Question

Which is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala?
A.Vembanad Lake
B.Ashtamudi Lake
C.Sasthamkotta Lake
D.Vanchikulam Lake

Answer 1

Hint: Lakes in Kerala are known as ‘kayals’ in the local language. There are 34 kayals in Kerala, out of which 27 are connected to the Arabian sea (are saltwater) and 7 are inland freshwater lakes. The largest freshwater lake of Kerala is on the western coast and is a Ramsar Site.

Complete answer: Option A: is incorrect. Although Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in India and the largest lake in Kerala covering an area of 2114 sq. km, it is not a freshwater lake. It is the second-largest wetland in India after the Sundarbans.
Option B: is incorrect. Lake Ashtamudi located in the Kollam district of Kerala is also a backwater lake and has a wetland ecosystem. However, it is not a freshwater lake. It is a frequently visited tourist spot in Kerala.
Option C: is correct. Sasthamkotta lake is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala. It is categorised as a wetland and meets the drinking water needs of half a million people of the Quilon district. Other freshwater lakes include Vellayani lake, Pookode Lake and Mannakoddi lake.
Option D: is incorrect. Although Vanchikulam lake is a freshwater lake located in Thrissur district of Kerala, it is not the largest freshwater lake in Kerala.

Hence, The correct answer is Option C.

Note: By surface area, the largest freshwater lake in the world is Lake Superior located between Canada and the USA that covers an area of 83,100 sq. km. By volume, the largest freshwater lake in the world is Lake Baikal in Russia that covers a volume of 23,615 km³.