398
Kerala province in India. They are a network of
interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets, a
labyrinthine system formed by >900 km of waterways, and sometimes compared to the American
Bayou. The National Waterway No. 3 from
Quilon to Kottapuram covers a distance of
205 km and runs almost parallel to the coastline
of southern Kerala facilitating both cargo movement and backwater tourism. The kettuvallams
(Kerala houseboats) in the backwaters are one of
the prominent tourist attractions in Kerala. The
network includes fi ve large lakes linked by
canals, both man-made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, extending virtually half the length of Kerala
province. The backwaters were formed by the
action of waves and shore currents creating low
barrier islands across the mouths of many rivers
fl owing down from the Western Ghats mountain
range. Further, the Vembanad Kayal, one of the
largest of the lakes in Kerala, is possibly, connected with the backwaters.
The backwaters have a unique ecosystem, i.e.
freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater
from the Arabian Sea. In certain areas, such as
the Vembanad Kayal, where a barrage has been
built near Kumarakom, salt water from the sea is
prevented from entering inside, keeping the
freshwater intact. Such freshwater is extensively
used for irrigation purposes. Many species of
aquatic biota, e.g. crabs, frogs and mudskippers,
aquatic birds (terns, kingfi shers, darters and cormorants) and other animals (otters, turtles, etc.),
live in and alongside the backwaters. Palm trees,
Pandanus shrubs, various leafy plants and bushes
grow alongside the backwaters.
Impact on Ecosystem
The unregulated operation of motorised houseboats and outboard motors in the lakes and backwaters has been affecting the fragile ecosystem.
Economic Signifi cance
The backwaters form an economic means of
transport, being connected by artifi cial canals.
These have been used for centuries by the local
people for transportation, fi shing and agriculture.
Hence, fi shing and fi sh curing are important
industries. It has supported the efforts of the local
people to earn a livelihood. A volume of trade is
done through inland navigation. Recently, farming efforts have been strengthened through reclamation of some backwater lands for rice growing,
particularly in the Kuttanad area. Boat making
has been a traditional craft, so has been the coir
industry.
Kuttanad is crisscrossed with waterways,
which run alongside extensive paddy fi elds, as
well as fi elds of cassava, banana and yam. A
unique feature of Kuttanad is that many of these
fi elds are below sea level and are surrounded by
earthen embankments. The crops are grown on
the low-lying ground and irrigated with freshwater from canals and waterways connected to
Vembanad Lake. The area is similar to the dykes
of the Netherlands where land has been reclaimed
from the sea for crop production.
In addition to above, Ashtamudi (Plate 20.73 )
is an important estuarine wetland situated in the
Quilon District of Kerala.
20.3.9 Wetlands of Maharashtra
There are a number of lentic bodies (particularly
reservoirs) in Maharashtra. There are also a number of wetlands in the province. An account of
some of these is given below.
20.3.9.1 Nandur Madhmeshwar
It lies between 20° 01′ N and 74° 07 ′ E at the
headwaters of the Godavari River, 35 km east of
Nasik. It is a large water storage reservoir having
a water spread area of 1,500–2,000 ha and, perhaps, a total area of 10,012.7 ha. It was formed by
the construction of a dam at the confl uence of
Godavari and Kadva rivers in 1907. These wetlands have been heavily silted since 80 years. As
such, much of the wetland is a very shallow
marsh now. The climate is semi-arid under the
infl uence of tropical monsoon with an annual
average rainfall of about 500 mm. The temperature ranges from 7 to 43 °C. The wetland supplies
water to the surrounding people for irrigation and
other domestic purposes.
About 20 species of fi shes, 235 species of
birds and 463 species of plants have been
20 Wetlands of India
Kerala province in India. They are a network of
interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets, a
labyrinthine system formed by >900 km of waterways, and sometimes compared to the American
Bayou. The National Waterway No. 3 from
Quilon to Kottapuram covers a distance of
205 km and runs almost parallel to the coastline
of southern Kerala facilitating both cargo movement and backwater tourism. The kettuvallams
(Kerala houseboats) in the backwaters are one of
the prominent tourist attractions in Kerala. The
network includes fi ve large lakes linked by
canals, both man-made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, extending virtually half the length of Kerala
province. The backwaters were formed by the
action of waves and shore currents creating low
barrier islands across the mouths of many rivers
fl owing down from the Western Ghats mountain
range. Further, the Vembanad Kayal, one of the
largest of the lakes in Kerala, is possibly, connected with the backwaters.
The backwaters have a unique ecosystem, i.e.
freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater
from the Arabian Sea. In certain areas, such as
the Vembanad Kayal, where a barrage has been
built near Kumarakom, salt water from the sea is
prevented from entering inside, keeping the
freshwater intact. Such freshwater is extensively
used for irrigation purposes. Many species of
aquatic biota, e.g. crabs, frogs and mudskippers,
aquatic birds (terns, kingfi shers, darters and cormorants) and other animals (otters, turtles, etc.),
live in and alongside the backwaters. Palm trees,
Pandanus shrubs, various leafy plants and bushes
grow alongside the backwaters.
Impact on Ecosystem
The unregulated operation of motorised houseboats and outboard motors in the lakes and backwaters has been affecting the fragile ecosystem.
Economic Signifi cance
The backwaters form an economic means of
transport, being connected by artifi cial canals.
These have been used for centuries by the local
people for transportation, fi shing and agriculture.
Hence, fi shing and fi sh curing are important
industries. It has supported the efforts of the local
people to earn a livelihood. A volume of trade is
done through inland navigation. Recently, farming efforts have been strengthened through reclamation of some backwater lands for rice growing,
particularly in the Kuttanad area. Boat making
has been a traditional craft, so has been the coir
industry.
Kuttanad is crisscrossed with waterways,
which run alongside extensive paddy fi elds, as
well as fi elds of cassava, banana and yam. A
unique feature of Kuttanad is that many of these
fi elds are below sea level and are surrounded by
earthen embankments. The crops are grown on
the low-lying ground and irrigated with freshwater from canals and waterways connected to
Vembanad Lake. The area is similar to the dykes
of the Netherlands where land has been reclaimed
from the sea for crop production.
In addition to above, Ashtamudi (Plate 20.73 )
is an important estuarine wetland situated in the
Quilon District of Kerala.
20.3.9 Wetlands of Maharashtra
There are a number of lentic bodies (particularly
reservoirs) in Maharashtra. There are also a number of wetlands in the province. An account of
some of these is given below.
20.3.9.1 Nandur Madhmeshwar
It lies between 20° 01′ N and 74° 07 ′ E at the
headwaters of the Godavari River, 35 km east of
Nasik. It is a large water storage reservoir having
a water spread area of 1,500–2,000 ha and, perhaps, a total area of 10,012.7 ha. It was formed by
the construction of a dam at the confl uence of
Godavari and Kadva rivers in 1907. These wetlands have been heavily silted since 80 years. As
such, much of the wetland is a very shallow
marsh now. The climate is semi-arid under the
infl uence of tropical monsoon with an annual
average rainfall of about 500 mm. The temperature ranges from 7 to 43 °C. The wetland supplies
water to the surrounding people for irrigation and
other domestic purposes.
About 20 species of fi shes, 235 species of
birds and 463 species of plants have been
20 Wetlands of India