Phewa
Lake
Phewa
lake is the second largest lake of Nepal
and the largest lake of Pokhara Valley.
IT is situated at an altitude of 784m at
the western edge of Pokhara city near
Baidam. It covers an area of about 4.43
sq km with an average depth of about
8.6m, maximum water depth is 19m. The
maximum water capacity of the lake is
estimated to be 46 million cubic meters.
It lies in the valley of Harpan Khola
which feeds the lake. On the southern
mouth of the lake, at the crown of Pardi
River, a dam is built which has nearly doubled the water level. The water of the lake is used for irrigation and electricity generation.
The lake is surrounded by Sarangkot and Kaskikot hills on the northern side. The hill running along the lake is Raniban (Queen of Forests) which is very rich in flora and fauna. Mammals like Common leopard, Bengal fox and Barking deer are common in this forest. It is a home of abundant avifauna also.
The
first main attraction is the pagoda
style temple in the lake which is the
shrine of Barahi (Water Goddess). The
next main attraction is the mirror image
of mount Machhapuchhre and Annapurna
range on the crystal clear water of the
lake. The south - eastern side of the
lake offers the best view. THere is
facility of canoeing and fishing.
Phewa originally used to cover an area of 9 sq km but now has been reduced to 4.43 sq. km. Geologically the rocks of either side of Phewa are slate and quartzite and make anticline structure along the axis of the lake.
The lake is the home of 17 species of native fish and 4 exotic species. The forest and lake is the habitat of 6 species of amphibians, 14 species of reptiles, 34 species of mammals and 104 species of birds. Out of 104 species of birds, 14 are migratory species.
The lake is linked with pitched vehicle road and oating facility is available.
This snap features the pagoda style temple in the lake which is the shrine of Barahi (Water Goddess)
