Vishansar Lake

The Vishansar Lake is an alpine high-elevation oligotrophic lake,^[1] situated near Sonamarg^[2] in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, India, at an elevation of 3,710 metres (12,170 ft). It has a maximum length of 1 km, and maximum width of 0.6 km.

Vishansar Lake
Vishansar Lake Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Vishansar Lake Show map of India
Location	Ganderbal, Kashmir valley
Coordinates	34.388119°N 75.11875°E / 34.388119; 75.11875
Type	oligotrophic lake
Primary inflows	Krishansar Lake
Primary outflows	Kishanganga River
Max. length	1 kilometre (0.62 mi)
Max. width	0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi)
Surface elevation	3,710 metres (12,170 ft)
Frozen	December to April

Etymology and geography

'Vishansar', in Kashmiri, means the lake of Vishnu. This lake holds great importance for Kashmiri Pandits. It is home to many types of fish,^[3] among which is the brown trout.^[4] It freezes during winter. During the summer season, the lake is surrounded by lush meadows, where local shepherds graze their flocks of sheep and goats. The lake is an attraction for the trekkers in the Kashmir Valley. It is fed by the Krishansar Lake and glaciers. The Vishansar Lake is the source of Kishanganga River,^[5] which flows northwards up to Badoab, and then westwards through Gurais, along the Line of Control. The Gadsar Lake lies some 9 km to the west, crossing Gadsar Pass.

Gallery

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References

1. Raina, HS; KK Vass (May–June 2006). "Some biological features of a freshwater fairy shrimp, Branchinecta schantzi, Mackin, 1952 in the Northwestern Himalayas, India" (PDF). J. Indian Inst. Sci. 86: 287–291. Retrieved 21 February 2012.^{[permanent dead link]}
2. "go2kashmir, Sonmarg, sonmarg, Accommodation in Sonmarg, Hotel in Sonamarg, Sonmarg attractions, Sonmarg Travel". Go2kashmir.com. Retrieved 21 February 2012.^{[permanent dead link]}
3. "Fishes and Fisheries in high altitude lakes, Vishansar, Gadsar, Gangabal, Krishansar". Fao.org.
4. Petr, T., ed. (1999). Fish and fisheries at higher altitudes : Asia. Rome: FAO. p. 72. ISBN 92-5-104309-4.
5. Majid Hussain (1998). Geography of Jammu and Kashmir. Rajesh Publications, 1998. p. 13–. ISBN 9788185891163. Retrieved 31 July 2012.