Conservation and Management of Urban Lakes in Hyderabad

SOUL Annual Day June 23, 2012

Prof. Mrinal K. Sen, Director, CSIR-NGRI, HyderabadDr. M.J.Nandan, Sr. Scientist

Water and Civilization

Saraswati Civilization

The roots of Bharatiya culture are to be found on the banks of River Sarasvati

Saraswati River, adored in Indian Civilization from the days of the Rigveda, is not a myth but a reality, not a legend but ground-truth

On the banks of River Saraswati was nurtured a civilization, attested by over 2,000 archaeological sites on the river basin, making it appropriate, as suggested by many archaeologists, to name it as Saraswati Civilization, instead of Indus Valley or Harappan Civilization

We need to protect our water resources to protect our civilizations

WHY LAKES ARE IMPORTANT ?

All human and other life of the earth depends on less than 1 % of the total quantity of water on this planet

Lakes are mainly used for :

Drinking water, transportation, irrigation, fishing, recreation, habitat

Lakes of Hyderabad

Hyderabad city occupies one of the top positions in the country in terms of Urban Lakes At the turn of 20th centaury number of lakes was 532 which was reduced to 400 at the time of

independence and today 170 water bodies with > 10 hectors (25 acres)

Important Functions of Hyderabad Lakes

Drinking Water Habitat

Aesthetic ValueRecreation

Flood ControlGroundwater Recharge

Natural Filters Climate

Drinking Water

• Osmansagar• Himayatsagar

Conservation

• Hussainsagar• Sarrornagar lake• Mir Alam Tank• Durgam Cheruvu• Nadimi Cheruvu• Banjara Tank• Shamirpet lake• Pedda Cheruvu• Mysamma Cheruvu• Kapra Cheruvu• Patel Cheruvu• Nalla Cheruvu• R.K.Puram Cheruvu• Yellamma Cheruvu• Amber Cheruvu• Banda Cheruvu

Lost Forever

• Mir Jumla Tank• Ma Sahab Tank• Batkamma Kunta

STATUS OF HYDERABAD LAKES

Priority-III: Diversion of excess Sewerage in-flow/ construction of STPsBanjara LakeR.K.Puram Cheruvu (Malkajgiri)Patel Cheruvu (Nacharam)Pedda Cheruvu (Nacharam)Nalla Cheruvu (Uppal)Mir Alam Tank (Rajendra Nagar)Satam Cheruvu (MCH area)Nalla Cheruvu (Moosapet)

HMDA Lake Protection Committee

Priority-I : Development of Green BeltOsman SagarHimayath SagarHussain Sagar.

Priority-II : Demarcation of boundary & removal of encroachmentsDurgam CheruvuBanda Cheruvu (Malkajgiri)Thammadi Kunta (Madhapur)Amber Cheruvu (Kukatpally)Hasmathpet Cheruvu (Kukatpally)Yellamma Cheruvu (Serilingampally)Bhagarathi Cheruvu (Serilingampally)Mysamma Cheruvu (Serilingampally)Pedda Cheruvu (Ramanthapur)Kapra Cheruvu (Kapra)

Encroachments pose a threat to Bandlacheruvu lake at Neredmet

Why these Lakes are Dying?

Increasing PopulationClimate changes

DeforestationEncroachment

Shortage in rainfallPollution (Point & Non Point)

Census %±1971 1,796,000 —1981 2,546,000 41.8%1991 3,059,262 20.2%2001 3,637,483 18.9%2011 6,809,970 87.2%

Major Sources of Lake PollutionNONPOINT SOURCES

Urban Areas

Suburban development

Wastewater treatment plant

Rural Areas

Agriculture

Industries

Animal feedlot

POINT SOURCES

Nonpoint source pollution generally results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage or hydrologic modification. Point source means any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged.

Process of DegradationThe amount of inflow (water, sediments, Particulate and disilloved organics) is themain load for the lake and Residence timeIs the average age of the load and flushingRate is the process required to exchange the nutrient rich water with fresh water .

Higher Residence Time + Lower Flushing Rates = Lake Degradation

Trophic status is the degree of biological production within a lake to understand its pollution status. Oligotrophic lakes contain poor level of nutrients and less polluted. Mesotrophic lakes contain medium level of nutrients and are in the process of degradation. Eutrophic lakes are highly polluted and needs restoration and conservation.

Lake Trophic Status

OligotrophicLow productivity, clear water, life more sparse

EutrophicHigh productivity, murkier water, but more life

Most lakes in & around Hyderabad City have already reached the eutrophic status due to human activities; such lakes are not of much value to humans and therefore are in urgent need of resurrection.

Small Fish1.04 ppm

Zooplankton0.123 ppm

Phytoplankton0.0025 ppm

Water0.000002 ppm

Aquatic Birds124 ppm

Big Fish/Carps4.83 ppm

Aquatic Bird Eggs124 ppm

BIOMAGNIFICATION

How It Effects the Environment

6.2 CRORE TIMES

Toxic chemicals and heavy metals flow into the lakes enters the food chain of plants and animals and its concentrations increases upto maximum 6.2 crores which is more dangerous for life and environment.

Lakes and Impact on City Temperature

Ecological Approach for Mitigation of Urban Flood RisksT.V. Ramachandra, Uttam Kumar and Bharath H. Aithal, 2012

Temperature profile in various directions. X axis – Movement along thetransacts from the Bangalore city centre, Y axis - Temperature (°C).

Andhra Prad

esh J &K

Karnata

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Mad

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Mah

arash

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Nagala

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Rajasth

an

Tamil N

adu

Tripura

Uttarakh

and

Uttar Prad

esh

West

Bengal

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Sanctioned Cost No of Lakes

Lake Conservation Projects Approved Under the NLCP ( June 2010)

Sanctioned Cost : Rs. 4.30 Crores Lakes Covered : 1

Conservation and Management of LakesAn Indian Perspective Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2010

NGRI` s R&D Programs for the Management of Hyderabad Lakes

Hyderbad Urban Development Authority (HUDA)

1. Lake Water Budget of Durgamcheruvu and Groundwater & Surface Water Conditions in the Durgamcheruvu Watershed

2. Lake Water Budget of Mir-Alam-Tank and Groundwater & Surface Water Quality in the Mir-Alam-Tank Watershed

3. Assessment of Lake Water Interaction with Groundwater and Water Quality around Patelcheruvu, Peddacheruvu & Nallacheruvu Lakes (North East Musi Basin)

4. Ecology of Osmansagar & Himayatsagar Lakes study, Hyderabad, A.P.

NGRI In-house Project (2007-12)

Groundwater Quality Limnological Investigations on Hussainsagar Lake

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA)

Member – Lake Protection Committee

WQ Monitoring Studies by NGRI Staffat Mir Alam Tank

Predicted Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) status from Mir Alam Tank (50 Years)

Remote Sensing Studies of Himayatsagar and Osmansagr Reservoirs

Permeability distribution in m/day in the Catchment area of Osmansagar Lake

1. Urban Hydrology

2. Surface & Groundwater Quality

3. Toxic Metals

4. Sediments

5. Groundwater Flow and Mass

Transport Modeling

6. Pollution & ManagementDigital Elevation Model of Hussainsagar catchment, Andhra Pradesh

Hussainsagar Lake

Groundwater Flow and Mass Transport Modelling in Hussainsagar Catchment

Lakes Studied : RK Puram Cheruvu, Nadimi Cheruvu, Bandla Cheruvu, Patel Cheruvu, Pedda Cheruvu, Nalla Cheruvu, Durgam Cheruvu, Mir Alam Tank

Ecology of Osmansagar & Himayatsagar Lakes study, Hyderabad, A.P.

Catchment areas of Osmansagar & Himayatsagar Lakes

Ranga Reddy District, A.P.

Hydrology, Ecology and Water quality Studies

Fundamental Duties Enshrined in the Constitution of India

Article 51A-It Shall be the duty of every citizens of India 1. to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the

National Flag and the National Anthem;2. to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle

for freedom;3. to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;4. to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do

so;5. to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all

the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

6. to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;7. to protect and improve the natural environment including

forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures;

8. to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;

9. to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;10. to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective

activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement

Some Immediate Steps……

Distribution of Lakes in and around Hyderbad City (Minor, Small, Medium, Large, Very Large)

Understand the value and functions

Pollution problems (lake level and basin level)

Trophic Status

Prioritization for Conservation and Management

Finding out suitable management and restoration techniques

Stake Holders or Citizen`s Participation

Implementation of Management Programs

HMDANGRIIIIT

NRSC

EPTRINGRI

HMDA

NGO`sCitizenForums

Clearly demarcate the lake margin & stabilize by suitable vegetal cover

Check the process of eutrophication De silting of lakes Regulate the use of insecticides/pesticides in

the catchment areas to check lake pollution from agriculture run off

Ban agricultural practice in the lake basin sewage must be diverted away from the lakes Continuous Monitoring for WQ studies

Restoration & Conservation of Dying Lakes

Few Questions About the Urban Lakes ???

Who owns the waterbody?

How many waterbodies are there ?

Which Waterbodies should be protected?

What is the no-construction zone around the waterbody?

Will the catchment and channels feeding the waterbodies

be protected?

Who will maintain the waterbody?

Multiplicity of DepartmentsConflict of Interests & No Accountability

Multiplicity of Policies & LawsNo Unified, Holistic Policy & Legal Framework

Lake Protection Society, 2011, Udaipur

Lake Development Authority

To work solely for the regeneration and Conservation of lakes in and around Hyderabad City within HMDA jurisdiction

and also for other lakes of Andhra Pradesh

An Independent Agency for Lakes ? ? ?

L D A

Madhya Pradesh, Chilka, J&K, Karnakata, Uttarakhand

Thanks

Himayatsagar