Lake 2016: Conference on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Ecologically Sensitive Regions in Western Ghats [THE 10TH BIENNIAL LAKE CONFERENCE] th Date: 28-30 December 2016, http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy Venue: V.S. Acharya Auditorium, Alva's Education Foundation, Sundari Ananda Alva Campus, Vidyagiri, Moodbidri, D.K. Dist., Karnataka, India – 574227 SACRED WATER BODIES OF KUMARADHARA RIVER AND NATURAL PONDS IN DAKSHINA KANNADA DISTRICT, KARANATAKA Chaithanya Kedila* and Deviprasad K.N.** * III BSc Student, Vivekananda college Puttur D.K .Karnataka ** Associate Professor, Vivekananda college Puttur D.K .Karnataka [email protected] Abstract__ Natural ponds and sacred water bodies are bodies in Kumaradhara rivers have more an integral component of the hydrological system and significances in the point of conservation of rare perform diverse roles in the biosphere. Studies of species of fishes. Studies of these ecosystems are these ecosystems are often neglected, probably, due to often neglected, probably, due to lack of lack of knowledge about their significances. The knowledge about the significance of these objectives of this study is to create public awareness and to provide the basic information to the concerned ecosystems. Wetland conservation is an important authorities to restore the original condition of these program of ecological importance. Natural ponds, ecosystems. The study was carried out at different which are being neglected, should be given seasons in the year 2016. A survey of 12 natural importance. The objectives of this study are to ponds in Dakshina Kannada and five sacred water create public awareness and to provide the basic bodies of Kumaradhara river revealed that they are information to the concerned authorities to restore the important source of water and rare biodiversity. the original condition of the ponds for the better Only 2 natural ponds have water up to the usage level use and conservation of natural resource. The and 5 natural ponds have dried out completely during present paper reveals the condition of the water summer season. It is also observed that due to the scarcity of water in the sacred hot spots at different levels and biodiversity in natural ponds in places in Kumaradhara river during summer have Dakshina Kannada and five sacred hot spots of impacted the fish community. Temporary vented dam Kumaradhara both during summer and rainy is constructed at 2 sacred hot spots of river to seasons. A survey of natural ponds and sacred hot preserve the rare varieties of fishes. Hence there is an spots (fish sanctuaries) of Dakshina Kannada district urgent need to protect these natural ponds and sacred revealed that they are the important source of water water bodies from further degradation. with the rare biodiversity. Unfortunately the increase in the population upsets the natural INTRODUCTION: balance of these habitats and threatens their integrity. The water is polluted and the boundaries Natural ponds come in all shapes and are reconstructed to accommodate housing, sizes, with different water depths from small dips transportation and agricultural needs. Many a time, in the ground with a few centimeters of water to the stress is also caused by overuse of resources deep pools. Usually they contain shallow water and unchecked land use practices, which have with marsh and aquatic plants and animals. The resulted in unsafe drinking water, eutrophication, type of life in a pond is generally determined by a algal blooms, loss of habitat, fish kills and a host of combination of factors including water levels and other human health and natural resource problems. nutrient levels, but other factors may also be Due to the lack of implementation of the important, including presence or absence of management plans, these ecosystems are getting shading by trees, presence or absence of streams, extinct. Community education will enhance the grazing animals, and salinity. These water bodies involvement and participation of people in are, however, undergoing degeneration due to restoring this threatened ecosystem. various factors including encroachments leading to their extinctions. The sacred patches of water METHOD Proceedings – Lake 2016: Ramachandra T V, Subash Chandran M D, Mohan Alva, et al., 2018. Conservation and Sustainable Management of Ecologically Sensitive Regions in 301 Western Ghats, , Sahyadri Conservation Series 65, , ENVIS Technical Report 120 Environmental Information System, CES, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012 Lake 2016: Conference on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Ecologically Sensitive Regions in Western Ghats [THE 10TH BIENNIAL LAKE CONFERENCE] th Date: 28-30 December 2016, http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy Venue: V.S. Acharya Auditorium, Alva's Education Foundation, Sundari Ananda Alva Campus, Vidyagiri, Moodbidri, D.K. Dist., Karnataka, India – 574227 Karnataka State Dakshina Kannada district Pottu Kere, Kadaba, Sullia taluk Dakshina Kannada is a coastal district in RESULT the state of Karnataka in India. Sheltered by the A survey of five sacred hotspots of Western Ghats on the east and surrounded by the Kumaradhara river and 12 natural ponds in Dakshina Arabian sea on the west. The district is characterized Kannada district revealed that they are the important by high humidity (58-75%) and temperature (25 - 40 source of water and rare biodiversity. Two natural ºC) and heavy rainfall (average 4119 mm). The ponds have water up to the usage level during seasons can be distinctively divided as summer (pre- summer season and 5 natural ponds have water in monsoon), rainy (monsoon) and winter (post- unusable condition during summer season. 5 natural monsoon). The Kumaradhara river originates from ponds have macrophytes cover during summer Western Ghats, merges with the Netravathi river at season. 5 natural ponds have dried out completely Uppinangadi. The Kumaradhara river is rich in during summer season. During the study period, it is water is the main source of water for the of observed that these natural ponds are, however, Dakshina Kannada. Nakur Gaya, Yenekkal undergoing degeneration due to various factors Bachhanayakana Gundi, Kumaradhara Ghat in including encroachments, filling up and negligence Subrahamanya, Sangama place of Kamaradhara and of local administrative bodies. Thus, most of the Netravathi at Uppinagadi are the important sacred ponds are losing its original ecological water bodies( fish sanctuaries) exists in the characteristics that supported abundant biodiversity. Kumaradhara river. The study was carried out at Those ponds which dry up during summer also summer and rainy seasons in the year 2016 and harbour a variety of annuals during the summer surveyed 12 natural ponds in Dakshina Kannada season. It is observed that some of the ponds are district and five sacred water bodies of Kumaradhara important feeding and roosting ground for many river. Data are collected on the availability of water birds. The sacred patches (fish sanctuaries) of rivers and biodiversity of the natural ponds of Dakshina prohibited from fishing .The endangered species of Kannada and sacred water bodies of Kumaradhara fish called Mahaseer is abundant in these water river both during rainy and summer seasons. bodies. It is also observed that due to the scarcity of Interviews with the local people were conducted to water in the sacred hot spots at different places in gather information on the importance of the natural Kumaradhara river during summer highly affect the ponds of Dakshina Kannada in regard to their fish community. In Yenekkal Bachhanayakana utilisation and conservation aspects and the Gundi and Kumaradhara snana ghatta Subrhamanya, significances of sacred hot spots of Kumaradhara local gram pancahayat has built a small vented dam river. for maintaining water levels for the rare varieties of fish. Local people have helped in conservation of specific species such as mahaseer fish due to religious sentiments, cultural and traditional associations. Table.1 Water levels of the natural ponds at different seasons in Dakshina Kannada district Sl. No Name of the natural ponds Taluk Water condition R S1 S2 D 1 Panadavara Kere. Sullia taluk 2 Bhoganayakana Kere Sullia taluk 3 Guruvayana kere Belthangadi taluk 4 Kadal Kere Moodubidre Mangalore taluk 5 Koti Kere Vitla Bantwala taluk Proceedings – Lake 2016: Ramachandra T V, Subash Chandran M D, Mohan Alva, et al., 2018. Conservation and Sustainable Management of Ecologically Sensitive Regions in 302 Western Ghats, , Sahyadri Conservation Series 65, , ENVIS Technical Report 120 Environmental Information System, CES, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012 Lake 2016: Conference on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Ecologically Sensitive Regions in Western Ghats [THE 10TH BIENNIAL LAKE CONFERENCE] th Date: 28-30 December 2016, http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy Venue: V.S. Acharya Auditorium, Alva's Education Foundation, Sundari Ananda Alva Campus, Vidyagiri, Moodbidri, D.K. Dist., Karnataka, India – 574227 6 Albuda Kere Bannur Puttur taluk 7 Vennoor kere Belthangadi taluk 8 Polali kere Bantwala taluk 9 Salethur Madaka Bantwala taluk 10 Bolanthur Madaka Bantwala taluk 11 Pottu kere Kadaba Puttur taluk 12 Nettaru Kere Sullia taluk R=Clean water during rainy season S1= Clean water during summer season S2=Unusable dirty water during summer season D= Completely dried condition during summer season Table-2 Biodiversity of the natural ponds at different seasons in Dakshina Kannada district Sl.No natural pond FLOR FAUNA A R S R S Micro Macro Micro Macro Fishes Others Fishes Others 1 Panadavara 3 b, c, d, 1,5 c,d Kere. * e ,f. g, h 2 Bhoganayakana b, c, d, 1.3,4 c,d Kere * e ,f. g, h 3 Guruvayana 1,2,3 b, c, d, 1,2,3, b, c, d, kere ,4,6 e ,f. g, h 4,6 e ,f. g, h 4 Kadal Kere b, c, d, Moodubidre e ,f. g, h 5 Koti Kere Vitla b, c, d, e, f g, h 6 Albuda Kere b, c, d, 1,5 Bannur e, f. g, h 7 Vennoor kere 1,2,3, b, c ,d, c,d,e, f,g * 4,5,6 e, f.