Chilika Lake, Kalupadaghat

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Chilika Lake is located on the east-coast of India, adjacent to to the Bay of Bengal. It is the largest brackish Water Lagoon with estuarine character that sprawls along the east coast. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl found anywhere on the Indian sub-continent. It is one of the hotspot of biodiversity in the country, and some rare, vulnerable and endangered species listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened Animals inhabit in the lagoon for atleast part of their life cycle.The waterspread area of Chilika varies between 1165 to 906 sq.km during the monsoon and summer respectively.

A 32 km long, narrow, outer channel connects the main lagoon to the Bay of Bengal, near the village Motto. The mouth connecting the channel to the sea is close to the north eastern end of the lagoon. High tides near this inlet mouth drive in salt water through the channel during the dry months, from December to June. With the onset of the rains, the 52 river and rivulets falling into the Chilika are in spate, causing fresh water currents which gradually push the sea water out. Due to littoral drift prevailing along the east coast the inlet mouth constantly changes position.

Description posted by Surjit routray, Tangi