1. Lake Kolleru (30,855 ha) is the biggest freshwater wetland ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located in between the alluvial plains of the Godavari and Krishna Rivers in northeast Andhra Pradesh. The Lake is connected to the Gulf of Bengal through the Upputeru River or "Salt Stream", a 60 km long, intricately meandering tidal river. The Lake is shallow and fresh but, because of its low elevation, brackish conditions prevail in a small part in the southeast, especially during dry summer months due to salt intrusion through the Upputeru River. The Lake, home for 189 species of birds, including the rare and endangered Grey Pelicans, has been designated as a RAMSAR site. In 1999, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has declared the area a Wildlife Sanctuary.

2. The main issues concerning the lake are:

• It is RAMSAR site, there is an International commitment from Govt. of India to maintain ecosystem of Lake Kolleru.
  

• This fragile wetland/estuarial system is under threat due to human interventions both in the lake itself, in the upstream catchment area (5400 km2) as well in the downstream Upputeru River estuary system.
  

• Approximately 50% of the Lake area has been converted in fish ponds (42%) and paddy fields (8%).
  

• 86,000 ha of the surrounding agricultural land is prone to flooding due to the reduced storage capacity of the Lake.
  

• Pollution with pesticides, fertilizers, sewage and industrial waste, resulting in an excessive growth of weeds and hyacinth.
  

• Strainght Cut: Salt water intrusion due to reduced outflow and breached distributaries in the Upputeru River.

3. Need for the scientific study:

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has recognized the urgent need to stop further degradation of this fragile ecosystem. For example, it has initiated a rehabilitation package that includes, among other the dismantling of fish ponds below the 5.0m contour of the Lake despite fierce opposition of local fishermen and fishpond owners. However to develop a strategic integrated management action plan there is still an urgent need for:

• Access to scientific data and scientific norms;
  

• Better understanding of the sound ecological basis for interactions among the various sectors
  

• Integrated Water Resources Management/IWRM Approach.
  

• Development of sustainable plan to conserve and maintain ecosystem and environment of the Lake

4. DST, NRDMS Division initiatives:

Considering the importance of the Kolleru Lake, its restoration and SxT interventions, NRDMS conducted a one day brain storming session at DST, New Delhi on 27:07:2006. In the session an elaborate discussion was taken place on the Kolleru Lake, it importance (one of the shallow fresh water lakes in the world below MSL), present conditions, the damage due to aquaculture, the local population, the increase of salinity in the surrounding areas, the geo-morphology changes including flora and fauna due to aquaculture. It was felt that issue is very complex. It requires both scientific interventions, education and capacity building for stake holders and development of integrated project on Kolleru and surrounding areas is the need of the hour. The visiting scientists also projected that the Kolleru Lake draws immense attention and interest by The Netherlands scientists. Therefore, it is a win-win situation to bring the lake to its original glory by technology transfer, training and institutional collaborations. In continuation of the session and as per recommendations, 2nd brain storming session was organised at Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad wherein number of Universities and other stakeholder organisations, have formulated the main objectives of a scientific approach for the rehabilitation of the Kolleru Lake and Upputeru Estuary. In continuation of the 1st and 2nd sessions, the 3rd meeting was held at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam on Nov, 2006 wherein implementation methodologies, A Science Plan was prepared. The science plan aims at achieving the above objectives in an holistic and integrated methodology associated with the following major fields of study: geomorphology, land use and land cover eco hydrology, aquatic chemistry, sedimentology, ecosystem, biodiversity conservation, biological weed management, pollution, near shore dynamics, information systems, socio economic aspects, community participation, and legal framework.

5. Objective of the proposed study:

To create a scientific basis, to develop methodologies for restoration and sustenance of Lake ecosystem on sound scientific principles.

6. Goals of the study

1. To create high resolution Geo-spatial Data at 1:10000 scale for the catchment areas, upper catchment areas, surroundings and 1:4000 scale for the Lake area,.
   

2. To develop high resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for the Lake.
   

3. To demarcate scientifically the boundary of the lake.
   

4. To reconstruct the evolutional history of the lake and the associated geometry.
   

5. To develop a hydrological balance model for the Lake.
   

6. To model the near shore dynamics and its influence on inflow-outflow characteristics of the lake.
   

7. To study the neotectonics and the associated process-response characteristics of the inter delta area
   

8. To document the present status of fauna and flora of the lake and its environs
   

9. To identify the point and non-point sources of pollution and their influence on the lake serenity and biodiversity.
   

10. To Reconstruction of the paleo environmental facies models of the lake
    

11. To Develop an ecological model for the lake
    

12. To design and develop strategies for the conservation and restoration of the ecosystems of the lake
    

13. To evolve strategies for community awareness and participation.
    

14. To enhance implementation of an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach for the development of a strategic integrated management action plan for the Kolleru Lake and Upputeru River Estuary ecosystem, with special emphasis on Ecosystem Goods and Services (EGS), modeling, training and capacity building.
    

15. Hydrological balance at the effluents and near shore ocean dynamics,
    

16. Neotectonics and process characteristics response of the inter delta area,
    

17. Develop IWRM enhancing methods to better understand the ecosystem goods and services of the Kolleru Lake and Upputeru River estuary ecosystem.
    

18. Develop models to predict the long-term effects of rehabilitation measures to stop degradation of the Kolleru Lake and Upputeru River estuary ecosystem.
    

19. Capacity building in IWRM for wetland ecosystem management.

7. Deliverables

• High resolution, standards based Geo-Spatial Information System which will cater to all stakeholders to carry out further studies, planning activities and sustainable management of Lake.
  

• Reconnaissance report summarizing the current state-of-art with respect to the geomorphology, ecosystem goods and services, land use and land cover, eco-hydrology and the aquatic chemistry.
  

• Model studies on IWRM to predict long-term effects of ecosystem rehabilitation measures.
  

• Enhanced participatory research and implementation skills of the partner organisation in IWRM for the understanding and management of wetland - estuary ecosystems.
  

• Enhanced awareness of local stakeholders with the use of IWRM in the management of wetland - estuarial ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh.

8. Implementation modalities

The study will be conducted in close association with various Universities and Research Institutes

Participating Institutions

• Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
  

• Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad
  

• Jwaharlal Nehru Technical University, Hyderabad
  

• SRKR Engineering College, Bhimavaram
  

• St. Therisas College, Eluru
  

• EPTRI, Hyderabad
  

• Nallamalai Foundation, Hyderabad
  

• Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad
  

• Dept. of Science and Technology, Govt. of India
  

Tenure for the proposed study: The total time for completion of the study is 24 months.

Framework of the proposed study

Geo-spatial technologies: Kolleru Lake Ecosystem restoration

Major component-1: Development of Kolleru Lake Geo-spatial Information System (KLGIS)
Content	Technical parameters	Deliverables and modalities	Agency
1. Data Model	1:10000 Scale All themes in terms of spatial and attributes	Should be delivered before start of the project. Developed and distributed to all participating PI's	JNTU, Hyderabad
2. Base Map for catchment area	1:10000 scale toposheets with standard topographic information in digital form	Area: 375 toposheets of area under 1:25000 scale SOI toposheets (Toposheet number will be provided by DST)	Survey of India, Dehradun
3. Base Map for Lake area	1:4000 scale toposheets with standard topographic information in digital form	Area:125 topsheets of area under 1:25000 scale SOI toposheets (Toposheet numbers will be provided by DST)	Survey of India, Dehradun
4. Bathemetry	For Lake area Contour		Survey of India, Dehradun
5. DEM	For catchment and Lake area	Elevation, Slope etc	Survey of India, Dehradun
6. Thematic Mapping	For catchment and Lake area	Land use Land cover Drainage Geo-morphology Lithology Structure
7. Attribute data collection	For catchment and Lake area
8. Geo-Portal Data Clearing house Spatial database creation Meta data extraction OGC compliant web services	For all sectors, population of KLGIS with data collected by other PI's	For all sectors, themes with base maps	JNTU, Hyderabad
Major component-2: Field investigations-Hydrological studies
1. Lake evolution	Geomorphic characteristics	Lake area and surroundings
2. Water quality (surface)	Lake and catchment areas
3. Ground water quality	Lake and catchment area
6. Geophysical studies	Lake basin	To understand the nature and extent of Lake basin
7. Sedimentology	Lake area	Development of Sedimentory sequential strategraphic model for the Lake
8. Salinity Intrusion	Strainght cut, Upputeru and Lake and surroundings	Studies on tidal variations along Upputeru
9. Hydrological Modelling	Upputeru and Lake	Development of Hydrological model for water movement and strategies Soil degradation and siltation
10. Impact of aquaculture and agricultural practices	Lake and Upputeru estuary	To study the impact of agriculture practices on the ecology of lake To monitor spatial and temporal variability of Kolleru Lake and Upputeru River Estuary with special refernce to agricultural and and aquacultural practices
9. Rainfall forecast and simulation	Location specific rainfall forecast and simulation	Studies on impact of nudging
Major Component-3: Weed management
1. Geo-spatial extent of weed	Lake and Upputeru areas	To estimate extent, classification of weed and development of strategies for biological contral/ eradication
2. Alternative uses of weed	Lake area	To study alternative uses of Eichhornia Crassipes weed and development of environmentally viable strategies to control
3. Ecosystem Modeling	Lake area	Ecosystem modeling and Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA)
4. Wet land management	Lake area	Evaluation and assessment of wetland (Kolleru Lake)
Major comment-4: Social, Political and Legal aspects
1. Socio-Economic aspects	Lake and surrounding habitations	To study social aspects including social chain and economic flow and to identify social conflicts
2. Political-Economic aspects	Economic and power games	To identify political linkages and to identify political conflicts
3. Legal status	Lake area	Legal aspects National/ International environmental (RAMSAR) commitments
Major Component-5: Modeling, visualization and impact studies
1. Straight cut	Upputeru, Lake and surroundings	Studies on impact and analysis of Straight cut on surroundings, on Kolleru and old course including near shore dynamics
2. Water discharge	Lake and Upputeru	Studies on Water discharge in to the Lake and from Lake to Bay of Bengal (Quantification, assessment and modeling)
3. Engineering aspects of Water Management	Water regulation and Regulators	Regulators site identification studies and assessment of its impacts
4. Development of solutions	To control floods To restore ecosystem To arrest salinity intrusion To manage wetlands	Based on data generated various studies to generate solutions using models and visualization tools
Major Component-6: Central facility, Technical coordination, Capacity building and training
1. Central lab. Facility	AU, Vizag	Central lab. Facility Co-ordination Training
2. International training

9. Expert Committee: DST has constituted an Expert Committee to evaluate, recommend and to monitor projects under this sub-programme