Keenjhar Lake

Lake in Sindh, Pakistan

24°57′N 68°03′E / 24.950°N 68.050°E / 24.950; 68.050Basin countriesPakistanMax. length24 km (15 mi)Max. width6 km (3.7 mi)Surface area13,468 ha (33,280 acres)Average depth1 m (3 ft 3 in)Max. depth7.9 metres (26 ft)^[1]Water volume0.53×10^⁶ acre⋅ft (650 hm³)Surface elevation15 metres (49 ft)

Ramsar Wetland

Official nameKinjhar LakeDesignated23 July 1976Reference no.99^[2]

Keenjhar Lake (Urdu: کینجھر جھیل; Sindhi: ڪینجھر ڍنڍ), commonly called Kalri Lake (Urdu: کلری جھیل; Sindhi: ڪلري ڍنڍ), is located in Thatta District of Sindh the province of 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 has been declared a ramsar site and a wildlife sanctuary. It provides a favorable habitat of 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 devotees.

References

^ ^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.