Lakes of Bendakaluru

Satellite view: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics

Yelahanka Lake

ಯಲಹಂಕ ಕೆರೆ

Also called Kasaba Amanikere, Yelahanka Kere

Kere, a large tank, in Aerocity ward, Bengaluru North

See it on the map
Size
246 acresAbout 139 football pitches
Rank by size
20th largestOf 1,621 lakes that still exist
Valley
Hebbal
Who looks after it
BBMPBruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike
Water quality
Fit only for wildlife and fishTested Jul 2026
Built over
0.6% of the lakeSatellite land cover, 2021

Through the years

Nothing on record for 1928 to 1954, 1956 to 1977 and 1979 to 1983.

The records listed below, drawn on one line from 1927 to 2026.

  1. 1927

    On the survey map

    See source

  2. 1955

    On the U.S. Army map

    Compiled from Survey of India maps of 1945-46

    See source

  3. 1978

    On the survey map

    See source

  4. 1984-2021

    Held water every year

    Water in 52% of all satellite passes, 1984-2024

    0.8% of its water area has since gone dry; 50% is new water

    4 years not counted: the satellite saw under half the lake

    Floating weed looks like dry land to this record, so a weed-covered year can read as dry

    See sourceSee source

  5. 2009

    Built

    As the 2018 lake survey records it

    See source

  6. 2012

    Restored

    See source

  7. 2017-2018

    In the water bodies census, not marked as encroached

    This census's status marks are often wrong

    See source

  8. 2017-2025

    Mostly water every year

    About three in four of these readings are right, so trust what holds for several years

    See source

  9. 2018

    Still there in the 2018 lake survey

    Polluted, 310 acres surveyed

    See source

  10. 2023-2026

    Tested by the state board in 35 months, most often fit only for wildlife and fish

    Jul 2023 to Jul 2026

    See every testSee source

  11. 2024

    On the state's list of Bengaluru lakes, looked after by BBMP

    See source

  12. 2025-2026

    Mostly open water after the monsoon and in the dry season

    After monsoon, Oct 2025 to Dec 2025

    • 76% open water
    • 23% floating weed
    • 0.3% dry or built

    Dry season, Mar 2026 to May 2026

    • 92% open water
    • 7% floating weed
    • 0.7% dry or built
    See source

How big it is

The records disagree on its size, so each measure is shown.

Drawn outline
246 acres

About 139 football pitches

See source
2018 lake survey
310 acres

About 176 football pitches

See source
End to end
2.0 km

The longest straight line across the outline

See source
Deepest point, 2018
6 m
See source
Kind of lake
Kere, a large tank
See source

How clean the water is

Latest test
Fit only for wildlife and fish

Fit only for wildlife and fisheries. Class D on the state board’s scale from A, the cleanest, to E.

Tested Jul 2026

See source
Class each month, tested 35 times since Jul 2023
Fit only for wildlife and fish: 20 months. Fit only for irrigation: 15 months. Every month is listed in the readings below.
Drinkable after disinfection
Fit for bathing
Drinkable after treatment
Fit only for wildlife and fish
Fit only for irrigation
See source
How it looked in 2018
Polluted
See source
What pollutes it, 2018

Sewage

See source
Sewage flows in, 2018

From the south-west

See source
Older tests
5 readings

From 2011 and 2021

See sourceSee source
Inlet and outlet tests, 2017-18
1 readings
See source
Every reading
Show every reading

Latest test, Jul 2026. Too low to measure: boron, carbonate, nitrite, phenolphthalein alkalinity, kjeldahl nitrogen, suspended solids

MeasureUnitValue
Water temperature°C26
Dissolved oxygenmg/L5
pH7.9
ConductivityµS/cm950
BODmg/L5
Nitratemg/L as N3.6
Faecal coliformMPN/100mL340
Total coliformMPN/100mL2,400
Bicarbonatemg/L240
TurbidityNTU4
Total alkalinitymg/L as CaCO3240
Chloridemg/L160
CODmg/L50
Ammonia nitrogenmg/L as N0.4
Total hardnessmg/L as CaCO3260
Calcium hardnessmg/L as CaCO3140
Calciummg/L56
Magnesium hardnessmg/L as CaCO3120
Magnesiummg/L29.2
Sulphatemg/L42
Sodiummg/L89
Dissolved solidsmg/L650
Phosphatemg/L0.29
Potassiummg/L8
Fluoridemg/L0.32
Sodium share%34
Sodium adsorption ratio2.4
Orthophosphatemg/L0.8

Every month the state board tested it

MonthClassDissolved oxygenmg/LBODmg/LFaecal coliformMPN/100mLTotal coliformMPN/100mLSource
Jul 2026D553402,400See source
Jun 2026E2.8122,1005,800See source
May 2026D4.252,10013,000See source
Apr 2026E2.4263102,800See source
Mar 2026E1.2562,10011,000See source
Feb 2026E0.4602,3009,400See source
Jan 2026D4.862,0009,400See source
Dec 2025E1.4414602,200See source
Nov 2025E1.6233,30011,000See source
Oct 2025D654304,300See source
Sep 2025D4.582301,700See source
Aug 2025D4.961401,700See source
Jul 2025D4.973102,800See source
Jun 2025E2.4226302,200See source
May 2025E3.22114,00046,000See source
Apr 2025D5.873,10011,000See source
Mar 2025E1203,30013,000See source
Feb 2025E1.1301,7009,400See source
Jan 2025E3.2111,30013,000See source
Dec 2024D651702,200See source
Nov 2024D6.564302,800See source
Oct 2024D582004,300See source
Sep 2024D752,1009,400See source
Aug 2024D4.691,10046,000See source
Jul 2024D7162405,400See source
Jun 2024D8223,10017,000See source
May 2024E261,40014,000See source
Mar 2024E3.5312,1009,400See source
Feb 2024D4.682,2007,900See source
Jan 2024E2.9292,3009,400See source
Dec 2023D5.4417,0002,40,000See source
Oct 2023D6.144305,400See source
Sep 2023D4.454803,500See source
Aug 2023E3133,9001,60,000See source
Jul 2023D4.1113109,200See source

Older tests

DateWhereReadingChloridePhosphateSuspended solidsmg/LDissolved oxygenmg/LCODmg/LNitratemg/L as NTotal hardnessFluoridepHZincManganeseLeadWater temperature°CConductivityµS/cmBODmg/LNitrate and nitritemg/L as NFaecal coliformMPN/100mLTotal coliformMPN/100mLSource
2011Yelahanka Kere, Inlet4280.01966.8249.611.351800.749.050.070.25See source
2011Yelahanka Kere, Middle4060.018821111.791880.699.020.080.27See source
2011Yelahanka Kere, Outlet4310.23522119.442160.688.960.080.350.02See source
2021Yelahanka Tank, TankLowest46.52551241.214024,000See source
2021Yelahanka Tank, TankHighest6.98.5251,120143.794,00016,00,000See source

Inlet and outlet tests, 2017-18 lake survey

DateWhereWater temperature°CLight transparencycmpHConductivityµS/cmDissolved solidsmg/LSuspended solidsmg/LTurbidityNTUDissolved oxygenmg/LCODmg/LBODmg/LTotal phosphateKjeldahl nitrogenmg/L as NTotal coliformMPN/100mL
2017-11-14Inlet2358.189055066367.11506.22171,600
See source

How much is built over

Built inside the outline
0.6%

From satellite land cover, 2021

See source
Encroached area, 2017
2.98 acres

Reported by the state legislature’s committee on lake encroachment

See source
Dumped in it

Construction debris

See source
Other problems noted

RTC-BDA issued final Notification for PRR stage-1 land acquisition on Sy.No.15 for 0.03A-G

See source
Land record maps
See source
Land within 500 m

42% built, 31% trees, 13% crops, 6% shrubs, 4% bare ground, 3% grass, 0.7% water

From satellite land cover, 2021

See source

Who looks after it

Looked after by
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike

BBMP

See source
City lake page

Open its page on the city’s lake monitoring site

See source

Where its water comes from and goes

Valley
Hebbal

The river basin its water drains to

See source
Water comes from
See source
Overflows into

Jakkur Lake

See source
Catchment
51.7 km²

The land that drains into it

See source
Fed by, 2018 survey

Rainfall & drain

See source
Built parts, 2018 survey

6 inlet drains, 3 overflow weirs, 1 sluice gate, no culverts, no check dams and 2 islands

See source
Used for, 2018 survey

Fishing

See source
Nearest sewage treatment plant

Sewage Treatment Plant

1.5 km away

See source

What lives here

Birds recorded
199 species

Most seen: Ashy Prinia, Black Kite, Common Myna, Western Swamphen and Indian Pond-Heron.

44,106 sightings, mostly from birdwatchers

See source
All wildlife recorded
255 species

44,182 records, 2007 to 2026

See source
Threatened species seen here
9
  • Spot-billed Pelican near threatened
  • Indian Roller near threatened
  • Red-necked Falcon near threatened
  • River Tern vulnerable
  • Greater spotted eagle vulnerable
  • Black-tailed Godwit near threatened
  • Egyptian Vulture endangered
  • Pallid Harrier near threatened
  • Woolly-necked Stork near threatened
See source
Photographed on iNaturalist
280 times

148 species, 178 confirmed by other naturalists.

Most seen: Ditch Jewel, Gray-headed Swamphen, Chequered Keelback, Indian Garden Lizard and Carrhotus viduus.

Last seen Sep 2026

See source
Animals seen, 2018 survey

Fish, birds, butterflies and dragonflies

See source
Water plants, 2018 survey

Emergent and free floating

See source
Weed cover, 2018 survey

Partial

See source

Around it

Around it in 2018

Buildings, al, P, layout, v

See source

Photos

Yelahanka Lake, photographed in 2025
Surendher ravi / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons, 2025
Yelahanka Lake, photographed in 2025
Underthesamesky / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons, 2025
Yelahanka Lake, photographed in 2025
Underthesamesky / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons, 2025

Where it is

Ward 2
Aerocity

ಏರೋಸಿಟಿ

Bengaluru North corporation, Yelahanka assembly seat

See source
Village
Kasaba Yelahanka

Yelahanka hobli, Bengaluru North taluk, Bengaluru Urban district

See source
Land survey numbers

29 (Kasaba Yelahanka), 39 (Vengatala), 15 (Kenchanahalli), 19 (Manchenahali), 49 (Puttenahalli)

See source
Height above sea level
912 m
See source
Coordinates

13.1124° N, 77.5950° E

See source

Read more

OpenStreetMap
See source
Wikidata

Q34936517

See source
Its number in each record
ATREE lake map
44
2018 lake survey
BUBNYHkyh_kr1-283
Lake Development Authority
LDA272
KGIS tank map
934
Water bodies census
2/12/002/253189/025883/001
City lake monitoring site
84