Rudrasagar Lake
Encyclopedia
Rudrasagar Lake, also known as Rudijala, is a lake
located in the India
n state of Tripura
.
The Government of India
's Ministry of Environment and Forest has identified Rudrasagar as one of the wetlands of National Importance for conservation and sustainable use based on its bio-diversity and socio economic importance. Secretary General, convention on wetlands, Ramsar
site has declared Rudrasagar Lake as wetland of international importance and it has been included in the list of wetlands of International Importance. This certificate has been communicated by ministry of environment and forest, govt. of India on 29-02-2007.
Hydromorphologically, Rudrasagar Lake is a natural sedimentation
reservoir, which receives flow from three perennial streams
namely, Noacherra, Durlavnaraya cherra and Kemtali cherra. After settling the sediment from the received flow, clear water discharges into the river Gomati through a connective channel namely Kachigang. The lake bed has been formed by silt deposition. As such no rock formation is found with 50m is silt
(Clay loam) and below formation is sandy. Surrounding hillocks are of soft sedimentary formation. Annual rainfall is of the order of 2500 mm. Spread over the months of June to September with 4/5 flood peaks. Substantial base flow in streams rounds the year. The soil in lake area is silty clay loam to clay loam. Lake water is fresh with insignificant pollution with a depth varies from 2 m to 9m. Fluctuation in water level varies from EL 9m to 16m.The downstream area of the lake is 750 ha with a temperature variation from 370C to 50C and rainfall during May 15 to October 15.
Rudrasagar is a potential Important Bird Area and attracts a large number of waterfowl in winter. Among the rarer species recorded are the endangared Baer's Pochard and near-threatened Ferruginous Duck.
Major soil erosion in catchment area
of the lake is one of the major problems to decrease the lake area and to decrease the depth of the lake also. Such degradation in catchment area and siltation in the lake has the effect since long time in the lake. For such reason and others, the area of Rudrasagar Lake has been decreased drastically from 1000 ha. Prior to 1950 to more or less 100 ha. at present. Silting of lakes on account of increased erosion as a result of expansion of urban and agricultural areas, deforestation, flood, immersion of idols by the religious activity and such other land disturbances taking place in the drainage basin of the lake.
(Water Palace) is situated near the north-east bank of the lake. It constructed by the then Tripura king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur
in between 1935–1938 as summer resort.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
.
The Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
's Ministry of Environment and Forest has identified Rudrasagar as one of the wetlands of National Importance for conservation and sustainable use based on its bio-diversity and socio economic importance. Secretary General, convention on wetlands, Ramsar
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site has declared Rudrasagar Lake as wetland of international importance and it has been included in the list of wetlands of International Importance. This certificate has been communicated by ministry of environment and forest, govt. of India on 29-02-2007.
Geography
The Rudrasagar Lake is located in the Melaghar Block of Sonamura Sub-Division of West Tripura District. The lake forms a geographical area of 2.4 sq. km and situated at a distance of about 50 km from the state capital of Tripura. The lake is situated in between 23°29’ N and 90°01’ E.Hydromorphologically, Rudrasagar Lake is a natural sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...
reservoir, which receives flow from three perennial streams
Perennial stream
A perennial stream or perennial river is a stream or river that has continuous flow in parts of its bed all year round during years of normal rainfall. "Perennial" streams are contrasted with "intermittent" streams which normally cease flowing for weeks or months each year, and with "ephemeral"...
namely, Noacherra, Durlavnaraya cherra and Kemtali cherra. After settling the sediment from the received flow, clear water discharges into the river Gomati through a connective channel namely Kachigang. The lake bed has been formed by silt deposition. As such no rock formation is found with 50m is silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
(Clay loam) and below formation is sandy. Surrounding hillocks are of soft sedimentary formation. Annual rainfall is of the order of 2500 mm. Spread over the months of June to September with 4/5 flood peaks. Substantial base flow in streams rounds the year. The soil in lake area is silty clay loam to clay loam. Lake water is fresh with insignificant pollution with a depth varies from 2 m to 9m. Fluctuation in water level varies from EL 9m to 16m.The downstream area of the lake is 750 ha with a temperature variation from 370C to 50C and rainfall during May 15 to October 15.
Rudrasagar is a potential Important Bird Area and attracts a large number of waterfowl in winter. Among the rarer species recorded are the endangared Baer's Pochard and near-threatened Ferruginous Duck.
Pollution
The lake has faced the problem of pollution due to the following reasons.- The non-point sources of pollutant such as agricultural run off, anthropogenicAnthropogenicHuman impact on the environment or anthropogenic impact on the environment includes impacts on biophysical environments, biodiversity and other resources. The term anthropogenic designates an effect or object resulting from human activity. The term was first used in the technical sense by Russian...
introduced solid and semisolid pollutants - Malpractices such as anthropogenic dumped garbageWasteWaste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
, deposition of solid waste and construction materials along the shoreline etc. - EutrophicationEutrophicationEutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
, an uncontrolled growth of alien invasive species such as water hyacinthWater hyacinthThe seven species of water hyacinth comprise the genus Eichhornia. Water hyacinth are a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in...
, excessive algae was observed in the lake which caused loss of aquatic biodiversity. - Agricultural activity (use of pesticides and fertilizers) in the area adjacent to the lake
- DeforestationDeforestationDeforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, filling, draining and degradation of wetland areas: Clearing and removal of native vegetation due to the rapid unplanned urbanization, rural or industrial development - Lack of awareness, scientific knowledge and negligence in protection by law
- Competition for using lake water such as for drinking, irrigation, fishing etc.
- Untreated or inadequately treated domestic and industrial effluents from point sources located all over the basin.
- Cultural siltation in the form of immersion of idolsCult imageIn the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents...
during specific festivals, an annual feature in India, has been a source of serious metallic pollution of lakes. - Not having a definite Wetland Authority, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for Lake Management and conservation with a unified mandate have not been set up.
- Lack of community toilet facilities around periphery of the lake.
- Ownership and legal status of the lake and the inhabitants around the lake are not clearly defined.
Major soil erosion in catchment area
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the lake is one of the major problems to decrease the lake area and to decrease the depth of the lake also. Such degradation in catchment area and siltation in the lake has the effect since long time in the lake. For such reason and others, the area of Rudrasagar Lake has been decreased drastically from 1000 ha. Prior to 1950 to more or less 100 ha. at present. Silting of lakes on account of increased erosion as a result of expansion of urban and agricultural areas, deforestation, flood, immersion of idols by the religious activity and such other land disturbances taking place in the drainage basin of the lake.
Neermahal
A palace known as NeermahalNeermahal
Neermahal is a former royal palace built by King Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman of the erstwhile Kingdom of Tripura in 1930. It is situated 53 kilometers away from the Agartala, the capital of Tripura. The palace is situated in the middle of Rudrasagar Lake and assimilates Hindu and Muslim...
(Water Palace) is situated near the north-east bank of the lake. It constructed by the then Tripura king Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur
Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman
Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman Manikya Bahadur was a king of Tripura.He was the king before the merger of Tripura with India. He succeeded his father, Birendra Kishore Debbarman, after the elder man's death on 13 August 1923...
in between 1935–1938 as summer resort.