CONSERVATION &

REHABILITATION OF
FLOODPLAIN WETLANDS IN
INDIA

Ambarish.P.Gop.
FRM 221
CIFE
Floodplain,
 Flat region of a valley floor located on either
side of a river channel. A floodplain is built of
sediments deposited by the river that flows
through it and is covered by water during floods
when the river overflows its banks. During most
floods, just a portion of the floodplain is covered
with water and only during infrequent, very
large floods is the whole floodplain covered.
Floodplains tend to develop on the lower and

less steep sections of rivers.

INTRODUCTION
 Low lying alluvial lands bordering rivers
created by sedimentation from the
movement of river and its meanders.
 Generally fringe the main river channel

 Directly or indirectly associated with river

systems- Ganga, Brahmaputra, Tapti,
Narmada, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery
 Area- 4.1 lakh ha comprising natural 1.5
lakh ha and manmade 2.6 lakh ha
 FORMATION OF FLOODPLAINS
 Floods play a central role in creating and shaping floodplains
 During a flood, the flow of a river is both deeper and faster,
allowing it to carry more sediment
 As the flood recedes, the depth and speed of the river
diminishes and the river deposits some of its load of sediment
 . Since floodplains are constructed of the material being
carried by the river, they are composed of relatively fine
sediment
 Most floodplains are composed of sand, silt, and clay

 floodplains of gravel occur where the water flows especially

fast.
WETLANDS AND THEIR
FUNCTIONS
 Natural ecosystems in a floodplain
referred as floodplain wetlands such as
ox bow lakes and tectonic depression
 Beels -W. Bengal, Assam

 Maun and chaur- Bihar

 Pat-Manipur

 Tal- Utterpradesh
FUNCTIONS
 Recharging of ground water
 De- charging of ground water

 Trapping of sediments

 Anchoring of shoreline

 Removal and detention of nutrients

 Supporting food chain

 Habitat for fish , bird and wild life

 Recreation and navigation

HUMAN USE OF FLOODPLAINS
 The sediment brought down from mountains and
deposited in floodplains provides a fertile soil in
which to grow crops.
 Each new flood brings a fresh supply of sediment
and nutrients, which acts as a natural fertilizer
 The rivers also provide a ready supply of water.
This is particularly important in arid regions
 . Floodplains also provide easy routes for
communication and so promote trade between
the coast and the upper part of the river valley.

 The floodplains of large rivers are also

particularly suitable for irrigation because the
flatness of the floodplain enables water to be
easily moved from one place to another in
irrigation canals and ditches.
ISSUES AND THREATS
 Effective conservation of physical entity of wetlands
 Conservation and sustainable use of resources

 Maintenance of ecological balance

 Restoration of biological damage

 Developing suitable & effective management package

 Creation of awareness among people about the

implication of ecological degradation
THREATS

 Encroachment for arable lands and human

settlement
 High rate of siltation

 Eutrophication

 Pollution

 Biotic communities like aquatic macrophytes

 Over exploitation for short term gains

STATUS OF FLOODPLAIN FISHERIES
 Productive potential- 1000-2000 kg/ha
 Present yield 160 kg/ ha- Assam

 350 kg/ha –West bengal

 Smaller and forage fishes –more than

50%
 IMC – 5-10%only
 TYPES OF FLOODPLAINS
 Ox-bow lake or channels
-Open/live lakes
- closed or dead lakes
 Shallow depressions by seismic
activities
 Swamps or wet lands
PRESENT STATUS
 PROSPECTS FOR DEVELOPMENT
 Macro-level planning;
 Transfer of scientific technologies need be
strengthened
 Environmental awareness

 fishermen cooperatives must be strengthened

 Credit and subsidy schemes should be

strengthened
 Fishermen should be trained properly
CONTD…
Micro level planning
 Holistic approach of development is a must

 Required and timely arrangement of finance

 Proper monitoring of the projects

 Available technologies

- Development of culture based fishery

-management of capture fishery
-Fish husbandry based fishery development
DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE BASED
FISHERY
 Selection of species in tune with the biogenic
capacity
 Stocking of appropriate size

 Stocking in appropriate density

 Stocking sp. in correct ratio and capture of sp

at right size
MANAGEMENT OF CAPTURE FISHERY

 Proper identification and protection of breeding

grounds
 Ensuring free and smooth migration of brooders

 Stringent steps to protect brood stock and juveniles

 Keeping a strict vigil on over fishing

FISH HUSBANDRY IN FLOOD PLAIN WET
LANDS

 Selection of right site

 Proper design of the pen culture

 Suitable preparation of the enclosed pen area

 Proper selection of sp. To be cultured

 Rational stocking of proper size fish/prawn seed

and
 Rational supplementary feeding
 FLOODPLAIN LAKES-PROBLEMS
 Massive stands of aquatic macrophytes
 Inadequate proliferation of pelagic communities
like plankton
 Greater colonization of benthic fauna at bottom

 Presence of forage& smaller spp with low economic

value
 Irrational & reckless fishing practices

 Encroachment of wetlands
FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT IN FLOODPLAIN
LAKES
 Stock enhancement
 Species enhancement

 Environment enhancement

 Management enhancement

 Introduction of new culture systems

CONSTRAINTS
 Lack of knowledge on modern fishery mgt
among target groups
 Inadequate training support
 Weak extension network
 High rate if illiteracy among target groups
 Paucity of quality fish seed and feed
 Inadequate financial support
 Irrational leasing policy
 Poor functioning of co-operatives
 Conflicts among user groups
THRUST AREAS FOR FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT

 Increasing fish production & productivity by bringing

more lakes under scientific management
 Conservation of physical and biological properties

 Strict vigil on introduction of alien sp.

 Diversification of activities such as shrimp farming in

pens
 Integrating fisheries development of wetlands with
other facets of agriculture
MACROPHYTE MANAGEMENT IN
FLOODPLAINS
 The control of weeds should not be attempted in an
isolation, it should from the well thought and
properly designed strategy to improve the
ecosystem
 Manual removal is preferred

 bio control of weeds should be encouraged

 Integration of duck farming with fisheries

 Pen and cage culture is the best option

 MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS IN PEN
CULTURE
 Damage of pen screen (constructional defects or
installation defects
 Overtopping and escape of fish from the bottom

 Algal clogging

 Fish disease due to high organic load

ORNAMENTAL FISHERY RESOURCES
 Problems;-
 There have not been efforts to design collection
methods, gears , acclimatization etc.
 Dependence of wild stock may soon deplete the
natural population
 Proper breeding and rearing technologies have not
been worked out
 Unauthorized introductions may contaminate our water
CONTD…
 Future strategies;-
 Potential ornamental sp. Should be identified and
properly catalogued
 Studies on distribution, ecology, biology, breeding and
maintenance in aquaria should be intensified
 Studies on disease and health

 Prevention of unauthorized introductions

 Use of modern techniques to establish sp of doubtful

varities
CONCLUSION
 The view that fishery has a negative impact on
such ecosystems is not true
 Those flood plains where fishery activity is being
practiced regularly have better environment
 Thick stands of macrophyte create creating
hostile aquatic regimes for many organisms
 The question of conserving biodiversity becomes
irrelevant if wetlands are lost
 Fishery development following scientifically based
norms may play a pivotal role in conserving the
floodplains
 HOW CAN WE PROTECT OUR
REMAINING WETLANDS?
 Through conservation programs.
 Wetland conservation encompasses the protection,
enhancement and use of wetland resources according to
principles that will assure their highest long-term social,
economic and ecological benefits.
 It is recognized that some wetlands should be
protected and managed in their natural state; some
actively managed to allow sustained, appropriate use of
wetland renewable resources; and some developed for
their non-renewable resource values
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION