Sengupta, M. and Dalwani, R. (Editors).

2008
Proceedings of Taal2007: The 12th World Lake Conference: 1477-1487

Revival of Hauz Khas Lake A Historic Lake in Urban Delhi

Manu Bhatnagar
Natural Heritage Division, Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage, 71 Lodi Road, New Delhi
11000, India
Email: manucentaur@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

Urbanization of watersheds resulting in changing catchment characteristics are responsible for the
decline of urban waterbodies. Sustenance of urban lakes is an essential component of urban
environmental plans in order to augment raw water availability and nourish depleted aquifers.
Furthermore, there is a need to recycle urban wastewaters to curtail environmental stress caused by
dumping ‘waste’ into eco-systems.
These thrust areas have found expression in a pioneer project to revive historic Hauz Khas Lake
[15 acres spread], some 700 years old, located in the heart of South Delhi. which was earlier fed by
trapping the stormwater generated in the Southern Ridge.
Occasional stormwater are inadequate to fill the shallow Hauz. With the declining water table
ceasing to contribute any water to the sustenance of the lake it began to remain dry since the early
1960s. It was as a result of a Public Interest Litigation that the Delhi High Court ordered the Delhi
Development Authority to revive the lake. The Authority, not having any expertise in the area,
approached Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage, the environmental division of which
had done much study of the waterbody and its catchment and had put up a modest proposal to the
Authority for reviving the lake in 2002.
A scientific database was created over the period of one year. Upon implementation occasional
rainwater together with the regular supply of secondary treated domestic effluent, further treated en
route in duckweed lagoons, was used to fill the lake and neutralise losses. The route of flow was based
in natural stormwater channels and thus the waters flow into the lake entirely by gravity.
In our program lake management is defined as achieving desired level of water quality at the
inflow of less than <3 mg/l and of <6 mg/l BOD in the lake and a minimum of 6 mg/l of DO. The idea
is to achieve B-C class of waters [Central Pollution Control Board classification: B class being fit for
bathing and C class being fit for treatment to drinking water standards]. In addition the visual quality
of water should be clear and unpleasant odours should be avoided. The lake should be attractive to
avian visitors.
The attainment of these targets requires:
• Efficient and consistent functioning of the STP which is the source of regular water input
• Maintenance of the inflow route to keep it clear of any unauthorized tappings and blockades
• Managing the duckweed treatment lagoon en route
• Operation of vertical aerator fountains
• Maintaining fish populations
• Manual removal of leaf litter from the lake
• Bacteria Dosing
Since 2004 the lake has been kept full although several difficulties have been encounterted in the
catchment with regards to flow, inflow quality, water quality in the lake with resultant nuisance flora
and smell. This can be attributed to the culture of creating assets but not providing for maintenance.
The exercise has been a lesson in the need for having a dedicated apex agency where concerned
departments can be made to work in unison with provision for funds for maintenance and monitoring.
The project has had mixed success so far. The lake has become a habitat for migratory winter
birds and other residential birds. The aquifer has shown an appreciable augmentation. The heritage
monuments of the area have regained their ambience with the revival of the missing water element.

Keywords: Urban Lake, Groundwater, Bacteria dosing, Fish populations, Hydrological model, Lake
Management, INTACH

INTRODUCTION waters and the use of natural stormwater channels

Time is playing out a requiem for urban lakes. The
process of city building can also be called as the
process of urbanization of the watershed. Growing
urban impediments, diversion and drainage of storm
for sewage disposal, demand even for the polluted
water flow, competing urban demand resulting in
reclamation of depressions for other purposes,
polluting human activity on the shoreline, are the
 changing catchment characteristics responsible for
the decline of urban waterbodies.
Growing resource deficiency has regenerated
interest in traditional techniques and historical
waterbodies. Sustenance of urban lakes is an
essential component of urban environmental plans
in order to augment raw water availability and
nourish depleted aquifers. Furthermore, there is a
need to recycle urban wastewaters to curtail
environmental stress caused by dumping ‘waste’
into natural eco-systems. Lastly, the humanizing
effects of natural environments amongst the
stressful psychological effects of the urban jungle
are just beginning to be appreciated.
These thrust areas are now finding expression
in a pioneering project to revive the historic Hauz
Khas Lake in the heart of South Delhi. The 700 year
old Lake, developed by the Khalji Sultans, was fed
by trapping the stormwater generated in the
Southern Ridge in an embankment from where it
was diverted to the Hauz. It was last seen full after
the floods of 1964. With availability of potable
water from distant rivers and by taps to households
the Hauz fell into a state of disuse and stormwaters
were diverted and no longer found their way here.
Any attempt to fill the Hauz with stormwaters,
as in the past, is fraught with the danger of
transporting polluted water flowing in the
stormwater channels into the Hauz. Furthermore,
given the shallow depth of the Hauz, its limited
storage capacity, 80% rainfall being limited to three
months monsoon season, and mainly because of the
porous strata, the Hauz is estimated to dry out as a
result of seepage and evaporation losses within a
month of its being full if not regularly replenished to
neutralize the losses.
It may also be appreciated that most urban
lakes in India are not natural features but artificial
constructs resulting from the damming or diversion
of a natural watercourse. Over a period of time they
become a part of the local ecotope. Here, attention is
drawn to the fact that every lake presents certain
unique features originating from its catchment and
bio-geographical region. Hauz Khas, thus, is a case
where no comparison is possible with pre-
management era as the lake bed was dry for over 4
decades.
The lake is situated in a district park of urban
south Delhi and has a waterspread of 6 hectares. It
comes under the jurisdiction of the Delhi
Development Authority [DDA] and repeated
lobbying to coax the Authority into taking up the
revival of the lake went in vain. However, in 2002,
in the wake of the summer water crisis, the efforts
of activists resulted in the Delhi High Court
ordering the DDA to revive the lake. The DDA in
turn appointed Indian National Trust for Art and
Cultural Heritage [INTACH], a non-profit body,
whose environment cell had submitted detailed
proposals to revive the lake, to prepare a detailed
project proposal for implementation. The broad
objectives were to:
• Enrich the local ground water regime
• Offer a bio-diversity habitat for aquatic life
and avian visitors
• Enable sustained tube well operations in
the area
• Substantially add to the visual attraction of
the area
• Cool the micro-climate
• Offer recreational possibilities
• Increase soil moisture to support enhanced
vegetation growth in the localized area
Database
• The Hauz has an area of 58515 sq.m.s, an
average depth of 2.20m [the bed is in slope with
a difference of 1.5 m between the highest and
lowets levels] and a storage capacity of 128,000
cu.m. It has a perimeter of 1 km.
• The bed of the Hauz was concretized with a 50
6mm thick layer of lean concrete in 1968 with a
view to stop the tremendous percolation losses.
Over a period of time the layer has crumbled
and is completely ineffective. Several trees had
taken root in shallow mud pockets in the bed
and several more have been planted along the 1
km. long edge. From the lake management
point of view this vegetation is a nightmare as it
multiplies the insitu organic load through decay
and leaf fall

Table 1: Groundwater Quality Pre-Project

Elec. Total
TDS CACO3 Ammonia NO3 Cl F BOD COD
EXAMINATION pH Conduct. Hardness
(mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l)
(mmhos /cm) (mg/l)
HAUZ KHAS
LAKE 7.9 460 275 NIL 310 0.03 1.59 68 0.09 3.5 15
BORE WELL 1 7.5 648 415 NIL 324 NIL 22 90 - 1.8 2.6
BORE WELL 2 7.6 700 478 NIL 396 NIL 12.8 58 - 1.4 2.6
BORE WELL 3 7.9 680 482 NIL 356 NIL 25.8 71 0.1 3.8 18
BORE WELL 4 7.5 640 405 NIL 348 NIL 24.8 48 - 1.4 2.5
BORE WELL 5 7.8 675 489 NIL 363 0.04 23.6 69 0.08 3.4 17
Source: DJB Testing of Samples collected by INTACH

1478
• The littoral zone is also steep with stone-
pitched banks and little vegetation
• There is an island of 0.40 hectare with steep
banks but thick vegetation atop
• Investigative bores revealed the top layer in the
bed soil to consist of sandy silt followed by
clayey silt and then gravely soils. The strata is
extremely porous and makes it difficult to retain
surface water. The water table was encountered
at 19 mbgl [2002] The depth to bedrock in the
area is 60 -112 mbgl and the shallow aquifer
occurs from 26 – 35 mbgl [metres below
ground level]
• The catchment area was estimated at 10 sq.km.
draining through 3 stormwater channels [now
carriers of sewage] and these are now diverted
away from the Hauz
• Existing groundwater quality was evaluated for
monitoring the post project influence on the
groundwater quality [see Table I]
As may be seen from the table the ground
water quality in the vicinity of the Hauz is of high
quality, almost uncontaminated and good enough to
be used for potable purposes after treatment.
Resources in the Catchment:
A sewage treatment plant exists in the catchment
discharging 2.5 million gallons of treated effluent.
This sewage treatment plant [STP] is treating the
raw sewage load from Vasant Kunj area by
extended aeration treatment (i.e. secondary
treatment). The pre-treatment and post treatment
parameters were obtained from the DJB laboratory
at Okhla. [See Table 2 and Table 3]. This is a
regular source of water for the lake.
It may be seen that the parameters in both
cases (influent as well as effluent) are fairly
consistent and that the effluent quality meets the
Ministry of Environment & Forests [MoEF]
standards for discharge into surface streams
[<20mg/l BOD, <30 mg/l SS, >100mg/l COD].

Table 2. Vasant Kunj STP Influent Quality

TOTAL
pH ALKANITY Cl TS SS DS OA BOD COD OIL GREASE
JANUARY 7.4 607 188 1237 340 916 59 209 727 4
FEBRUARY 7.4 653 195 1264 312 952 56 218
MARCH 7.4 567 186 1335 348 987 63 218 460 6
APRIL 7.4 613 191 1362 406 956 65 230 537 5 28.7
MAY 7.4 535 124 1201 342 869 59 223 507 4 30.3
JUNE 7.4 539 198 1286 308 978 60 460 4 31.3
JULY 7.5 561 181 1119 175 944 47 177 335
AUGUST 7.4 551 191 1190 236 954 56 221 448 2
SEPTEMBER 7.4 593 184 1226 335 871 57 205 436 4
OCTOBER 7.4 595 197 1138 228 910 60 194 440 3
NOVEMBER 7.4 669 203 1246 337 909 58 196 427 3
DECEMBER 7.5 665
Source : DJB
Note : One day from every month of 2002 reported/values of all parameters in mg/l except for pH

Table 3. Vasant Kunj STP Effluent Quality

TOTAL
pH ALKANITY Cl TS SS DS O.A BOD COD OIL GREASE
JANUARY 7.8 403 171 895 16 879 6 12 96 1
FEBRUARY 7.7 415 126 889 12 877 6 14
MARCH 7.7 448 182 936 19 917 8 13 46 2
APRIL 7.7 472 184 904 77 882 9 14 47 1 27.9
MAY 7.7 470 167 892 19 873 7 14 39 1 28.2
JUNE 7.8 329 176 881 13 868 5 26 1 31.1
JULY 8.1 399 171 886 15 871 6 11 27
AUGUST 8.1 348 166 773 14 739 6 10 29 1
SEPTEMBER 8 432 155 783 16 267 7 11 31 2.5 4.2
OCTOBER 8.1 486 178 820 26 794 7 13 54 1
NOVEMBER 7.9 439 151 754 21 733 7 12 40 2
DECEMBER
Source: DJB
Note: One day from every month of 2002 corresponding to same day as reported in Table 2/ values of all parameters in mg/l
except for pH

1479
 Catchment Area: Volume of Influent & Treated Effluent Flow in
the STP:
Three storm water channels lie on the upstream side
of the Hauz. None of them were directly flowing Measurements of the inflow and outflow from STP
into the Hauz in the natural course. These channels were taken at different hours at checkdam in Sanjay
emerge south of the Hauz from the southern ridge Van by measuring speed of flow and cross-section
area and serve a catchment of approximately 10 obtaining at different hours and on different days are
sq.km. Currently, these channels are carrying recorded in Tables 4 & 5.
wastewaters/sewage from unsewered areas of the
now heavily urbanized catchment most notably from Table 5. Daily Average Inflow of Raw Sewage at Vasant
Katwaria Sarai village and Munirka village. Based Kunj STP
on the annual rainfall and the runoff coefficients for
such areas [12 - 15%] the annual storm water runoff S. No. Month Monthly Flow Average
(MGD) Daily Flow
generated is about 700,000 - 900,000 cu.m. annually
(MGD)*
in a year of average rainfall. However this runoff, in 1 January 85.88
the pre-project period has been diverted away from 2.77
2 February 78.33 2.80
the Hauz on account of municipal drainage
requirements for urban areas. 3 March 85.36 2.75
4 April 81.74 2.72
Stormwater Drainage Channels: 5 May 91.44 2.95
6 June 73.40 2.45
The drainage channels of the southern ridge which
7 July 87.90 2.84
are relevant to the Hauz emerge, one from
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and two from 8 August 85.8 2.77
north of JNU passing through Sanjay Van and 9 September 73.59 2.45
thereafter through IIT, Delhi. As mentioned earlier 10 October 65.75 2.12
the storm waters are contaminated by the sewage 11 November 62.31 2.08
load carried by these channels. The south- 12 December 67.73 2.18
easternmost of these channels also carries the
treated effluent of the Vasant Kunj STP. The Source: DJB (Above figure are from Year 2002)
channel has a series of 5 check dams (made in * Based on monthly flow data
recent years by DDA) in the Sanjay Van area, which
have served to recharge the aquifer and bring up the Rainfall:
water table in that area. Stormwater discharge data
of these channels is not recorded and hence Table 6 brings out the average annual and monthly
unavailable. rainfall in Delhi. It may be seen that 80 % of the
monsoon precipitation is in just the three months of
Table 4. Treated Effluent Discharge at Checkdam No.3 in July – September. The direct precipitation over the
Sanjay Van Hauz reservoir area annually amounts to 35110
cu.m [based on area 58515 sq.m. x 0.61 m annual
Time (hours) Discharge (cumecs) rainfall].
0800 0.055
0900 0.06 Evaporation:
1000 0.085
1200 0.04 Evaporation losses from reservoirs are significant in
1400 0.066 this area and can considerably affect reservoir
1600 0.073 operations and hence knowledge of evaporation
1800 0.072 rates is essential for hydrological modelling of
1900 0.065 reservoir operations. [See Table 7]
Source: Field Observations (February, 2003)

Table 6. Average Monthly Rainfall in Delhi

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Annual
A 14.5 13.2 9.9 5.5 9.2 38.8 191.6 197.4 105.3 19.3 2.8 4.3 611.8
B 1.2 1 0.8 0.5 0.8 2.1 7.4 7.9 4 0.8 0.1 0.4 2

(a) Normal rainfall in mm

(b) Average nos. of rainy days (days with rainfall more than 2.5 mm)
(Source: Indian Metreological Department)

1480
Table 7. Evaporation Losses From Open Reservoirs in Delhi (in mm/day)
Jan Feb Mar April May June
2 3 5 10 12 9 5
Source: ‘Evaporation Control in Reservoirs’ – Central Water Commission
Operational Concept
A. On analysing the data base assembled above it
emerges that:
• Given the current state of the storm water
channels [which have become carriers of
polluted urban flows]
• the erratic nature of the rainfall [80% of annual
precipitation occurs during July to September]
• The deep water table combined with the porous
sub-stratum which no longer supports the
surface spread
i) It would not be possible to fill up the Hauz with
clean storm water and sustain the lakes water
spread to beyond even October. Nor, in an
above average rainfall year, would it be
possible to store sufficient water so as to
maintain the waterbody beyond October. Thus,
November to July the Hauz would remain dry
in any case and fill up slowly towards the end
of the monsoon depending upon the rainfall
pattern of the year [deficit/average/surplus and
with intense and prolonged showers or short
drizzles]
ii) The most south-easterly natural stormwater
channel through Sanjay Van, through which the
treated effluent of Sanjay Van flows regularly
and on which a series of checkdams is available
can be engineered to enable its catchment’s
[1.75 sq.km.] stormwater runoff to flow into
the Hauz while allowing the treated effluent to
flow in on a regular basis as well
B. To revive the Hauz presently there is no
option but to utilize the treated effluent water from
Vasant Kunj which is the only reliable regular
source of water. The following scheme is proposed:
a) Treated effluent from Vasant Kunj STP flows
down storm water channel in Sanjay Van at the
rate of 1.0 MGD
b) Of 5 checkdams on this channel in Sanjay Van
sizeable lagoons [0.4 ha each] form behind 3rd
and 5th checkdams and a smaller one at
checkdam no.4.
c) The treated effluent in these lagoons is
upgraded with the help of floating aquatic
plants [duckweeds – spirodella, lemna, wolffia
in 3rd and 5th checkdam and water hyacinth –
eichornia crassipes in 4th checkdam] which
uptake the various organic pollutants through
their root system and transfer oxygen to the
waters and thereby reducing the organic load in
the waters through removal and degradation
July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
5 5 4 3 2
enabling. The objective was to bring the BOD
from 12 mg/l [at STP outlet] to < 5mg/l with 2
days retention time.
d) The treated water is conveyed from checkdam
No. 5 through a system of pipes (600 mm ø)
and chambers. The pipes are laid on the bed of
the storm water channel on brick masonary
piers (foundations laid to below scour levels).
This ensures that non-point pollution does not
affect the water quality en route. There is great
vulnerability to this danger especially as the
storm water channel passes along the east side
of the Katwaria Sarai urban village.
e) The entire flow is accomplished with gravity
for which the levels from checkdam no.3 in
Sanjay Van all the way up to the Hauz bed have
been established
f) Based on the flow regime the average flow is
estimated at 2000 cu.m.d after accounting for
diversions upstream of Sanjay Van, seepage
losses in Sanjay Van, trans-evaporation by the
plant community in the aquatic plants lagoon in
Sanjay Van and removals in IIT campus.
g) After filling the Hauz to full capacity the losses
on account of evaporation and percolation have
to be made up. The percolation losses are
assumed as a stable constant whereas the
evaporation losses would vary with the seasons.
The losses are estimated between a high of 940
cu.m.d. in May to a low of 600 cu.m.d. in
December – January.
h) After filling the Hauz appropriate fish species
have been introduced in the reservoir.
[Populations: Indian Carps – 120,000, Grass
Carps - 50,000, Gambussia – 10,000 no.s]. The
plankton, which would feed upon the organic
load [that remaining after previous treatment
and subsequent additions by way of vegetal
matter] in the water, would be consumed by the
fish. Bottom feeder fish would feed upon the
detritus of dead matter floating down towards
the bed of the reservoir. The fish would attract
fish eating birds and thus the organic matter
would be removed from the water through a
natural food chain.
i) 11 no. floating aerator jets would be introduced
in the water and these would be kept in
operation to add to the dissolved oxygen levels
in the water.
j) Spillover Arrangements: A spillover
arrangement has to be available in case of
excess inflow or in case of a cloudburst or a
combination of the two circumstances.
1481
Definition of Lake Management
In our program lake management is defined as
achieving desired level of water quality at the inflow
of less than <10 mg/l [BoD] and of <6 mg/l BOD in
the lake and a minimum of 6 mg/l of DO. The idea
is to achieve B-C class of waters [CPCB
classification: B class being fit for bathing and C
class being fit for treatment to drinking water
standards]. In addition the visual quality of water
should be clear and unpleasant odours should be
avoided. The lake should be attractive to avian
visitors.
The attainment of these self-defined targets requires:
• Efficient and consistent functioning of the STP
which is the source of regular water input
• Keeping lake influent quality within the desired
parameters
• Maintenance of the inflow route to keep it clear
of any unauthorized tappings and blockades
• Managing the duckweed treatment lagoon en
route
• Manual removal of leaf litter from the lake
• Regular operation of aerator fountains
• A dedicated organization to execute the listed
tasks
Policy Scenario
Lake Management is an emerging discipline in
India. The demonstration project has taken place
under conditions of policy vacuum. The sponsoring
agency, Delhi Development Authority, was rather
unenthusiastic and diffident about the project owing
to its experimental nature, their inexperience in the
area and wariness regarding public criticism.
A decisive thrust was given to the project
when in 2002 the Hon’ble Delhi High Court,
hearing public interest litigation aimed at preserving
waterbodies in Delhi, ordered the revival of the
Hauz Khas. The High Court has followed up with
further orders to undertake the preservation of all
listed waterbodies. In Delhi there is a multiplicity of
agencies all of which are land oriented and would
not like to park water on economically valuable
land. The agencies are thus extremely reluctant to
take up the exercise.
There is still no agency which has a recognized
expertise in lake management nor is there any
deliberate policy to undertake large scale revival
and management of waterbodies in Delhi.
Amongst the public at large there is still no
value placed on the environmental utility of
waterbodies in Delhi except for a small and not very
vocal community of environmental enthusiasts.
Nostalgia and curiosity motivate expression
amongst a small section of the interested public.
Others are wary of possible mosquito breeding and
have been intolerant and unappreciative of the
efforts whenever they have noticed something to
criticize. The press, too, does not have specialist
1482
environmental reporters and has been unable to
appreciate the magnitude of the efforts and the
pioneering nature of the accomplishment.
Project Planning
INTACH’s Natural Heritage Division has pioneered
several initiatives for conservation and management
of environmental assets in Delhi. Recognition of
these efforts by the authorities has resulted in a
grudging acceptance of project proposals. It took 3
years of efforts to convince the Delhi Development
Authority of the need and feasibility to revive the
historic waterbody.
Once the project was approved the DDA
entrusted INTACH with the preparing of the
detailed project report including the investigations.
INTACH’s team was consisted of the author [urban
and environmental planner], a senior engineering
consultant, an ecological scientist and further
assisted by surveyors, soil investigators and
laboratories. Research was carried out by way of
consulting historical documents, old maps, old
timers and the actual scientific investigations. Since
there was no practical experience on the
implementation of duckweed lagoons the literature
on the same was consulted.
Not much emphasis was given on institution
building nor were there any stakeholder
consultations. It is not unlikely, though, that the few
users of the lake littoral would have probably
prevented the project had they known treated
effluent was to fill the lake – this mental block is
being overcome slowly with the passage of time and
the tolerability of the end results.
Lake Management
Currently, INTACH [which is an NGO] has been
entrusted with monitoring activities and advising the
DDA on the activities required to sustain the lake.
The monitoring activity includes water testing of
inflow, water testing in lake, water testing of ground
water, monitoring water table depth, maintaining
duckweed lagoon in the upper reaches. The
introduction of fish in the Hauz is done by
INTACH, which also advises the DDA on managing
the lake.
The DDA has the responsibility of executing
the project, carrying out all investments, and
maintenance aspects. For this they have a dedicated
labour contractor as well as a junior engineer who
has been assigned the responsibility of managing the
lake. Between INTACH and DDA the lake and its
upstream feeder components are kept under near
daily watch.
Benefits
A number of tangible benefits have been achieved.
Thus there is a rise in the localized water table of 5
m over a span of 3 years as a result of which dry
handpumps in neighbouring areas have regained
functionality. The yield from surrounding tubewells
has increased thereby reducing operational time and
consequently reducing energy consumption.
Rainwater, to the tune of 500 million litres, has
been harvested to date. Due to the high percolation
rate this has all been recharged to the aquifer.
Overall the groundwater quality has improved as
shown by post-project groundwater tests.
The treated effluent, which further downstream
was getting re-polluted in the open drains, is now
being further cleaned and recharged to the aquifer. It
has been recycled and after soil filtration through
lake bed has contributed to the rise in the water table
Testing of the groundwater samples [2004 and
2007] have shown improvement in a number of
parameters. The estimated volume of this recharge
is 3500 million litres.
Thus, the total recharge effected through this
project is 4000 million litres to date.
The lake is steadily acquiring the
characteristics of a natural eco-system. While fish
have been introduced into it, some tortoises have
also made their way into it. The fish have now
become quite large and fish weighing even 3
kilograms have been landed. Several wild ducks
have been attracted here and have also been
breeding as is evident by the large number of
ducklings. Thus 12 species of birds have been
observed here, amongst them, Northern Shovellers
from Central Asia. The observed species include
spotbill ducks [which regularly breed here], black-
winged stilts, pond herons, garganey duck, gadwall
duck, pied kingfisher, white-breasted kingfisher,
plovers, coots, waterhens. In the winter of 2006-
2007 the bird count reached 500 inspite of the
inhospitable littoral terrain of the Hauz.
The deep-rooted tree vegetation around the
lake has also benefited as a result of rising soil
moisture and shown better growth and healthier
foliage than earlier.
The recreation of an environmental asset and its
transformation into a natural habitat with pleasing
visual characteristics is beginning to attract citizens
to the area as well as to the nearby markets. The
historical monuments on the southern corner now
have an original water foreground to reflect them.
Experience of Managing the Lake: Challenges
Two challenges are obvious – firstly, maintaining
the water quality of the lake. Unless this can be
consistently done for the summer months the lake
would attract fierce criticism. This requires that the
inflow water quality be high, fish be maintained in
adequate numbers [no scientist could tell us what
number is the right amount], constant removal of
tress which are decaying in the middle of the
waterspread, having requisite electricity to operate
the fountain aerators [Delhi is greatly short of
electricity].
The actual operations confronted many
unanticipated problems, which resulted in public
criticism as well as a steep learning curve. Thus:
• Water becoming scarcer by the day all riparian
parties along the inflow channel tried to tap the
inflow water resulting in inadequate daily
replacement. With rapid percolation the lake
would not spread beyond a point. By way of
resolution major institutions en route were
cautioned about the High Court’s interest in the
matter and thereafter a regulated supply was
given based on mutual understanding.
Subsequently, as a result of additional water
supplies to Delhi this problem is history
• The inflow water quality has become
problematic and deteriorated as a result of
untreated sewage from unsewered area of south
Delhi finding its way into the treated effluent.
This mixing has resulted in water quality of the
lake deteriorating as well – thus pH had moved
up from 7.2 to 9.2, BoD from 9 mg/l to 25 mg/l,
phosphates from 0.15 mg/l to 1.75 mg/l. This
resulted in luxuriant growth of nuisance algal
flora and a faint methaneous odour.
• The above problem is proposed to be tackled by
the diversion of the untreated flow. The
deterioration of the water quality in the lake has
been reversed by bio-remediation technique
whereby facultative and anaerobic bacteria
strains were introduced into the lake – a high
‘shock’ dose followed by a maintenance dose
on a daily basis from 6 locations around the
lake as well as from boat based platform in the
middle. This resulted in elimination of the
odours, sharp decline in the algal growth by
degradation of the organic load, gradual denial
of nourishment to algae. The BoD level has
come down from 25 mg/l to an average of 13
mg/l in 75 days of treatment, pH has fallen
from 9.2 to 8.05.
• The dissolved oxygen levels were deceptive. At
the surface the results were consistently high
[range 9.0 – 14 mg/l] but in the deep were as
low as 1.3 mg/l. Fortunately, there were no fish
kills at any stage.
• The maintenance of duckweed in the lagoons
proved quite problematic with the formed
duckweed carpet susceptible to winds as well as
disappearing as a result of inadequate intake
whenever the treated effluent was rather low on
nutrients. The plants would also move
downstream in case of excessive discharges of
stormwater.
• The removal of dead trees from the waterbody
has become very difficult in view of the non-
cooperation by the Forest Dept. which cites the
Delhi Tree Act thereby neither removing the
trees themselves nor allowing the DDA. The
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 decaying of dead wood in the Lake only adds to
the organic load.
The other challenge would arise once
INTACH departs from the scene and DDA is left to
its own devices in managing the lake. The lake
requires constant watch and swift remedial action in
case of algal blooms. However, the seriousness of
this malady is expected to decline in the coming
seasons. DDA needs to build a small-dedicated team
for lake management.
No plan survives contact – experience showed
substantial variation from the estimated results. The
consequence was a steep learning curve. The project
is still far from complete.

Table 8: Monthly Hydrological Model for Reservoir Management and Operation

Months No. A/g Monthly Surface Evaporation [-] Perodation [-]

of rainfall (in area (Sq Rate (Meter Evaporation Rate Matre Perodation
Days mm) Mts) Column) volume (Mtr. Column Per Valume
Month) day [MCM Month]
July 31 191.6 58515 0.005 0.0090698 0.005 0.009069825
August 31 197.4 58515 0.005 0.0090698 0.005 0.009069825
September 30 105.3 58515 0.005 0.0087773 0.005 0.00877725
October 31 19.3 58515 0.004 0.0072559 0.005 0.009069825
November 30 2.8 58515 0.003 0.0052664 0.005 0.00877725
December 31 4.3 58515 0.002 0.0036279 0.005 0.009069825
January 31 14.5 58515 0.002 0.0036279 0.005 0.009069825
February 29 13.2 58515 0.003 0.0050908 0.005 0.008484675
March 31 9.9 58515 0.005 0.0090698 0.005 0.009069825
April 30 5.5 58515 0.01 0.0175545 0.005 0.00877725
May 31 9.2 58515 0.012 0.0217676 0.005 0.009069825
June 30 38.8 58515 0.009 0.0157991 0.005 0.00877725

Months [+] Direct Rain Treated water [+] Treated Fixed volume Water Volume Depth of
Fall [MCM/ inflow water inflow Capacity of at end of Month Water at end
Mbnt] [MCM/Day] [MCM/Mont] Hauz (MCM) of Month
July 0.0112115 0.0025 0.0775 0.129 0.0706 1.2
August 0.0115509 0.0025 0.0775 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
September 0.0061616 0.001 0.03 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
October 0.0011293 0.001 0.031 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
November 0.0001638 0.001 0.03 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
December 0.0002516 0.001 0.031 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
January 0.0008485 0.001 0.031 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
February 0.0007724 0.001 0.029 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
March 0.0003218 0.001 0.031 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
April 0.0003218 0.001 0.03 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
May 0.0005383 0.001 0.031 0.129 0.129 2.20 m
June 0.0022704 0.001 0.03 0.129 0.129 2.20 m

Note : [+] denotes additions, [-] denotes

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Figure 1. Figure 3.

Figure 2.
Figure 4.

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 Figure 8.

Figure 5.

Figure 9.

Figure 6.

Figure 10.

Figure 7.

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Figure 11. Figure 12.

1487