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Question 5 of 12 · Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India
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Kolleru Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in India, is located in:

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Answer: Option B — Andhra Pradesh

Detailed Solution

Kolleru Lake is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in India. It lies between the deltas of the Krishna and Godavari rivers, in the Eluru (earlier West Godavari) and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh. Its area varies with the seasons, from about 135 square kilometres to over 900 square kilometres during floods.

The lake is fed by seasonal streams, such as the Budameru and the Tammileru, and by many drainage channels. It drains into the Bay of Bengal through the Upputeru river. It acts as a natural flood-balancing reservoir between the two deltas.

Kolleru Lake is an important wetland and bird habitat. Every winter, it attracts hundreds of thousands of resident and migratory birds, such as the grey pelican (spot-billed pelican), painted stork, open-billed stork, glossy ibis, flamingos and many ducks. The lake was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1999 and a Ramsar site (Wetland of International Importance) in November 2002.

Over the years, Kolleru has suffered from serious environmental problems. Large parts of the lake were converted into illegal fish and prawn ponds (aquaculture tanks), which reduced its area, blocked the flow of water and caused pollution. Agricultural and industrial waste also polluted the lake. In 2006, under "Operation Kolleru", the government demolished many illegal fish tanks inside the sanctuary to restore the lake.

Other major lakes of India:

  • Wular Lake (Jammu and Kashmir): the largest freshwater lake in India, formed by the Jhelum.
  • Chilika Lake (Odisha): the largest brackish water lagoon in India.
  • Pulicat Lake (Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border): the second-largest brackish water lagoon.
  • Vembanad Lake (Kerala): the longest lake in India.
  • Loktak Lake (Manipur): known for its floating islands called phumdis and the Keibul Lamjao National Park, the world's only floating national park.
  • Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan): the largest inland saltwater lake in India.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Odisha has Chilika Lake, a brackish water lagoon.
  • ✗Tamil Nadu shares Pulicat Lake with Andhra Pradesh.
  • ✗Karnataka has no lake named Kolleru.

Quick tip

Remember: Kolleru = Andhra Pradesh (between the Krishna and Godavari deltas), freshwater, Ramsar site 2002, pelicans; Wular = largest freshwater lake; Chilika = largest brackish lagoon; Sambhar = largest inland salt lake.

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Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Rivers, Lakes & Dams of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India's drainage system: the Himalayan rivers (the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems), the peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi and Mahanadi), their tributaries and origins, waterfalls, lakes, and the major dams and multipurpose river projects. Exams ask about the origin of a river, its tributaries, the cities on its banks, and the river on which a dam is built. For example, the Bhakra Nangal Dam is on the Sutlej, the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi, and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada. Remember that the Narmada and Tapi flow west into the Arabian Sea, while most peninsular rivers flow east. Practise the rivers, lakes and dams of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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