Context
Puzhal Lake near Chennai recently came into news after two school students drowned in the reservoir near Murugambedu, drawing attention to one of Chennai’s important drinking-water reservoirs.
Location and Physical Features
- Puzhal Lake, also known as Red Hills Lake, is a freshwater reservoir located at Red Hills in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu.
- It lies in the Chennai basin region, associated with the Kosasthalaiyar sub-basin.
- The reservoir has a storage capacity of about 3,300 million cubic feet (mcft).
- Its catchment is important for Chennai’s urban drinking-water security.
Role in Chennai’s Water-Supply System
- Puzhal is a major reservoir supplying Chennai, along with Poondi, Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam.
- It receives water from its own catchment and the interconnected reservoir network.
- It can also store Krishna River water brought through the Telugu Ganga Project.
- The Northeast Monsoon is crucial for replenishing Chennai’s reservoirs.
Water Management and Historical Facts
- Puzhal is covered under Tamil Nadu’s Lake and Reservoir Operation Guidance System (LOGS) for reservoir and flood management.
- Its storage capacity was expanded from about 500 mcft to 3,300 mcft in 1997.
- The historic Jones Tower is an intake structure linked to Chennai’s older engineered water-supply system.
FAQs
Q1. Where is Puzhal Lake located?
At Red Hills in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu.
Q2. What is another name for Puzhal Lake?
Red Hills Lake.
Q3. What is its storage capacity?
About 3,300 million cubic feet (mcft).
Q4. Which inter-State project supplies Krishna water to Chennai’s reservoir system?
The Telugu Ganga Project.
Q5. Which other major reservoirs form Chennai’s core reservoir network?
Poondi, Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam.
