WATER RESOURCES

 THE CHANDRA RIVER:

      THE BHAGA RIVER:

               LAKES:

The Chandra river originates from the snow bed on the south - eastern foot of the Baralacha Pass, at an elevation of nearly 5,200 m above the sea level. The Chandra river first flows to the south -east direction for 85 km up to Shigri glacier and then to north - west for 96 km to a place called Tandi, where it meets the river Bhaga. The source of water of the river Chandra are number of glaciers and ice fields. The biggest being the Shigri on its left bank and the Samundari on the right fed this river up to the village of Tandi. The main tributaries of Chandra below Shigri have their origin in Sonpani and Sissu glaciers on the right bank of the river opposite of Khoksar.   

The Bhaga river also comes out of north - west of Baralacha Pass. It enters the Suraj Tal or Lake of the Sun situated at an elevation of about 5,000 m above the sea level. It flows north - west for nearly 16 km, then it turns to the south - west direction and reaches Darcha village. At Darcha it is joined by Zanzkar river from the west and the river becomes wider. After passing through Keylong, it reaches Tandi where it meets with Chandra river and thereafter the joint stream is known as Chandra - Bhaga or Chenab. The total distance of this river up to Tandi is 72 km. 

There are two small lakes in Lahoul known as Chandra Tal and Suraj Tal. CHANDRA TAL is situated between a low ridge and the main Kunzum range with an outlet into the Chandra river. It is almost a kilometer in length and half of it in width. The SURAJ TAL from which the Bhaga river originates is situated just below the summit of the Baralacha Pass. During the winter it remains frozen and in summers this lake turns into a majestic sight in its beauty.