Uttarakhand State PCS

• 10 May 2024

Low Water Level in Bhimtal Lake

Why in News?

According to the sources, the water level of the Bhimtal Lake, located in Uttarakhand's Nainital district, has dropped to 17 metres, from 22 metres due to the rainfall and snowfall scarcity in the state's Kumaon region.

Key Points

• The prevailing situation has also resulted in a sharp decline in the number of tourists in the hill town.
  • Low water levels in the lake will affect the livelihood of thousands who are dependent on the tourism industry, including hotels and resorts.
• The continuous neglect of the lake by the authorities and the flushing of many drains across the area in the lake has aggravated the situation.

Bhimtal Lake

• Bhimtal Lake is the largest lake in the Nainital district. It is the largest lake in the Kumaon region, known as the "lake district of India".
  • It is named after the second Pandava called Bhima of the famous epic Mahabharata.
• It is a natural lake and its origin is attributed to several faults that occurred due to the shifting of the Earth's crust.
• The lake was built during British time in 1883 and has a masonry dam built on it.
• The lake has rich flora and fauna around it and thick forests of pine and oak cover the hill slopes around the lake.
  • It is home to a number of migratory birds in the winter months.
  • Famous species found in the area include bulbul, wall creeper, Emerald Dove, Black Eagle, and Tawny fish owl.