Lakes must be protected

Lakes must be protected

News: More than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s, chiefly because of climate change, intensifying concerns about water for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption. (Journal Science)

Key Findings:
 More than 30 large lakes in India have recorded a drying trend from 1992 to 2020. Of them,16 are the major lakes of southern India. Some of these include Mettur, Krishnarajasagar, Nagarjuna Sagar and Idamalayar.
 Global lakes contribute to 95% of the total lake water storage on Earth. Overeall, 53% of the world’s largest lakes have been losing water, while 24% have seen an increase in water levels. Nearly 33% of the global population resides in a basin with a large, drying lake.
 Climate change, including temperature, precipitation, and runoff, was identified as one of the main drivers of water losses.
 Human water consumption, potential evapotranspiration, and sedimentation were identified as additional factors contributing to the decline of lakes.
 A team of international researchers reported that some of the world’s most important freshwater sources – from the Caspian Sea between Europe and Asia to South America’s Lake Titicaca – lost water at a cumulative rate of around 22 gigatonnes per year for nearly three decades. That’s about 17 times the volume of Lake Mead, the United States’ largest reservoir.

Importance of Lakes:
 Lakes, which cover three per cent of the global land area, play a key role in regulating climate through carbon cycling.
 While rivers get all the attention rightfully, lakes have and continue to provide more of the water supply and sustain societies, across the world and, are often not well managed
Source – The Indian Express, Down to Earth