Water depth of the lake varies from in the dry season to in the rainy season. The width of the old channel to the sea, now reported to be about , is known as Magarmukha (Mouth of the Crocodile). The lake is divided into four separate zones namely, the southern, central, northern sectors and the outer channel area. A long outer channel connects the lake with the Bay of Bengal at Arakhuda village. The lake is vaguely pear shaped and has a maximum length of with a mean width of .