ENVIS Centre, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India

Printed Date: Friday, March 29, 2024

Land & Water

 

 

  • Journal of Hydrology : Reconstruction of January–April discharge of Zemu Chuu – A first stage of Teesta River North Sikkim Eastern Himalaya based on tree-ring data of fir » Click here
    Author - Mayank Shekhar, Amalava Bhattacharyya

 

 

 

Wetlands of Sikkim
The total geographical area of the state is 7,096 sq. km. High altitude lakes accounting for 40.79 per cent of the total wetland area. Total 534 lakes are identified with 3325 ha area. Total lakes mapped as polygons are 259 with 3050 ha area. In addition 275 small lakes (<2.25 ha) are mapped as point features. Maximum number of lakes are of very small size (<10 ha). Large size lakes (>500 ha) are not observed in Sikkim. Most of it are fed by glaciers and considered sacred. The lakes are popularly called as Chhokha or Tso or Chhona (in Bhutia), Chho (in Lepcha) and Pokhari or Jheel or Tal (in Nepali)..... Read More

 

Distribution of high altitude lakes in relation to elevation gradient in Sikkim
Sr No Category <Altitude range (m) No. of Lakes Area (ha)
1  High Altitude 3000-4000 6 19
2  Higher Altitude 4000-5000 323 1209
3  Very High Altitude >5000 205 2097
Total 534 3325
Source : Space Application Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Ahmedabad - January 2011
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About Wetland Conservation in Sikkim


More on Wetlands of Sikkim
  • High Altitude Himalayan Lakes
    Source: National Wetland Inventory and Assessment Project (Sponsored by MoEF, GoI) Space Application Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Ahmedabad - January 2011

  • Sikkim -Wetlands of India
    Source: Nation-wide Wetland Mapping Project, (Sponsored by MoEF, GoI) Space Application Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) Ahmedabad - June 1998

  • Wetland Sites of Sikkim


Wastelands of Sikkim
Treatment of Landslides & Soil Erosion Control