Pulhal Lake, Water reservoir in Red Hills, Chennai, India.
Pulhal Lake is a water reservoir in the Red Hills near Chennai, built to store water for the city. The structure includes two weirs made from locally quarried laterite stone to hold back and distribute the water supply.
The reservoir was built in 1876 during British rule to secure drinking water for the growing city. A measurement tower called Jones Tower was added in 1881 to help monitor water levels and manage the supply system.
The name Pulhal Aeri comes from Tamil and shows the deep connection between this place and the local community. People have relied on this water source for generations to sustain their daily lives.
The lake sits in the Red Hills, making it easy to reach from Chennai if you want to visit. The best time to explore is during the monsoon season, when water levels are fuller and the surroundings look greener.
The reservoir sometimes loses water through natural seepage in the ground and becomes especially active when heavy rains raise the water levels. These flows show how important it is to regularly monitor this old water storage system.
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