Kenyir Lake ( Malay: ; Jawi: تاسيق كڽير) is an artificial lake located in

Hulu Terengganu Hulu Terengganu (, Terengganu Malay: ''Hulu Tranung'') is an interior district of Terengganu, Malaysia. The seat of the district is Kuala Berang, located about from the state capital, Kuala Terengganu. The local government of this district is H ...

, Terengganu,

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

, nestled deep in the Pantai Timur Range. The lake was created in 1985 by the

Kenyir Dam Sultan Mahmud Power Station or Kenyir Dam () is the hydroelectric dam which forms Kenyir Lake, Terengganu, Malaysia. It is located 50 km southwest of Kuala Terengganu on the Kenyir River. The project is a multipurpose hydroelectric power and f ...

on the Kenyir River, the upper stream of the

Terengganu River The Terengganu River () is a river in Terengganu, Malaysia. Originated from Lake Kenyir, it flows through the state capital of Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, and empties into the South China Sea. It is bridged by the Sultan Mahmud Bridge, Manir Br ...

. The lake provides water to the nearby

Sultan Mahmud Power Station Sultan Mahmud Power Station or Kenyir Dam () is the hydroelectric dam which forms Kenyir Lake, Terengganu, Malaysia. It is located 50 km southwest of Kuala Terengganu on the Kenyir River. The project is a multipurpose hydroelectric power and f ...

. It is the largest man-made lake in

mainland Southeast Asia Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...

with an area of 260,000 hectares.

Flora and fauna

Kenyir Lake is home to numerous species of freshwater fish and exotic wildlife. With a water catchment area of 38,000 hectares, the lake is naturally a haven for freshwater fish. A recent study revealed that there are some 300 species of freshwater fish dwelling in the lake. The presence of dead trees around the lake serves as a perfect breeding ground for these fishes. Algae growing on dead trees and branches serve as the main form of sustenance for the fishes. From studies and observations conducted by the Department of Fisheries, species such as the ''big Lampam Sungai'' (

barboides ''Barboides'' is a genus of very small ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae from freshwater habitats in West and Middle Africa. Species *'' Barboides britzi'' Conway Conway may refer to: Places United States * Conway, Arkansas * ...

), ''Kelah'' (Malayan

mahseer Mahseer is the common name used for the genera ''Tor (fish), Tor'', ''Neolissochilus'', ''Naziritor'' and ''Parator zonatus, Parator'' in the family Cyprinidae (carps). The name is, however, more often restricted to members of the genus ''Tor'' ...

or Tor tambroides), ''Toman'' ( snakehead), ''Tapah'' (

wallagonia leerii ''Wallagonia leerii'', also known as the Tapah and formerly the striped wallago catfish is a species of catfish native to Southeast Asia. Its habitat ranges from the river drainages of Thailand through the Malayan peninsula to the islands of Suma ...

) ''Kawan'' (Friendly

Barb Barb or the BARBs or ''variation'' may refer to: People * Barb (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname * Barb, a term used by fans of Nicki Minaj to refer to themselves * The Barbs, a band Places * Barb, ...

), ''Kalui'' (Giant Gouramy) and ''Kelisa'' ( green arowana) are found in the water and around dead trees. The jungles surrounding Kenyir Lake are home to some endangered species, such as

Asian elephant The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living ''Elephas'' species. It is the largest living land animal in Asia and the second largest living Elephantidae, elephantid in the world. It is char ...

s and

Malayan tiger The Malayan tiger is a tiger from a specific population of the '' Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies that is native to Peninsular Malaysia. This population inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula, and has been classified ...

Tourism

Although a

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

, the area has been successfully developed for eco-tourism, and there are many resorts on its shores. Fishing is popular, as are jungle treks, waterfalls and caves. According to the locals, the best season for fishing is August when the water level is lower. Popular spots for jungle trekking are Pengkalan Gawi, Bewah at the Terengganuan section of the

Taman Negara Taman Negara is a national park in Peninsular Malaysia. It was established in 1938 and 1939 as the King George V National Park after Theodore Hubback lobbied the sultans of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to set aside a piece of land that cover ...

, along the rivers of Saok, Lasir, Tembat and Lawit.

Kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian. A few of the recreational ...

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

whitewater rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

and rapids shooting are among the many

water sports Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms ...

available here.

References

External links

Tasik Kenyir main website Tourism Malaysia - Kenyir LakeKenyir Information Site by the Central Terengganu Development Board
(Malay-language only)
Kenyir Eco Site
(English-language only) {{East Coast Economic Region Reservoirs in Malaysia Tourist attractions in Terengganu Landforms of Terengganu