PHUMADI

MANIPUR-LOKTAK

BY-
DEVESH MOURYA
TEJASWINI SHINDE
NIKHIL NIKAM
CHINMAY SUVARNAKAR
NILESH PAWAR
 LOCATION-
TOTAL AREA- 40KM2

COORDINATES- 24°30′00″N 93°46′00″E

MANIPUR INDIA
LOKTAK LAKE
CLIMATE STUDY OF LOKTAK

TEMPERATURE RANGES FROM 0 TO 35O C (32 TO 95O

F). FEBRUARY AND MARCH ARE THE DRIEST MONTHS.

WITH AN AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL OF 1183MM

(46.57 IN) TROPICAL MONSOON CLIMATE PREVAILS IN
THE VALLEY.
• LOKTAK LAKE IS THE LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE IN INDIA.
• IT IS A PULSATING LAKE, WITH SURFACE AREA VARYING
FROM 287 SQ.KMS TO 500SQ.KMS DURING RAINY
SEASON.
• THE LAKE IS LOCATED AT MOIRANG IN MANIPUR STATE,
INDIA
• THE ETYMOLOGY OF LOKTAK IS “LOK= STREAM TAK= THE
END”
• IT IS FAMOUS FOR PHUMDIS(HETEROGENOUS MASS OF
VEGETATION, SOIL AND ORGANIC MATTER AT VARIOUS
STAGES OF DECOMPOSITION) FLOATING OVER IT.
• THE LARGEST OF ALL THE PHUMDIS COVERS AN AREA OF
40KM2 AND IS SITUATED ON THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF
THE LAKE.
• THERS IS A KEIBUL LAMJAO NATIONAL PARK IS THE ONLY
FLOATING NATIONAL PARK IS THE ONLY FLOATING
NATIONAL PARK IN THE WORLD.
• THE PARK IS THE LAST REFUGE OF THE ENDANGERED
SANGAI.
• LOKTAK DAY IS OBSERVED EVERY YEAR ON THE 15TH OF
OCTOBE AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE LOKTAK LAKE.
•
HYDROLOGY-
• LOKTAK LAKE IS FED BY THE MANIPUR RIVER AND SEVERAL TRIBUTARIES AND ‘UNGAMEL CHANNEL’ (ITHAI BARRAGE) IS ITS ONLY OUTLE
NOW.
• THE ORIGIN OF RIVER SYSTEM AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, WHICH FLOWS IN THE NORTH-SOUTH DIRECTION AND DRAINS INTO THE LAKE IS FROM
THE HILL RANGES IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST OF THE LAKE.
• THERE 5 MAJOR RIVERS WIH INDIRECT CATCHMENT AREA OF 7157KM2 ARE THE
 IMPHAL
 IRIL
 THOUBAL
 SEKMAI
 KHUGA
• THE OTHER MAJOR STREAMS WHICH DRAIN INTO LAKE
1. NAMBUL
2. NAMBOL
3. THONGJAROK
4. OINAM
5. KEINOU
6. IRULOK
7. AWANG KHUJAIROK
8. AWANG KHAROK
9. NINGTHOUKHONG
10. POTSANGBAM
11. OINAM
12. KEINOU
Formation And Composition Of Phumdis
 PHUMDIS ARE FORMED OF SOIL, ORGANIC DEBRIS, AND
MATTED VEGETATION THAT ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF
DECOMPOSITION.

 THE THICKNESS OF THESE FLOATING ISLANDS VARIES

FROM A FEW CENTIMETERS TO AROUND TWO METERS.

 20% OF THIS THICKNESS SURFACES ABOVE WATER WHILE

THE REST REMAINS SUBMERGED.

 DURING THE DRY SEASON, THE WATER LEVEL IN THE LAKE

FALLS SIGNIFICANTLY SO THAT THE ROOTS OF THE PHUMDI
VEGETATION TOUCHES THE LAKE BOTTOM AND SEEPS
NUTRIENTS FROM IT.

 DURING THE RAINS, THE PHUMDIS GET DISCONNECTED

FROM THE LAKE FLOOR AS WATER LEVELS RISE IN THE
LAKE.

 THE PHUMDIS THEN FLOAT ON THE WATER.

 THE CYCLE CONTINUES AND ALLOWS THE PHUMDIS TO

SURVIVE.
PHUMDIS GREAT BIODIVERSITY
 PHUMDIS SUPPORT MANY SPECIES OF FLORA AND FAUNA.
A STUDY OF PHUMDI VEGETATION FOUND THAT THE
HABITAT SUPPORTED 83 SPECIES OF PLANTS WITH
SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN PLANT DIVERSITY.
 MAMMALS LIKE THE SANGAI, HOG DEER, COMMON OTTER,
JUNGLE CAT, BAMBOO RAT, FOX, INDIAN CIVETS, MUSK
SHREW, FLYING FOX, AND OTHERS LIVE IN THE PHUMDI
HABITAT IN KEIBUL LAMJAO NATIONAL PARK.
 A LARGE NUMBER OF REPTILES INCLUDING TORTOISES,
COMMON LIZARDS, AND POISONOUS SNAKES LIKE KRAIT,
VIPER, COBRA, AND PYTHON ALSO INHABIT THE PARK.
 BOTH MIGRATORY AND RESIDENT BIRD SPECIES ALSO
OCCUR IN THE PARK.
 SOME OF THE MOST NOTABLE OF THESE SPECIES ARE THE
BURMESE SARUS CRANE, SPOTBILL DUCK, BLACK KITE,
NORTHERN HILL MYNA, AND OTHERS.
 THE SANGAI, A SUBSPECIES OF ELD’S DEER, IS ENDEMIC
TO THE NATIONAL PARK AND IS ITS FLAGSHIP SPECIES. IT
IS AN ENDANGERED ANIMAL.
Importance Of Phumdis To Humans
 Fish forms an important part of the Manipuri diet and fishing is a major economic activity in Loktak
Lake.
 Phumdis on the lake are thus often used by the locals to built small fishing huts or sheds. Wood,
bamboo, ropes, and rocks are used to build these structures.
 There are also permanent settlements on these phumdis.
 An estimated 4,000 people live on these islands.
 Aquaculture is also practiced by many of the phumdi dwellers. Villagers have also built artificial
phumdis called Athapums on the lake.
THANK YOU