19-Thermal characteristics of Mansar Lake, District Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Thermal characteristics of Mansar Lake located east of Jammu city in the Siwalik terrain is studied. Monthly surface water temperature from seven locations and depth- wise temperature from three locations at 3m depth interval (surface to bottom) during August 1998 to July 1999 were used in the analysis. Lake surface water temperature varies from minimum 14°C in January to maximum 31°C in the June/July. The depth versus temperature plots of the study period depict the seasonal and depth-wise changes in the temperature distribution in the lake.Temperature is found decreasing with depth from April to November, while uniform temperature conditions are observed during December, January and February. This variation in temperature at different depths reveals that Mansar lake undergoes two distinct stages namely complete mixed stage (December-Februrary) and a stratified stage of minimal vertical mixing (April — November).