Udaipur Lakes Complex (18367)
India, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Udaipur Lakes Complex
Central coordinates: Latitude: 24.5833, Longitude: 73.8167
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 526 00
Area of KBA (km2): 5.58311
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The lake complex of Udaipur City consists of two important lakes namely Pichola (960 ha) and Fatehsagar (2,070 ha), interconnected by Rangsagar and Swaroopsagar lakes. The complex of lakes is situated in the western part of Udaipur City. The former rulers of Mewar had built these lakes. Fatehsagar has four islands within it. One has been converted into a garden, Nehru Park; on an other smaller island, a Solar Observatory has been erected; the third, a rocky outcrop, has been converted into a fountain; and a fourth island is near the northwestern shore. Pichola has two important island masses on which the Lake Palace, Hotel and Jag Mandir, are located. The main source of water for Pichola Lake is Sisarma river. From Pichola, water is diverted to interconnecting waterbodies, which in turn supply the water to Fatehsagar. Fatehsagar also receives water from a small canal, Madar-ka-Nallah, connected to River Berach. Before India’s Independence, the water from Fatehsagar was hardly used for any purpose and the lake remained more or less full throughout the year. Presently, these lakes serve as the important water supply bodies for the domestic purposes of the city. Due to shortage of rainfall during the last ten years (from 1992); these lakes are getting water from Jaisamand. Nevertheless, the water levels of both the lakes are decreasing every year. This is affecting the number of migratory birds visiting the lakes. Despite the fact that these lakes are within the growing Udaipur City, they attract a large number of waterfowl. Up to 10,000 could be seen in these lake complexes. The macrophytic community is composed of 14 species at Pichola Lake and 16 species at Fatehsagar Lake (Sankhla et al. 1996). Eichhornia dominates Pichola and Nelumbo and Nymphoides alternatively dominate Fatehsagar in the floating zone community, whereas Hydrilla dominates in the submerged zone community in both the lakes, throughout the year. The emergent zone community is dominated by Paspalidium geminatum and Elaeocharis palustris.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: AVIFAUNA: More than 85 bird species (Tehsin 1989; Sharma 2002) have been reported from this site and its environs. These include species of Biome-11 (Indo-Malayan Tropical Dry Zone). Large congregations of Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha, Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata, Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus and Cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo can be seen during the peak of winter. Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis is a regular sighting from this Lake complex and more than 150 were counted in the winter of 2002 (R. Tehsin pers. comm. 2003). The visits of Sarus Crane Grus antigone (1-2 pairs) during winters is frequently observed in the surrounding field areas of the Lake Pichola whereas Pied Tit Parus nuchalis is most commonly sighted from the forest area in the catchment of the Lake Fatehsagar (Jamunia Ki Nal) (R. Tehsin pers. comm. 2003). OTHER KEY FAUNA: The environs of the lakes do not harbour any major mammalian and reptilian fauna of conservation concern.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Aquatic | 33 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 33 | |
| Forest | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: MAIN THREATS: Pollution; Encroachment of catchment areas by human for their settlements; Tourism; Disturbance to the birds by water sports, habitat destruction; Trapping and poaching of birds; Siltation; Invasion by Eichhornia crassipes; Agricultural activities. Due to constant disturbance in the lakes by boats and around the lakes by automobiles as well as decrease in the aquatic flora, the lakes are becoming inhospitable for migratory birds. Some of the damage done to these wetlands is irreversible, such as construction around the lakes and blockage of surface water run-off from the catchment areas. Some such as habitat destruction on the islands, and excessive recreational boating could be rectified by the collective effort of the local population and administration. The Natural Environment Education and Development (NEED) Organization regularly conducts bird census in these lakes, along with mass awareness programmes with the help of Forest Department and Department of Science & Technology, Government of Rajasthan.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Sankhla, S. K., Paliwal, P. P., Billore, D. K. and Jain, S. L. (1996): Structure and production dynamics of macrophytic and moist bank vegetation of Udaipur wetlands. In: Contributions to the Environmental Sciences (Vyas, L. N., Garg, R. K. & Purohit, S. D. Eds:), Himanshu Publications, Udaipur-New Delhi. Pp. 71. Sharma, S. K. (2002): Preliminary Biodiversity Survey of Protected Areas of Southern Rajasthan. Unpbl. Pp. 1-23. Tehsin, R. (1989). Faunal history of Fatehsagar Lake. In: Wetland Conservation (Vyas, L. N. and Garg, R. K. eds.), Environment Community Centre, Udaipur. Pp. 109-117.