The lake is situated at 24o41'N and 93o58'E in Thoubal District. The lake is slightly oval shaped shallow perennial water body, comprising three areas viz, Waithou pat proper (Soirel), Cheksabi and Phumnom. The main feeder line of the lake are the rivers draining down via Ningthibi Canal, the region of confluence of Imphal and Thoubal rivers.

The lake was once known to be  the breeding place for the threatened fish species Ngaton (Labio bata) till 1971-1972  but after  the construction of the Cheksabi barrage and ringbund during 1970s, the habitat of the fish has been completely vanished from the lake.

At present the Waithou lake ecosystem has been degrading day by day and partially becoming agricultural land due to the impact of soil erosion and urbanization in the surrounding hills. Moreover, eutrophication has become a very potent factor for the degradation of the lake.

Ecological studies of the lake indicated that altogether 35 macrophytic plant species are found distributed  in different seasons of the year.

Source : "Distribution, Primary Production and Nutrient Status of the Macrophytic Communities in Waithou Lake " PhD Thesis of O. Ibeton Devi (1993)