Puzhal Lake facts for kids

Puzhal Lake, also known as Red Hills Lake, is a very important place located in Red Hills, Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It's one of the two main places where Chennai city gets its drinking water. The other important water source is Chembarambakkam Lake. Puzhal Lake can hold a huge amount of water, about 3300 million cubic feet! That's a lot of water for a big city.

Puzhal Lake: Chennai's Water Lifeline

Puzhal Lake plays a super important role in providing fresh water to the millions of people living in Chennai. It's like a giant natural storage tank that collects rainwater and water from other sources. This water is then treated and sent through pipes to homes and businesses across the city.

Where is Puzhal Lake Located?

Puzhal Lake is found in a place called Red Hills, which is part of the Thiruvallur district in the state of Tamil Nadu. This location is strategic because it's close enough to Chennai to supply water easily, but also in an area where it can collect a good amount of rainfall.

How Big is Puzhal Lake?

This lake is quite large! When it's completely full, it holds 3300 million cubic feet of water. To give you an idea, that's enough water to fill many, many swimming pools! This huge capacity helps ensure that Chennai has enough water, even during dry seasons.

How Chennai Gets Its Water

Puzhal Lake works together with Chembarambakkam Lake to supply Chennai. Water is collected in these reservoirs, often from rainfall or rivers. Engineers and water managers carefully control the water levels. They use special gates, called shutters, to release water when the lake is full or to manage the flow. This helps prevent floods and ensures a steady supply of water. Sometimes, electric motors are used to help move water out of the lake and into the treatment plants.

Protecting Our Water Sources

Keeping lakes like Puzhal clean and healthy is super important. The water from these lakes is what we drink, so it needs to be safe. Efforts are often made to repair and maintain the lake's banks and structures, like the bund roads, to keep the water secure and prevent leaks. When water levels get low, especially during dry periods, it reminds everyone how precious water is and why we need to save it.

Images for kids

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  Board displaying Puzhal's capacity

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  Jones Tower

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  Repairing Puzhal bund roads in 2012

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  Two shutters have been opened when the lake has reached full capacity

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  Puzhal lake has low water level due to the presence of dry season

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  Split islands have been seen on the middle of Puzhal lake

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  Puzhal Krishna River Water Project display on the outer portion of the lake

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  Electric motors are used to outlet the water in Puzhal lake.