FACTSHEET: WETLANDS OF GUJARAT What is Wetland? Wetlands are the ‘lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic eco- systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. Wetlands are home of water animals, birds and amphibians; cover diverse and heterogeneous assemblage of habitats such as lakes (Jheels), ponds, rivers, flood plains, inter-tidal areas, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs and other related ecosystems. The Ramsar Convention defines “Wetlands are areas with water, natural or artificial; permanent or temporary; static or flowing; fresh, brackish or salty; including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters; and includes all inland waters such as lakes, reservoir, tanks, backwaters, lagoon, creeks, estuaries and manmade wetland; and the zone of direct influence on wetland that is to say the drainage area or catchment region of the wetlands as determined by the authority but does not include main river channels, paddy fields and coastal wetlands”. What is Ramsar convention? The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. There are presently 158 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1758 wetland sites, totaling 161 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. Ramsar Convention is the only global environment treaty dealing with a particular ecosystem. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands was developed as a means to call international attention to the rate at which wetland habitats were disappearing, in part due to a lack of understanding of their important functions, values, goods and services. Governments that join the Convention are expressing their willingness to make a commitment to helping to reverse that history of wetland loss and degradation. In addition, many wetlands are international systems lying across the boundaries of two or more countries, or are part of river basins that include more than one country. The health of these and other wetlands is dependent 1 | P a g e upon the quality and quantity of the transboundary water supply from rivers, streams, lakes, or underground aquifers. This requires framework for international discussion and cooperation toward mutual benefits. Major obligations of countries which are party to the Convention are: Designate wetlands for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of International Importance. Promote, as far as possible, the wise use of wetlands in their territory. Promote international cooperation especially with regard to transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, and shared species. Create wetland reserves Wetlands Classification There are four main types of wetlands in a basic system of classification: Mineral Soil based (swamp & marsh) & Organic Soil Based (bog & fen) Swamp :A wetland community dominated by trees rooted in hydric soils, but not peat; Examples include tropical mangrove swamps and bottom-land forests in floodplains. found throughout the world, most often in low-lying regions (with poor drainage) next to rivers. Marsh:A wetland community dominated by herbaceous plants, usually emergent through water and rooted in hydric soils, but not peat (organic rich soil); common at the mouths of rivers Bog :A wetland community dominated by moss, sedges, shrubs or evergreen trees rooted in deep, sometimes un-compacted peat; receive water only from rainfall. Fen: A wetland community usually dominated by sedges and grasses rooted in shallow peat, often with considerable water movement; receiving water mostly from surface and groundwater sources Ramsar Classification System for Wetland Type Marine/Coastal Wetlands Permanent shallow marine waters in most cases less than six metres deep at low tide; Marine subtidal aquatic beds; includes, sea-grass beds, tropical marine meadows Coral reefs. Rocky marine shores; includes rocky offshore islands 2 | P a g e Sand, shingle or pebble shores; includes sand bars, includes dune systems Estuarine waters; permanent water of estuaries and estuarine systems Intertidal mud, sand or salt flats. Intertidal marshes; includes salt marshes, includes tidal marshes Intertidal forested wetlands; includes mangrove swamps Coastal brackish/saline lagoons; brackish to saline lagoons with at least one narrow connection to the sea. Coastal freshwater lagoons; includes freshwater delta lagoons. Inland Wetlands Permanent inland deltas. Permanent rivers/streams/creeks; includes waterfalls. Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks. Permanent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha); includes large oxbow lakes. Seasonal/intermittent freshwater lakes (over 8 ha); includes floodplain lakes. Permanent saline/brackish/alkaline lakes. Seasonal/intermittent saline/brackish/alkaline lakes and flats. Permanent saline/brackish/alkaline marshes/pools. Seasonal/intermittent saline/brackish/alkaline marshes/pools. Permanent freshwater marshes/pools; ponds (below 8 ha), with emergent vegetation Seasonal/intermittent freshwater marshes/pools Non-forested peatlands; includes shrub or open bogs, swamps, fens. Alpine wetlands; includes alpine meadows, temporary waters from snowmelt. Tundra wetlands; includes tundra pools, temporary waters from snowmelt. Shrub-dominated wetlands; shrub swamps, shrub-dominated freshwater marshes, 3 | P a g e Freshwater, tree-dominated wetlands; includes freshwater swamp forests, Forested peatlands; peatswamp forests. Freshwater springs Geothermal wetlands Man Made Wetlands 1. Aquaculture (e.g., fish/shrimp) ponds 2. Ponds; includes farm ponds, stock ponds, small tanks; (generally below 8 ha). 3. Irrigated land; includes irrigation channels and rice fields: 4. Seasonally flooded agricultural land (including intensively managed or grazed wet meadow or pasture). 5. Salt exploitation sites; salt pans, salines, etc. 6. Water storage areas; reservoirs/barrages/dams/impoundments (generally over 8 ha). 7. Excavations; gravel/brick/clay pits; borrow pits, mining pools. 8. Wastewater treatment areas; sewage farms, settling ponds, oxidation basins, etc. 9. Canals and drainage channels, ditches. Wetland Categorization 4 | P a g e Why are wetlands important? Maintain biodiversity Provide habitat for animals Maintain water quality Support commercial fishing, forestry Reduce flood damage Hiking, fishing, bird watching, boating Aesthetic value 5 | P a g e Wetland Functions & values: The difference between a wetland function and a wetland value is that functions are properties that a wetland naturally provides. Values are wetland properties that are valuable to humans. Total Economic Value of Wetlands Sr.N Non use o Values Use Values Direct Use Indirect Use Potential Future Existence Values Values Values values 1 Wetland Flood control Potential future uses Biodiversity products (Fish, (As per direct & reeds) indirect use) 2 Recreation & Ground Water Future Value of Cultural and Tourism recharge information Heritage Value 3 Transport Shoreline Value for stabilisation and Future storm protection Generation 4 Agriculture Water quality improvement 5 Peat/Energy (Micro) Climate Change mitigation (Source: Wetlands International Report,2002) 6 | P a g e Uses of Wetlands: 7 | P a g e 8 | P a g e Wetlands Status in India: Wetlands in India occupy 58.2 million hectares (18.4% of the country area), of which 70% are under wet paddy cultivation (Directory of Indian Wetlands,1993, MoEF,GoI). India has totally 27, 403 wetlands, of which 23,444 are inland wetlands and 3,959 are coastal wetlands. Majority of the inland wetlands are directly or indirectly dependent on the major rivers like, Ganga, Bhramaputra, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tapti. In India, out of an estimated 4.1 mha of wetlands (excluding irrigated agricultural lands, rivers, and streams), 1.5 mha are natural, while 2.6 mha are manmade. Wetlands Groups in India Himalayan wetlands Ladakh & Zanskar: Pangong Tso, Tso Morari etc. Kashmir Valley: Dal, Wular etc. Central Himalaya: Nainital, Bhimtal Eastern Himalaya: Loktak in Manipur Indo-Gangetic Wetlands Indo-Gangetic flood plain is the largest wetland system in India, extending from the river Indus in the west to Brahmaputra in the east. This includes the wetlands of the Himalayan terai and the Indo-Gangetic plains. Coastal Wetlands 7500 kilometer long coastline in West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Sundarban Mangroves, Coral Reefs of Gulf of Kachchh etc Deccan wetlands A few natural wetlands, but innumerable small and large reservoirs and several water storage tanks in almost every village in the region. Point Calimere in Tamilnadu; Ashtamudi in Kerala; Kolleru lake in Andhra Pradesh Area Estimates of Wetlands of India (in million ha) Area under paddy cultivation 40.9 Area suitable for fish culture 3.6 Area under capture fisheries (brackish and freshwater) 2.9 9 | P a g e Mangroves 0.4 Estuaries 3.9 Backwater 3.5 Man-made impoundments 3.0 Rivers, including main tributaries (28,000 km) Canals and irrigation channels (113,000 km) Total Area of Wetlands(Excluding Rivers) 58.2 (Source: Directory of Asian Wetlands, IUCN, 1989) Checklist of Wetlands in India (Identified under Ramsar ) Totaling 145.73 million hectare, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.