Kaptai Lake

Kaptai Lake
Location South-Eastern Bangladesh
Coordinates 22°29′45″N 92°13′45″E / 22.49583°N 92.22917°E / 22.49583; 92.22917Coordinates: 22°29′45″N 92°13′45″E / 22.49583°N 92.22917°E / 22.49583; 92.22917
Type reservoir
Primary inflows Karnaphuli River
Primary outflows Karnaphuli River
Catchment area 11,122 km2 (4,294 sq mi)
Basin countries Bangladesh
Average depth 100 ft (30 m)
Max. depth 495 ft (151 m)

Kaptai Lake is the largest man made lake in Bangladesh.[1] It is located in the Kaptai Upazila under Rangamati District of Chittagong Division. The lake was created as a result of building the Kaptai Dam on the Karnaphuli River, as part of the Karnaphuli Hydro-electric project. The Kaptai Lake's average depth is 100 feet (30 m) and maximum depth is 490 feet (150 m).

History

Construction of the reservoir for the hydro-electric plant began in 1956 by the Government of East Pakistan.[2] As a result, 54,000 acres (220 km2) of farmland in the Rangamati District went under water and created the lake. The hydro-electric project was funded by the United States. The project was finished in 1962. International Engineering Company and Utah International Inc. received the contract for construction of the dam. The dam is 670.8 meters long, and 54.7 meters high. The dam has a 745 feet (227 m) long spillway containing 16 gates. Through the spillway 5,250,000 cu ft/s (149,000 m3/s) of water can pass.

A family visit at Kaptai Lake

The land that went under water as a result of the dam construction, was 40% of the total arable land in the area. Along with that, 29 square miles (75 km2) of the Government-owned forest, and 234 square miles (610 km2) of other forest land went under water. About 18,000 families with a total of almost 100 thousand people were also displaced. The palace of the king of the Chakmas was also flooded and is now under water.[2]

Ecological disaster

The ecological damage of the lake recently assessed shows that water pollution due to the use of fertilisers and pesticides around the lake is affecting life in the water. In 1966, the share of big fishes in the total fish production was 78%, by 1993 it had come down to 2%. Also, more than five tons of human excrements and other wastes are reported to flow into the lake every day. As 85% of the population living around the lake depends on the water for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing, health risks have increased sharply.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kaptai Lake - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  2. 1 2 Daily JaiJaiDin, January 10, 2008. Page 10.
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