Kayamkulam Lake
| Kayamkulam Kayal കായംകുളം കായൽ |
|
|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 9°10′N 76°28′E / 9.167°N 76.467°ECoordinates: 9°10′N 76°28′E / 9.167°N 76.467°E |
| Primary inflows | Achankovil, Pamba through Canals |
| Basin countries | India |
| Max. length | 30.4 kilometres (18.9 mi) |
| Max. width | 2.74 kilometres (1.70 mi) |
| Surface area | 1,652.33 hectares (4,083.0 acres) |
| Average depth | 1.77 metres (5 ft 10 in) |
| Max. depth | 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) |
| Surface elevation | less than 1 metre (3.3 ft) |
| Settlements | Kayamkulam |
Kayamkulam Kayal, Kayamkulam Lake or Kayamkulam Estuary is a shallow brackish water lagoon streaching between Panmana and Karthikapally. It has an outlet to the Arabian sea at Kayamkulam barrage. The Kayal used to be connected to the sea most of the time except during dry season when a bar like formation separates it from the sea. Now the bar has been opened up permanently for construction of Kayamkulam Fishing Harbor. Kayamkulam boat race is conducted in Kayamkulam Kayal.
There is a popular belief that Kayamkulam kayal was once lush green fields and Kayamkulam Raja, angry and desolate from being defeated by Travancore King Marthanda Varma, ordered his naval officers, Arattupuzha Arayars, to rupture the barrier separating it from the sea and let salt water in to make the fields un-cultivable. It is believed that when Kayamkulam was annexed the King threw all the valuables in his palace into Kayamkulam lake and fled the Kingdom.
In Aithihyamala it is mentioned that Kayamkulam Kochunni sunk his mother-in-law, after killing her, in Kayamkulam Lake.
Kayamkulam Kayal lies between latitudes 9°2'N and 9°16'N and longitudes 76°25'E and 76°32'E. The backwater occupies area in both Alappuzha district and Kollam of the toatal 1,652.33 hectares (4,083.0 acres), 140.58 hectares (347.4 acres) is in Kollam district and the rest 1,511.75 hectares (3,735.6 acres) in Alappuzha district. The Kayal has high length to width ratio and is almost a linear water body. It fall within the Survey of India(501) topographic sheets 58C/8 and 58C/12. The Kayal is connected to Vembanad Kayal in the north and Ashtamudi Kayal in the south.
The Kayal area has wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains. It receives more than 2000 mm of rain annually more than 70% of which come from the southwest summer monsoon(ഇടവപ്പാതി) and the rest from northeast winter monsoon (തുലാവർഷം). Annual mean temperature minimum and maximum are around 25 °C (77 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F). Humidity is higher in mornings than in afternoons.
The Kayal used to be connected to the sea most of the time but during dry season the sediments from the inflows separate the Kayal from the sea by forming a bar like formation and during the rainy season the bar is cut open by rivers and the Kayal was connected to the sea. Now the bar has been opened up permanently for construction of Kayamkulam Fishing Harbor.
...
Wikipedia