Chandigarh features gently sloping terrain that gradually descends from northeast to southwest. The highest elevations are found in the northeastern boundary near the Shivalik foothills, while the land drops smoothly as it extends into the plains.
The region does not feature towering peaks within its immediate borders, but the dramatic silhouette of the Shivalik Hills provides a constant mountainous backdrop to the city's skyline. The natural topography was brilliantly leveraged during the city's design, using the subtle gradients for highly effective, gravity-fed natural drainage systems. Sukhna Lake was created by damming the Sukhna Choe stream, a direct intervention into the local topography that created one of the city's most beloved landmarks.