Rain water from the catchment area of 676 hectares of Powai-Kanheri hill ranges drains into the lake.

The maximum height of hill in the catchment is about 400 m. The southwest monsoon sets in by mid June and lasts till September.

It was designed as a backup for the Vihar Lake to supply portable drinking water to the city of Bombay (now Mumbai).

The vegetation on the hill slopes draining into the lake is thick and lush, undisturbed and of mixed moist deciduous type.

The lake and its catchment are protected by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Sanjay Gandhi National Park Authority.