Kranji Reservoir

Where is Kranji Reservoir?

Countries on its shores: Singapore.

Largest body of water of: Singapore.

Middle of the lake: 1.43° N, 103.74° E

The story behind it

Kranji Reservoir was once the Kranji River, which flowed into the sea. People built a dam across the mouth of the river, and behind it the water filled up to make a freshwater lake. A road runs along the top of the dam, and the dam stops salty sea water from coming in. Three small streams feed the reservoir. On average it is only about 3.5 metres deep, but in the deepest place it reaches 17 metres. Singapore has no natural lakes, and Kranji, with about 4.5 km², is one of the biggest of its reservoirs. Since 1985 people have been allowed to fish in two special areas, and families like to have picnics in the green park by the shore. Next to the reservoir lie the Kranji Marshes, a wetland where at least 170 kinds of birds have been seen. Measured by area, Kranji is the largest reservoir in Singapore, bigger than Poyan and Upper Seletar, so it is also the country's biggest lake.

Find it on the globe

Kranji Reservoir is there as a small blue dot with its name, right on the water. From far away the planet is only a blue ball; detail arrives as you zoom in, and this one appears once you are close enough. Open it on the globe.

It sits at its real coordinates, not near them — the same numbers listed in the facts above. Switch off the layer for this kind of place and it disappears again; the buttons for that are down the right-hand edge.