Wular Lake is a natural freshwater lake and a designated Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site) located in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the Indian subcontinent, with its surface area fluctuating seasonally between 30 to 189 square kilometres.
The lake's basin was formed by tectonic activity during the Pleistocene era, creating a depression that filled with water. Its origin is also attributed to a Kashmiri word, 'Wul', meaning a gap or fissure, and it is mentioned in the ancient Kashmiri text Nilamata Purana as Mahapadmasaras. The lake is primarily fed by the Jhelum River, which flows through it, and it plays a crucial role in the hydrographic system of the Kashmir Valley by regulating floods. Historically, the Kashmiri ruler Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin commissioned the construction of the artificial island Zaina Lank in the middle of the lake in 1444 CE.
Wular Lake was recognized as a Wetland of National Importance in 1986 and was subsequently designated a Ramsar site on March 23, 1990, under the Ramsar Convention. This designation connects it to the global framework for wetland conservation, requiring the development and maintenance of its ecosystem. The lake is a vital habitat, contributing about 60% of the fish yield of the Valley and serving as a wintering site for migratory waterfowl.
In recent years, the lake has faced severe degradation due to siltation, encroachment, and the expansion of willow plantations, which were built on the shore in the 1950s and caused the lake to shrink. To address this, the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) was set up in September 2012. A major restoration drive, which picked up pace since May 2020, has involved dredging over 78.43 lakh cubic metres of silt and removing 1.31 lakh willow trees to reclaim the lake area and enhance its water-holding capacity. This work is part of the Wular Action Plan, which aims to revive the lake's ecological health. The lake is also connected to the long-standing Tulbul Project, a navigation lock-cum-control structure at its mouth, which has been a point of dispute between India and Pakistan since 1987 under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).