Wetlands in Uttar Pradesh

Wetlands are a natural flood defender, stormwater drainage, recharge groundwater table and serve as habitat for many species. Wetlands act as a very link between the land and water. These aquatic ecosystems filter out water and have a huge significance in the ecological terms and are spread across the world, except Antarctica.

Wetlands in Uttar Pradesh

Wetlands are fragile and beautiful ecosystems that impact our lives in ways more than one is indispensable for our survival. Wetlands serve as the mega spongers mopping up rainwater, filtering them and recharging the water table. It also filters out pollutants and sediments and absorbs chemicals. We have lost a significant share of these ecological stabilizers to urbanization. Let us preserve what is left for our survival.

In this article, we will discuss the wetlands of Uttar Pradesh. Given the physiographic and topographic diversity, Uttar Pradesh has many such wetlands.  

According to India State of Forest Report, 2019, India has 62,466 wetlands covering 3.83% of its recorded forest area. In January 2020, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) announced ten new Ramsar sites of India. Among these six are from Uttar Pradesh. These are Nawabganj, Parvati Agra, Saman, Samaspur, Sandi, Sarsai Nawar.

Recently Uttar Pradesh has started notifying its wetlands lying outside the forest area and bird sanctuaries. They are now declared as 'protected areas'. Ramgarh Taal located in Gorakhpur has become the first notified and 'protected' wetland in the country which lies outside the forest, and within city limits. UP has about 1.2 lakh wetlands that lie outside the forest and around 500 that lie within.

There are around 16 wetlands present in Uttar Pradesh. The list is as follows:

1. Nawabganj
2. Lakh Bahoshi
3. Samaspur
4. Alwara Wetland
5. Semarai Lake
6. Nagarai Lake
7. Keetham Lake
8. Shekha Wetland
9. Saman Bird Sanctuary
10. Sarasai Nawar
11. Patna Bird Sanctuary
12. Chandotal
13. Taal Bhaghel
14. Taal Gambhirvan & Taal Salona
15. Aadi Jal Jeev Jheel
16. Ramgarh Taal

Let us discuss the most important ones.

1. Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary

It is located in Unnao district and has a lake and provides protection to around 250 species of migratory birds. The bird species present here are a mix of resident as well as migratory birds.

During winters, birds migrate from the Himalayas from Tibet, China, Siberia and Europe in this region. The sanctuary has deer park also in its premises.

The sanctuary was established in 1984 that was fed by Sharda Canal.

Species Conserved

There are several measures taken by State Govt for ensuring the revival of the lake and protect the endangered species project.

2. Sandi Wetland

The Sandi wetlands were declared as Sandi Wildlife Sanctuary in 1991. It is also called as 'Deher Jheel' in common parlance. Located in Hardoi district, Sandi is a freshwater marsh in Uttar Pradesh. The wetland receives most of its water from the monsoon rains and is in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Other than Ramsar Convention, the Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS) has also listed this Sanctuary as one of the 'Important Bird Area' sites. The wetland is also part of the list of wetlands identified under National Wetland Conservation Programme by The Ministry of Environment & Forest. Govt. of India.

Species Conserved

The local and migratory birds, conservation of their natural habitat including aquatic plants and animals.

Over 1% of the South Asian populations of common teal (Anas crecca), red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) and ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca) reside here. Some of the vulnerable sarus crane (Grus antigone) has a population of 200 individuals within the Sanctuary. 

1. Lakh Bahoshi

It is one of India's most significant bird sanctuaries in the upper Ganges canal. Lakh Bahosi Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary spread over two Jheels (shallow lakes) near the villages of Lakh and Bahosi in Kannauj district.

Species Conserved

Other than a variety of local and migratory birds, the sanctuary is also home to Jackal, blue bull, mongoose, fishing cat, monkeys and other animals.

1. Samaspur Bird Sanctuary

Established in 1987, the sanctuary is located in Salon in the Rae Bareilly district. Though the sanctuary is not too large in area, yet it provides shelter to about 250 species of migratory and local birds. It is also enlisted in the Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS) and is regarded as the 'Important Bird Area' sites. 

Species Conserved

Vulture, Kingfishers, Spot Bill Teel common and Teel Whistling etc. have made the sanctuary as their permanent habitat. Twelve varieties of fish are there in the lake at Samaspur.

 5. Alwara wetland

Alwara lake is a perennial wetland, located in Kaushambhi, Uttar Pradesh. The lake has diverse flora and fauna.  The lake has a dynamic landscape, created by annual flooding from Yamuna river.  The water level rises during the monsoon season. This lake is locally called as Alwar Taal.

Species Conservation

The sarus cranes are at the verge of extinction due to widespread reductions in the extent and quality of their wetland habitats, exploitation and the effects of pollutants, unplanned farming, irrigation and non-adoption of wildlife rules and regulations as well.

1. Keetham lake

Located about 20 km from Agra within the Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary. The lake is pentagonal. There are artificially created islands for shelter and breeding grounds to the migratory birds.

Species Conservation

Nearly 106 species of migratory and resident birds are known to have their resting habitats at Sur Sarovar. The water quality of Keetham lake supports a wide range of avifauna during the winter season.  

1. Saman

Saman lake is within the Saman Bird Sanctuary, established in the year 1990. It is designated as Ramsar site since 2019.

Species Conserved

In addition to diverse migratory birds, local animals such as Jackal, Mongoose, Hare etc. are also conserved here.

1. Sarsai Nawar

Sarsai Nawar Jheel is a permanent marsh in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. The wetland of the Indo-Gangetic floodplain is fed by precipitation run-off from the South-West monsoon rains. Birdlife International also recognizes it as an Important Bird Area.

Species Conserved

critically endangered white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and endangered woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus). The wetland is also a site of spiritual and religious significance with the nearby Hajari Mahadev temple visited by thousands of pilgrims each year.

1. Patna Bird Sanctuary

Patna Vihar Bird Sanctuary is a protected sanctuary in the Jalesar subdivision of Etah district in Uttar Pradesh. It is the smallest bird sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, with a wetland area of only 1 km2. The entire lake area gets covered by a lush growth of macrophytic vegetation of water hyacinth and Potamogeton sp. during summers. The water quality of the lake supports a wide range of avifauna during the winter season. 

Species conservation

About 200,000 birds of 300 different species of birds frequent the sanctuary. Pied mynas, herons, cormorants and ducks and geese of all descriptions also frequent the sanctuary.

Therefore, we must conserve wetlands as they provide an essential range of environmental, social and economic services. They are the vital link between land and water.

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