| Birth | Water type | Location | Ranking | Area | In flows-Canals | Out flow-River | Elevation | Surface Area |
| 1930’s | Fresh water | 18 km from Sehwan Sharif, District Dadu, Sindh | Largest in South Asia | Over 100 sq. miles | Aral Wah & Danister | West of River Indus | 34m, 112ft | 350 sq km-520 sq km |
In the west of Kirthar hills and with Laki hills being on the south, there is a beautiful and wide natural lake called Manchar Lake. It is the largest lake not only in Pakistan but in the whole South Asia. It was made when the Sukkur barrage was constructed in 1930’s.
It is fed by Aral Wah and Danister canals. It has also been providing homeland nearby until recently to a large number of fishermen’s families. The lake also has been home to thousands of Siberian migrating water birds. The lake fish being the main food for these birds and they have lived around the lake for years.
The lake is undergoing degradation for a long time now but the effects have just been visible recently. The water has been diverted from River Indus and storm runoff has decreased from the Kirthar mountains, which have reduced the supply of fresh water to the lake.
Saline water is also flowing into the lake from the agricultural land in its surroundings. Its water is becoming saline, killing off fish and discouraging migrating birds. The number migrating birds is dropping down each year due to wide reduction in fish.
Like it decreased to 2,800 in 2002 as compared to 25,000 in 1988. This lake has been providing large amount of water for irrigation which is also getting effected.
However, 700 cusecs water was flowed into the lake from River Indus in August 2009. The authorities are taking notice of the situation and with time this lake will get its number of inhabitants back. Manchar Lake is populated by the Mohana’s houseboat people now a days.
