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Conservation of wetlands in Madhya Pradesh: A case study of Ramsagar Reservoir in Datia District, North Madhya Pradesh using GIS
R.J. Rao and R.K. Garg
School of Studies in Zoology
Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Email: soszool@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
In India freshwater ecosystems are most threatened by the profusion of dams, loss of seasonally flooded forests, and wetlands, and deforestation of surrounding watersheds. Some of the greatest threats are diversion of surface waters, loss of riparian vegetation etc. Specific actions are needed for conservation of the water bodies through detailed scientific studies. A study has been carried out in the Ramsagar Reservoir, Datia District, Madhya Pradesh. Field surveys have been carried out to prepare Biomap of Ramsagar Reservoir by using Global Position System (GPS make Garmin 76). Geographical coordinates, elevation, area, water depth at different points, water quality and biotic characteristics at different locations were measured with the help of GPS and other limnological equipments. By using GIS Arc View programme Landuse/Landcover, drainage, geomorphology, administrative boundary, socio-economic data has been collected from the Reservoir. Results of these studies are presented in this paper.
INTRODUCTION
Water resources support rich biodiversity. India is drained by numerous rivers, which are fairly well spread. There are many wetlands available in different parts of the country. The freshwater in these rivers and wetlands is amongst the most critical factors limiting urban growth and agriculture development. At present time, wetlands in different areas are used for many purposes. The wetlands are highly productive areas with rich biodiversity, they serve as a spawning and nursery ground for fishes, birds etc. and hence can be used as a excellent area for conservation of rare and endangered species (Rao, 2002) They are cultivated for the production of edible plants like Trapa, Euryala, Neutrepa etc. However, this culture is harmful to wetlands as it helps in accelerating the process of eutrophication. Wetlands are looked upon a source of cheap protein food as crabs, fish, prawns etc. In many areas, wetlands are used for extensive aquaculture operations (Sugunan, 1995). Wetlands absorb large quantities of stream water and reduce flooding of adjacent areas. They also assist ground water recharge. Wetlands play a role in wastewater treatment and function as natural filter systems (Anon, 1989).
During the past decades wetlands have received increasingly greater attention from the viewpoint of their ecology as well as conservation. The wetlands are now considered to be distinct ecosystems with specific ecological characteristics, functions and values. Development of water resources has affected fish and wildlife resources in many wetlands (Rao, 2002). The Government has developed diversion systems to tap the annual flow for irrigation and other purposes. With much of the water diverted at many places the water bodies have undergone massive physical change during recent decades. Many wetlands have been constantly used for dumping of garbage, sewage disposals, tanneries disposal etc. An increased level of water quality deterioration has been observed year by year (Anon, 1989). The changes in the characteristics of the wetlands in the form of water quality pollution and water development projects have greatly altered habitat conditions for aquatic animals. The habitat loss has caused concern for the welfare of the aquatic animals that live in different water bodies. The land around the water bodies is used largely for agriculture and fisheries. This has lead people to live around the water body and exploit natural resources for their livelihood. This exploitation is so great that some species in the water bodies are likely to become extinct in the near future (Anon, 1989).
In Madhya Pradesh there are many freshwater wetland areas in the form of lakes and man-made reservoirs. The reservoirs are constructed primarily for flood control, conservation of rainwater, irrigation, power generation and water supply to cities and industries. Fishing development in these water bodies is considered as a secondary activity. The responsibility of fishery development in reservoir has been assigned to the state fisheries departments (EPCO, 1996). Rapid developments in technology have fostered the institutionalization of the benefits for the well being of mankind. With the advent of computers, the scope of information processing, whether as an end user application or technology support, has drastically changed. Today, computers are capable of processing maps, both individually and along with tabular or attribute data and blend them together to provide a new perception - the spatial visualization of information. This has added a new dimension to the information processing, particularly related to the processing of information of the earth and its natural resources.
Our present knowledge on various aspects of reservoirs in North Madhya Pradesh is inadequate. Few studies on Tighra reservoir have been conducted (Sharma, 1991; Singh, 2003). The Ramsagar reservoir, located in Datia District, is very much important due to its locality near Datia town, where water is supplied from the reservoir for drinking, for irrigation purpose and fish production. In order to assess the importance of the Ramsagar reservoir an ecological and conservation study has been carried out to identify land use and land cover, biodiversity and different uses of Ramsagar reservoir in the Datia District, Madhya Pradesh.
METHODOLOGY
Landuse/Landcover
Datia district is situated in the northern part of the State and lies between the latitude 250 28 N 260 20 N and longitude 78010 E and 780 45 E (Fig. 1). The district lies into a main body of the land mostly on the Sind-Pahuj Doab and five enclaves surrounded by the Shivpuri district and the surrounding Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. The district is bounded by Bhind and Gwalior district in the north, Shivpuri and Jhansi districts in the south, again Gwalior and Shivpuri in the west and Bhander tehsil of Gwalior in the east. Total area of the district is 2038 sq.kms.
Figure 1. Map of study area Ramsagar reservoir in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh
Most of the central and northern parts of the district lie in the Sindh-Pahuj Doab which forms the southern margin of the Gangetic valley. The portion of the valley slopes towards the north-east. The valley is flat with deposits of alluvial soil but occasional mounds of granite are also seen. The alluvial soil is loamy and fertile. However, in some patches where gravel layer comes up on the surface of the soil, vegetation becomes difficult. The disquieting feature of the alluvial tract is the formation of gullies along the major rivers and tributaries.
Landuse/landcover categories identified in the study area are agricultural land, water body, forest land and wastelands. Major part of the study area is covered by water body named as Ramsagar followed by agricultural lands and hill on the western side of the water body. The hill tops and steep sloping areas are barren.
Drainage
The Datia district comes under the Gangetic drainage system and is drained by the Sind, the Pahuj, the Mahuar and the Betwa. The former two, however form the drainage system of the main body of the district. The rivers are almost seasonal and have heavy run off only during the peak period of July and August in the rainy season. During the dry season most of the streams become dry and water is available only in some channels of the main stream.
Reservoir:
The Ramsagar Reservoir is a man made water body. The origin and the year of completion of the reservoir is not known, however, the information from Irrigation Department, Datia showed that it was completed before independence i.e. 1947. The reservoir is located around 80 kms south of Gwalior and 28 kms north of Jhansi in District Datia at an altitude of 229 msl (Fig. 2). It lies between 25o40.489 N latitude and 78o23.887 E longitude. The reservoir is surrounded by hills on the eastern and western sides, which drain their runoff in the reservoir through various nullahs prominent among these being the Pateria from eastern side, Badi nadi from southern side and Patparu from the western side (Fig. 5). There is an earthen dam on the Northern side of reservoir. The length of the dam is 506 m and the top width is 3.75 m. The maximum height of the dam from lowest river bed level is 26.8 m. The Sindh river basin forms approximately 46 Sq. km of catchment area of the reservoir. The reservoirs command area constitutes an area of more than 1050 hectares. The water spread area fluctuates due to irregular rainfall and the extensive usage of the water (Fig. 3-6). The water stored in the reservoir is being supplied for drinking to the people in the Datia city. In addition the locals use the water for irrigation and fisheries development.
Figure 2 (A, B) Topo map of Datia and Ramsagar reservoir
Various indices, their bases and trophic status of Ramsagar reservoir have been given in table 1. On the basis of the studies on the trophic status it is concluded that the Ramsagar reservoir is a mesotrophic water body with moderate quantity of nutrients. The water body can serve as a good habitat for aquatic organisms and can also be very well used for stocking of Indian major carps for their cultivation.
Table 1: Trophic status of the Ramsagar reservoir on the basis of different indices
Geography:
Datia district can be divided into two broad physiographic divisions viz., the lower extension of Bundelkhand plateau and the Gangetic plain while the other divisions an imperfect ring of the Gangetic alluvial belt. The topography of the district is sloping towards north-east with mounds and hillocks seen intermittently on the plain. The southern part around Datia town lies in the granite area and forms a somewhat barren and rocky tract. The prominent hills lie to the south-east and west of Datia. Among these hills the highest point (337m) of the district is the peak of Burdwan in Basai block. To the north-west of Seondha and on the left bank of river Sind, a low range of sandstone hills overlooks it and extends up to its north-eastern bend in the district. The plateau area is either bare or stony on steep slopes or is covered with reddish soil or black cotton soil.
Biodiversity:
In the Ramsagar reservoir regular surveys conducted during different months of the year indicate that a rich biodiversity exists in the water body. There are 13 species of aquatic vegetation, 14 species of mollusks, 5 species of aquatic insects, 26 species of fish both natural as well as released by the Fisheries Department, 2 species of aquatic reptiles and 15 species of migratory birds in the reservoir.
Conservation
Locals use the water body primarily for drinking, irrigation and also for fishing purpose. The Ramsagar reservoir has been promoted for the development of fisheries. The fishermen cooperatives have rights on the fishing activities in this reservoir. Killing of migratory birds was also reported. Locals are not aware of the importance of migratory birds and the legislation. Due to mixing of pesticides through water run off from the agriculture fields the fishes from Ramsagar Reservoir have been infected. Direct causes on site are: i. Overexploitation ii. Conversion of habitats iii destructive land-use practices and iv. Pollution. Some of the greatest threats are diversion of water for different uses, loss of riparian vegetation etc. Therefore, specific actions are needed for conservation of Ramsagar in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, India
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are very much thankful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for financial support. We thank our Vice Chancellor and Coordinator, UGC-SAP for facilities and encouragement. We are extremely thankful to Sri S.K. Dixit for help in using GPS. We thank Dr. S.N. Mahapatra for providing Remote Sensing imageries and help in preparing the GIS map of the Ramsagar reservoir.
REFERNCES
Conservation of wetlands in Madhya Pradesh: A case study of Ramsagar Reservoir in Datia District, North Madhya Pradesh using GIS
R.J. Rao and R.K. Garg
School of Studies in Zoology
Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Email: soszool@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
In India freshwater ecosystems are most threatened by the profusion of dams, loss of seasonally flooded forests, and wetlands, and deforestation of surrounding watersheds. Some of the greatest threats are diversion of surface waters, loss of riparian vegetation etc. Specific actions are needed for conservation of the water bodies through detailed scientific studies. A study has been carried out in the Ramsagar Reservoir, Datia District, Madhya Pradesh. Field surveys have been carried out to prepare Biomap of Ramsagar Reservoir by using Global Position System (GPS make Garmin 76). Geographical coordinates, elevation, area, water depth at different points, water quality and biotic characteristics at different locations were measured with the help of GPS and other limnological equipments. By using GIS Arc View programme Landuse/Landcover, drainage, geomorphology, administrative boundary, socio-economic data has been collected from the Reservoir. Results of these studies are presented in this paper.
INTRODUCTION
Water resources support rich biodiversity. India is drained by numerous rivers, which are fairly well spread. There are many wetlands available in different parts of the country. The freshwater in these rivers and wetlands is amongst the most critical factors limiting urban growth and agriculture development. At present time, wetlands in different areas are used for many purposes. The wetlands are highly productive areas with rich biodiversity, they serve as a spawning and nursery ground for fishes, birds etc. and hence can be used as a excellent area for conservation of rare and endangered species (Rao, 2002) They are cultivated for the production of edible plants like Trapa, Euryala, Neutrepa etc. However, this culture is harmful to wetlands as it helps in accelerating the process of eutrophication. Wetlands are looked upon a source of cheap protein food as crabs, fish, prawns etc. In many areas, wetlands are used for extensive aquaculture operations (Sugunan, 1995). Wetlands absorb large quantities of stream water and reduce flooding of adjacent areas. They also assist ground water recharge. Wetlands play a role in wastewater treatment and function as natural filter systems (Anon, 1989).
During the past decades wetlands have received increasingly greater attention from the viewpoint of their ecology as well as conservation. The wetlands are now considered to be distinct ecosystems with specific ecological characteristics, functions and values. Development of water resources has affected fish and wildlife resources in many wetlands (Rao, 2002). The Government has developed diversion systems to tap the annual flow for irrigation and other purposes. With much of the water diverted at many places the water bodies have undergone massive physical change during recent decades. Many wetlands have been constantly used for dumping of garbage, sewage disposals, tanneries disposal etc. An increased level of water quality deterioration has been observed year by year (Anon, 1989). The changes in the characteristics of the wetlands in the form of water quality pollution and water development projects have greatly altered habitat conditions for aquatic animals. The habitat loss has caused concern for the welfare of the aquatic animals that live in different water bodies. The land around the water bodies is used largely for agriculture and fisheries. This has lead people to live around the water body and exploit natural resources for their livelihood. This exploitation is so great that some species in the water bodies are likely to become extinct in the near future (Anon, 1989).
In Madhya Pradesh there are many freshwater wetland areas in the form of lakes and man-made reservoirs. The reservoirs are constructed primarily for flood control, conservation of rainwater, irrigation, power generation and water supply to cities and industries. Fishing development in these water bodies is considered as a secondary activity. The responsibility of fishery development in reservoir has been assigned to the state fisheries departments (EPCO, 1996). Rapid developments in technology have fostered the institutionalization of the benefits for the well being of mankind. With the advent of computers, the scope of information processing, whether as an end user application or technology support, has drastically changed. Today, computers are capable of processing maps, both individually and along with tabular or attribute data and blend them together to provide a new perception - the spatial visualization of information. This has added a new dimension to the information processing, particularly related to the processing of information of the earth and its natural resources.
Our present knowledge on various aspects of reservoirs in North Madhya Pradesh is inadequate. Few studies on Tighra reservoir have been conducted (Sharma, 1991; Singh, 2003). The Ramsagar reservoir, located in Datia District, is very much important due to its locality near Datia town, where water is supplied from the reservoir for drinking, for irrigation purpose and fish production. In order to assess the importance of the Ramsagar reservoir an ecological and conservation study has been carried out to identify land use and land cover, biodiversity and different uses of Ramsagar reservoir in the Datia District, Madhya Pradesh.
METHODOLOGY
- The study was carried out in the Ramsagar reservoir in Datia District. The reservoir is located approx. 80 kms south of Gwalior in North Madhya Pradesh (Fig. 1). It is a small man-made reservoir with 140.097 ha water spread area was built over a Nichroli Nallah in the basin of Sindh river. The reservoir is located approximately 8 km north-west of Datia city in District Datia, Madhya Pradesh and approximately 80 km south of Gwalior. Geographically, it lies between 250 40 N Latitude and 780 23 E Longitude an altitude of 229 msl. The water from the reservoir is being supplied to the city of Datia in addition to irrigation and fisheries use.
- The Survey of India topographical sheets (1:50,000 scale) were used to prepare the locality map of the reservoir (Fig. 2).
- Biomap of Ramsagar Reservoir was made using Global Position System (GPS make Garmin 76). Geographical coordinates, elevation, area, water depth at different points, water quality and biotic characteristics at different locations will be measured with the help of GPS and other limnological equipments. Sampling in the reservoir at different points was made by moving on a hired country boat.
- Visual interpretation technique was used for mapping landuse/land cover of the area. Final map details were transferred on to the base maps prepared from Survey of India topographical maps.
- Both Survey of India toposheets of 54 K/6 on 1:50,000 scale as well as satellite data of IRS-1D LISS-III data of the year 2002 were used for surface water body mapping. The available geological maps, published literature and other information were also used in enriching the geological and geomorphological details. For preparation of settlement/transport network map, a tracing film was overlaid on 1:50,000 scale toposheets and with the help of light table all the categories of roads, were drawn. In the present study ARC/VIEW GIS package was used to create different thematic layers pertaining to habitat parameters of the study area. Digitization, editing, labeling of different layers were done.
Landuse/Landcover
Datia district is situated in the northern part of the State and lies between the latitude 250 28 N 260 20 N and longitude 78010 E and 780 45 E (Fig. 1). The district lies into a main body of the land mostly on the Sind-Pahuj Doab and five enclaves surrounded by the Shivpuri district and the surrounding Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. The district is bounded by Bhind and Gwalior district in the north, Shivpuri and Jhansi districts in the south, again Gwalior and Shivpuri in the west and Bhander tehsil of Gwalior in the east. Total area of the district is 2038 sq.kms.
Figure 1. Map of study area Ramsagar reservoir in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh
Most of the central and northern parts of the district lie in the Sindh-Pahuj Doab which forms the southern margin of the Gangetic valley. The portion of the valley slopes towards the north-east. The valley is flat with deposits of alluvial soil but occasional mounds of granite are also seen. The alluvial soil is loamy and fertile. However, in some patches where gravel layer comes up on the surface of the soil, vegetation becomes difficult. The disquieting feature of the alluvial tract is the formation of gullies along the major rivers and tributaries.
Landuse/landcover categories identified in the study area are agricultural land, water body, forest land and wastelands. Major part of the study area is covered by water body named as Ramsagar followed by agricultural lands and hill on the western side of the water body. The hill tops and steep sloping areas are barren.
Drainage
The Datia district comes under the Gangetic drainage system and is drained by the Sind, the Pahuj, the Mahuar and the Betwa. The former two, however form the drainage system of the main body of the district. The rivers are almost seasonal and have heavy run off only during the peak period of July and August in the rainy season. During the dry season most of the streams become dry and water is available only in some channels of the main stream.
Reservoir:
The Ramsagar Reservoir is a man made water body. The origin and the year of completion of the reservoir is not known, however, the information from Irrigation Department, Datia showed that it was completed before independence i.e. 1947. The reservoir is located around 80 kms south of Gwalior and 28 kms north of Jhansi in District Datia at an altitude of 229 msl (Fig. 2). It lies between 25o40.489 N latitude and 78o23.887 E longitude. The reservoir is surrounded by hills on the eastern and western sides, which drain their runoff in the reservoir through various nullahs prominent among these being the Pateria from eastern side, Badi nadi from southern side and Patparu from the western side (Fig. 5). There is an earthen dam on the Northern side of reservoir. The length of the dam is 506 m and the top width is 3.75 m. The maximum height of the dam from lowest river bed level is 26.8 m. The Sindh river basin forms approximately 46 Sq. km of catchment area of the reservoir. The reservoirs command area constitutes an area of more than 1050 hectares. The water spread area fluctuates due to irregular rainfall and the extensive usage of the water (Fig. 3-6). The water stored in the reservoir is being supplied for drinking to the people in the Datia city. In addition the locals use the water for irrigation and fisheries development.
Figure 2 (A, B) Topo map of Datia and Ramsagar reservoir
Various indices, their bases and trophic status of Ramsagar reservoir have been given in table 1. On the basis of the studies on the trophic status it is concluded that the Ramsagar reservoir is a mesotrophic water body with moderate quantity of nutrients. The water body can serve as a good habitat for aquatic organisms and can also be very well used for stocking of Indian major carps for their cultivation.
Geography:
Datia district can be divided into two broad physiographic divisions viz., the lower extension of Bundelkhand plateau and the Gangetic plain while the other divisions an imperfect ring of the Gangetic alluvial belt. The topography of the district is sloping towards north-east with mounds and hillocks seen intermittently on the plain. The southern part around Datia town lies in the granite area and forms a somewhat barren and rocky tract. The prominent hills lie to the south-east and west of Datia. Among these hills the highest point (337m) of the district is the peak of Burdwan in Basai block. To the north-west of Seondha and on the left bank of river Sind, a low range of sandstone hills overlooks it and extends up to its north-eastern bend in the district. The plateau area is either bare or stony on steep slopes or is covered with reddish soil or black cotton soil.
Biodiversity:
In the Ramsagar reservoir regular surveys conducted during different months of the year indicate that a rich biodiversity exists in the water body. There are 13 species of aquatic vegetation, 14 species of mollusks, 5 species of aquatic insects, 26 species of fish both natural as well as released by the Fisheries Department, 2 species of aquatic reptiles and 15 species of migratory birds in the reservoir.
Conservation
Locals use the water body primarily for drinking, irrigation and also for fishing purpose. The Ramsagar reservoir has been promoted for the development of fisheries. The fishermen cooperatives have rights on the fishing activities in this reservoir. Killing of migratory birds was also reported. Locals are not aware of the importance of migratory birds and the legislation. Due to mixing of pesticides through water run off from the agriculture fields the fishes from Ramsagar Reservoir have been infected. Direct causes on site are: i. Overexploitation ii. Conversion of habitats iii destructive land-use practices and iv. Pollution. Some of the greatest threats are diversion of water for different uses, loss of riparian vegetation etc. Therefore, specific actions are needed for conservation of Ramsagar in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, India
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are very much thankful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for financial support. We thank our Vice Chancellor and Coordinator, UGC-SAP for facilities and encouragement. We are extremely thankful to Sri S.K. Dixit for help in using GPS. We thank Dr. S.N. Mahapatra for providing Remote Sensing imageries and help in preparing the GIS map of the Ramsagar reservoir.
REFERNCES
- Anon, 1989. Conservation of Wetlands in India Govt. of India, MOEF, New Delhi. pp. 67
- EPCO, 1996. Third Environmental status report, 1996, EPCO, Bhopal.
- Rao, R.J. 2002. Inventory of wetlands in Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. Study report. SACON, Mimeo p57
- Sharma, H.D. 1991. Limnological studies of aquatic ecosystems in Gwalior region with special reference to crocodile habitats. M.Phil thesis, Jiwaji Univ. Gwalior.
- Singh B.D. 2003 Studies on Fish Resources, Marketing and Management in Gwalior (M.P.), with special reference to Tighra Reservoir, M.Phil. thesis, Jiwaji University, Gwalior.
- Sugunan, V. 1995. Reservoir fisheries of India. FAO Fisheries Technical paper, 345:1-423.
Figure 3 Water spread area of Ramsagar
Figure 4 Remote sensing imagery of Ramsagar
Figure 5. Ramsagar Reservoir in Datia District, Madhya Pradesh