CONTENTS

1. Introduction. 2. Formation of Lakes 3. Significance of Lakes 4. Lakes in Bangalore 5. Reasons for extinction of Lakes and Tanks 6. Effects of extinction of Lakes and Tanks 7. Restoring Measures a. Short Term Measures b. Long Term Measures 8. Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
A lake is a body of relatively still water of considerable size, localized in a depression that is surrounded by land apart from a river, stream, or other form of moving water that serves to feed or drain the lake. Many lakes are artificial constructed for industrial or agricultural use, for hydro-electric power generation or domestic water supply, or for aesthetic or recreational purposes. Lakes provide humankind with many services like aesthetic enjoyment, recreation, sh, transportation, water for irrigation, drinking and dilution of pollutants.

Lake in Bariloche, Argentina

The essential condition for the existence of a lake is that water should flow into the depression at least as fast as it is withdrawn from it by factors like evaporation, underground seepage and to an outfit if any. Lakes may be found at very high altitudes in mountains or plateaus. They may be at sea level or below sea level. They can be very big like Caspian Sea or small like a pond.

They can be deep or shallow, drying up during a part of the year. But the most distinctive feature is whether it is a fresh or saline lake.

FORMATION OF LAKES
The formation of lake basins may be due to various reasons. The movement of the earth's crust may form lake basins. They may be caused by volcanic action. Very often they are the legacies of glaciers. Lakes may represent the work of a river. They may be the result of marine action. They may owe their origin to sink holes or a chemical solution of limestone. They can also develop as a result of continuous wind action. Also cause deformation of lakes but generally they are short lived.

Hydrologic Cycle

Natural lakes are generally found in mountainous areas, rift zones, and areas with ongoing glaciations. Other lakes are found in endothecia basins or along the courses of

mature rivers. All lakes are temporary over geologic time scales, as they will slowly fill in with sediments or spill out of the basin containing them.

SIGNIFICANCE OF LAKES

97.5% of the Earths water exists in the seas, and nearly all of the remaining fresh water is locked up in the Antarctic or Arctic ice caps or as groundwater. Therefore, we can freely access only the water in lakes (0.007%) and in rivers (0.002%).

Large lakes and reservoirs are used as a source of drinking water. Lakes are used by humans for many commercial purposes, including fishing, transportation, irrigation, industrial water supplies, and receiving waters for wastewater effluents.

Beside from their importance for human use, lakes have intrinsic ecological and environmental values. Lakes also help in moderating temperature and influence the climate of the surrounding land. They store water, thereby helping to regulate stream flow; recharge ground water aquifers; and moderate droughts. They provide habitat to aquatic and semi aquatic plants and animals, which in turn provide food for many terrestrial animals; and they add to the diversity of the landscape.

Most of the lakes in India are renowned for their religious importance like Pushkar lakes in Rajasthan, Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim, Nako Lake, Bhirgu Lake, Dal Lake and others.

Fishing in Lakes

The following data provided by The Japanese Prefectures Association on the Promotion of Environmentally Sound Management of Lakes

LAKES IN BANGALORE
Most lakes in the Bangalore region were constructed in the Sixteenth century by damming the natural valley systems by constructing bunds. Most of the lakes and tanks were manmade for purposes of drinking water, irrigation and fishing needs and they have also favourably influenced microclimate of the city.

In the 1960s the number of tanks and lakes was 280 and less than 80 in 1993. Most of the lakes have vanished due to encroachment and construction activity for urban infrastructure expansion. Out of 280 lakes, 7 cannot be traced, 7 are reduced to small pools of water, 18 have been unauthorised encroached by slums and private parties, 14 have dried up and are leased out by the Government. 28 lakes have been used by the Bangalore Development Authority to distribute sites and build extensions for residential areas. The remaining lakes are in fairly advanced state of deterioration.

PRESENT STATUS OF LAKES AND TANKS

Name of the Lake/Tank In Bangalore: Nagasettyhalli Lake Kadugondanahalli Lake Kodihalli Lake Challaghatta Lake Dharmambudhi Tank Millers Tank Sampangi Tank Shuley Tank Koramangala Tank Domlur Lake

Institution/Building

The Space department Ambedkar Medical College The Space department The KSTDC for a golf course Bangalore City Bus stand Residential layout Kanteerava stadium Football Stadium Sports complex BDA layout

Kurubarahalli Lake Kamakshipalya Lake Dasarahalli Tank Sinivaigalu Lake Karanji Tank Siddikatte Lake

Residential layout Sports ground Dr. B.R Ambedkar Stadium Residential layout Gandhi Bazaar area KR Market

Once upon a time, there was a lake here.....

Bangalore city Bus Stand, once Dharmambudhi Tank

The KGA Golf Course once the Challaghatta Tank

The Koramangala Tank is today a Sports Complex

A Sports stadium today was the Sampangi Tank earlier

REASONS FOR THE EXTINCTION OF LAKES AND TANKS

Now-a-days, as grounds are being leveled due to urbanization, water is flowing as "run-off" instead of seeping into soil. This reduces the ground water table, in turn resulting in drying up of tanks.

Removal of vegetation in the catchment area "Eutrophication" due to industrial effluents and agricultural wastes "Siltation" of tank bed Drying of tanks for construction purpose Encroachment of dried tank lands Deforestation resulting in loosening of soil Dumping all garbage and sewage into the tanks Growing of weeds in the tank making it useless.

EUTROPHICATION
The process by which a body of water acquires a high concentration of nutrients, especially phosphates and nitrates. These typically promote excessive growth of algae. As the algae die and decompose, high levels of organic matter and the decomposing organisms deplete the water of available oxygen, causing the death of other organisms, such as fish. Eutrophication is a natural, slow-aging process for a water body, but human activity greatly speeds up the process.

SILTATION
A process by which water becomes dirty as a result of deposition of finely divided soil and rock particles upon the bottom of lake bed. Siltation can affect navigation channels, or irrigation channels.

EFFECTS OF EXTINCTION OF TANKS AND LAKES

It has lead to flooding of cities during heavy rains Scarcity for drinking water Damage to aquatic life. Due to developmental activities in the catchment area, the drainage connectivity between important wetlands has been lost. This has resulted in a loss and shrinkage of wetlands leading to the destruction and loss of habitat for flora, fauna and migratory birds.

There has also been depletion in the ground water table. The health hazards due to pollution of lakes result in enrichment of Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, Spirochetes and Helmints. This in turn results in water borne diseases like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, paratyphoid, cholera, poliomyelitis, viral hepatitis, giardiasis and worm infestations.

Damage to aquatic life due to extinction of Lakes

RESTORING MEASURES
A) SHORT TERM MEASURES
Cleaning the drains that bring storm water to the lake. Providing additional silt traps along the upper reaches of the drains. Providing bar screens at the mouth of the lake, for the drains. Immediate deweeding of the lake.

Rearing special kind of fish which feed on dirt in the tank. E.g. Gambusia fish feed on mosquito larvae. Provision of dustbins around the lake. Posting of security staff around the lake to prevent dumping of garbage. Creating public awareness to keep the lake clean with the help of sign boards. Formation of a lake protection committee involving local people.

Local people cleaning the Lake

B) LONG TERM MEASURES

Removal of sediments & silt by dredging the lake during summer period. In order to avoid the flow of sullage into the lake, sewers are laid around the lake for diverting the flow of sullage into the treatment plant. Formation of a standing committee comprising officers from the city corporation, water supply and sanitation board, pollution control board, state tourism development corporation, fishery department and department of ecology &

environment for follow-up action. Noted environmentalists may also be included in the committee. Fencing of the lake bed to prevent it from being encroached & misused. Legislative measures to ban the production of detergents containing poly phosphates are required in the interest of environmental protection. Educating the public on the need to maintain a clean environment is also very important. Awareness about polluted water affecting our health should spread. It will be very useful if this is done by the public rather than the government. Only such awareness can save tanks in rural areas. Formulation of a Lake Authority at State level and Central Lakes Authority at National Level. To identify major lake systems and highly contaminated lakes. Action plan to divert the sewers discharging into lakes suitably. Laying new sewers to convey the sewage discharged by storm water drains away from lakes. Regular monitoring of the lake water quality by the Pollution Control Board.

Removal of Aquatic plants

Desiltation of Lake bed.

Interception and diversion of Sewage entering Lakes

Monitoring water quality

public awareness programmes

CONCLUSION
Restoration & Conservation of Lakes & tanks will be an asset to the society and also to the eco system. Domestic, Commercial & Industrial water needs can be fulfilled. It also leads to the development of lake areas into tourism spots, bird sanctuaries, parks, home of wild life etc; which in turn contributes to economy of a country.