how do various types of Lake form? and they are of Great Value to human beings?
Solution:
Lake: In geographical terms a lake can be described as a standing water body surrounded by a piece of land.
Types of lakes and their formation:
Lake: In geographical terms a lake can be described as a standing water body surrounded by a piece of land.
Types of lakes and their formation:
- Oxbow lake is a small lake located in an abandoned meander loop of a river channel. They are U-shaped or curved bends in a river that are cut off from the main river flow, forming a lake. Every river contains twists and turns or meanders, that cut through the surrounding landscape in a unique way. Due to continuous erosion and deposition along the sides of the meanders, the end of the meander loop comes closer and closer. In due course of time, the meander loops cut off from the river forming a lake called oxbow lake.
- Lagoons: A lagoon is a shallow body of water protected from a larger body of water (usually the ocean) by sandbars, barrier islands, or coral reefs. Lagoons are often called estuaries, sounds, bays, or even lakes. The Chilika Lake in Orissa and the Pulocat Lake near Chennai are examples of lagoons on the eastern coast of India.
- Tectonic lakes: Lakes that are formed due to activity of of tectonic plates or glacial activity in a region.The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir is the result of tectonic activity.
- Freshwater Lakes: Freshwater lakes can be described as the water bodies containing unsalted standing water surrounded by land. The Dal lake, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak and Barapani are some other important freshwater lakes.
- Saltwater lakes: The lake containing higher concentration of salts and dissolved minerals is known as saltwater lake. The Sambhar lake in Rajasthan, is a saltwater lake used for producing salt.
- Major source of freshwater.
- Used for irrigation activities
- Used for navigation
- Hydropower generation
- Attractive tourist spots