Vynthala Lake

Vynthala Lake (Malayalam: വൈന്തല തടാകം) is a natural oxbow lake found in Vynthala, near Mala, Thrissur District of Kerala.^[1]

Vynthala Lake
Oxbow Lake (Thadakam) of Kanichan Thura
Vynthala Lake Show map of Kerala Vynthala Lake Show map of India
Location	Vynthala, Thrissur District, Kerala
Coordinates	10°15′38″N 76°17′40″E
Type	oxbow lake
Basin countries	India
Surface area	7 ha (17 acres)
Surface elevation	1,800 ft (549 m)
Settlements	Mala

Geography

Lake is also called Oxbow Lake (Thadakam), as it was formed from a "cutoff" of the Chalakudy River which flows nearby.^[2][3] The lake is considered to be the only one naturally formed Oxbow lake in whole of South India.^[4]

History

The oxbow lake at Vynthala was identified in 1998 by a team of scientists led by Sunny George. Earlier the lake had a length of 2 kilometres, but now only about 200 meters remain as the rest of the area has been reclaimed. The total area of the lake is around 7 hectares. National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) are preparing a report to declare the lake as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).^[5]