Mrd.Kundangar
Shafiqa Peer
Chunsar lake:
It is an oligotrophic high altitude lake situated at an elevation of about 3717 m.s.l. with geographical coordinates between 34degrees’ 03’51 N and 75 degrees 12’ 53’ E. The trek to the lake is usually held through Aru valley Pahalgam in district Islamabad.
The waters of the lake are alkaline with an average of pH of 7.7 and Total alkalinity values of 40 mg per liter.The waters are fairly good and calcium rich.
Chuharnag lake:
Chuharnaag is an amalgam of four lakes.of these lakes the main lake shows clear reflection of mountains surrounding it. The approach to these lakes is from Margan top which connects Warwan valley Kishtwar with Islamabad town.The lake is situated at an elevation of about 15000 ft above sea level. The waters of this high altitude lake are alkaline with pH of 7.1 and alkalinity of 55 mg per liter. The lake waters depict higher concentration of Nitrate- Nitrogen, iron, total dissolved solids, COD,sulphate and that of total phosphorus.
Chirsar lake:
This alpine lake is situated in the foothills of Bramsakli peak at an altitude of 3500 mtrs above sea level,There are other lakes in the vicinity including Bramsar Chirsar & Indersar Lake.This lake can be approached from Halan kulgam area. The approximate surface area of the lake is 0.004082181638 Sq. Km. with an latitude of 33.5150622 and 74.83139495 longitude.The lake waters are typically alkaline with pH of7.1 and total alkalinity value of 45 mg per liter. However the waters are Calcium rich with average value of 18.6 mg per liter.
Sonasar lake:
Sonasar lake is situated amid of the mountains at the north eastern end of Dachnipora about 3.5 Kms south- west of Shishnag and is at about 3800 m.s.l. It is midway between Phalgam and Sukins villages in Mardwa Wardwan valley.The surface area of the lake is about 0.007562171448 Sq Km, with an latitude of 74.56105024 and33.5282952 longitude.
The lake waters are alkaline with average pH of 7.5 and alkalinity values of 45 mg per liter .The waters are calcium rich and thus alkalinity is of carbonate type. The Nitrate – N values are usually higher( 150 up per liter).
Sora sar lake:
Sora Sar lake is a beautiful oligotrophic alpine lake with mesmerizing views. In the background is the snow-clad Himalayas whereas throughout the trail are the high-altitude vegetation of shrubs and coniferous trees. The temperature in this region is pretty low but certain high altitude species of animals can be spotted also here.The lake falls in upper reaches of Pahalgam known as Batkoot at an elevation of 4100 m.s.l. In district Islamabad Kashmir.
From hiking point of view the trek is a low point of 2.1 km to the maximum altitude of 3.7 km, the route covers 21 km, 1565 vertical meters of ascent and 1561 vertical meters of descent. This lake is approximately 0.01385611489 Sq.Km in surface area within latitude of 75.3782633 and 33.953021 Longitude.
The lake waters are alkaline with a pH value of 7.9 and that of total alkalinity of 40 mgl-1 .The waters of this high altitude lake shows higher values of Nitrate- Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, COD, and Total dissolved solids.
Sheera sar lake:
Sheera Sar is located at the bottom of Harmukh Peak in district Bandipur at an altitude of about 3780 m with a surface area of 2.7 ha approximately. The lake is a gift for nature lovers and a treasure for trekkers. Sheera Sar is described as the ‘Lake of Spirits’.The lake is amid mountains thickly covered with layers of snow providing ice melt water to it. The water of the lake are serene with small icebergs floating in the lake. The lake also serves as the base camp for the climb to Harmukh’s summit.
The lake waters are alkaline with pH of 7.1 and total alkalinity of 45 mgL-1 . The alkalinity is of carbonate type with Calcium rich net of 18.6 mgL-1. The waters of this lake are comparatively much better than other high altitude lakes with moderate values of phosphates and Nitrogen.
The hydro chemical parameters of the studied lakes indicate Calcium was dominant over Magnesium.Alkalinity was more than chloride and Sulphates.The lakes are mostly glacier fed and thus highlight carbonate weathering as dominant process .
The chemical characteristics of these lake waters appear to be mostly influenced by atmospheric deposition and climatic parameters; therefore, they act as indicators of climate change, atmospheric deposition, and air pollution .
The concentration of nutrients in the high altitude lakes are attributed to natural processes like heavy rainfall, soil erosion, and the runoff from the catchment areas which is laden with the fecal matter grazing livestock .
According to S.T. Islam et.al. while studying the Limnochemistry and Plankton Diversity in some high altitude Lakes of Kashmir Himalaya( 2021) land use land cover (LULC) of some select high altitude mountain lakes of Kashmir Himalaya. LULC analysis revealed that the catchment of the lakes spread over an area of about 16179 ha, is covered by different land cover types dominated by pastures (50.8%), followed by barren rocky (32.6%), snow and glaciers (11.9%), lakes (2.5%), forest (2%), and streams.
Land use changes directly influences the quality of freshwater ecosystems, particularly by enhancing the concentration of nutrient materials (Shi et al., 2017). Any alteration in the land cover of the watershed is considered as explanatory parameter behind the alterations of the hydrological unit, which ultimately changes runoff and water (Huang et al., 2013).
Recent studies suggest that climate change may impact the annual cycles of stratification in alpine lakes. High altitude regions are experiencing changing seasonal weather patterns and faster warming than the global average. The duration of ice cover on high altitude lakes is sensitive to these factors, and shorter ice cover duration has the potential to shift the mixing regime of lakes from dimictic to monomictic (one stratified and one fully mixed period each year). A change in mixing regime could fundamentally alter chemical and biological conditions such as nutrient availability and the timing and duration of hypoxia in high altitude lakes. In addition, the relatively small size and high altitude of lakes may make them especially susceptible to changes in climate.
…concluded
Acknowledgement:
The authors highly acknowledge the assistance rendered by team MTTCH ,with particular reference to Pir. Mukhtar Ahmad, Fayaz Ahmad and Pir Rifar.
The authors can be reached at mrdkundangar@me.com
