Climate records unearthed from the Tamil Nadu lake can enable conservation and biodiversity strategies.

New Delhi, January 15, 2026: A groundbreaking scientific study has revealed one of the most detailed climate records ever reconstructed from peninsular India, based on sediment analysis from Kondagai Lake, a modest inland water body located on the outskirts of Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu has very few well-dated multiproxy lake records, despite the region’s high sensitivity to the Northeast Monsoon.

Recognizing this gap, researchers identified Kondagai Lake–situated near Keeladi, a major archaeological site as a rare and valuable archive for understanding long-term monsoon variability, ecosystem responses, and their links to human settlement.

Keeladi has gained national and international attention for uncovering evidence of a sophisticated urban civilization from the Sangam period, potentially dating back to the 6^th century BCE or earlier, thereby pushing the documented history of Tamil civilization back by several centuries.

Lakes of Tamil Nadu are helpful for climate study:

The proximity of Kondagai Lake to this ancient settlement zone made it ideal for studying how past societies interacted with changing climatic conditions.

The study was conducted by scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP0, Lucknow, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Researchers excavated a sediment profile slightly over one metre deep and collected 32 closely spaced samples, each representing a distinct time interval.

Using an advanced multiproxy approach—including stable isotope analysis, pollen studies, grain-size measurements, and radiocarbon dating—the team reconstructed past rainfall patterns, vegetation changes, lake-level fluctuations, and flood events with exceptional precision.

Published in the international journal, The Holocene, the study presents the first high-resolution multiproxy reconstruction of Late Holocene climate and lake-ecosystem dynamics from inland Tamil Nadu, covering nearly 4,500 years.

The research identifies three major climatic phases: The 4.2 ka arid event, the 3.2 ka dry phase, and the Roman Warm Period, clearly linking them to variations in monsoon strength, lake hydrology, and human activity in the region.

By reconstructing 4,500 years of monsoon behaviour, the study provides a critical long-term climatic baseline.

This historical perspective strengthens regional climate forecasting and improves the ability to anticipate future droughts, extreme rainfall, and flood events in a climate-sensitive region like Tamil Nadu.

The findings have direct implications for water resource management, particularly in Tamil Nadu’s drought-prone districts such as Sivaganga and Madurai.

Insight into past lake-level changes, sediment inflow, and hydrological shifts can inform sustainable reservoir restoration, groundwater recharge planning, tank rehabilitation, and climate-resilient agricultural practices in monsoon-dependent landscapes.

The study also contributes to disaster risk assessment by identifying ancient flood deposits, terrestrial sediment influx, and phases of land instability.

These indicators can help authorities map flood-prone zones, understand channel shifts, and mitigate land degradation risks within the Vaigai River basin.

Beyond climate science, the research offers significant benefits to archaeology and cultural heritage studies.

Tamil Nadu’s lakes may be helpful in studying ancient communities:

Kondagai Lake’s environmental history sheds light on how ancient communities near Keeladi adapted to climate variability, water scarcity, and ecological stress, strengthening archaeological interpretation and heritage conservation strategies.

From an ecological standpoint, the study provides a scientific foundation for wetland and lake restoration, documenting long-term changes in aquatic productivity, oxygen conditions, and organic matter sources.

These findings can support evidence-based biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management across southern India.

Also Read: CP Radhakrishnan addresses the Bharat Climate Forum 2026 and emphasizes inclusive growth.

EOM.