeding area of the black-crowned night heron, the cotton pygmy goose, purple swamphen, and pheasant-tailed jacana.[5]
Keenjhar Lake is a popular tourist resort. Many people from Karachi, Hyderabad and Thatta visit to enjoy picnics, swimming, fishing, and boating.
The famous folklore of Noori Jam Tamachi who was a fisherwoman, is connected to the lake.[1] There is a shrine in the middle of the lake marking Noori's grave, which is visited by devotees.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Keenjhar Lake Brochure" (PDF). foreverindus.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Kinjhar Lake". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Keenjhar Lake on map". Google Maps. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ Restoring Keenjhar Lake, published in Dawn News, 7 May 2012
- ^ "Ramsar Sites in Sindh". Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
External links
edit- Kalri Lake Water Sports Project, official site
- Keenjhar Lake travel guide from Wikivoyage