Why is it important to conserve shallow water bodies? What are the unique challenges faced by these geographical features?

At this time, every component of the planet’s ecosystem is being impacted by human activity. This covers freshwater ecosystems and the related aquatic biodiversity. Shallow water bodies continue to suffer most among the various types of freshwater bodies due to comparatively less conservation attention.

Shallow water bodies:

• The National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) defines lakes as “water bodies having a minimum water depth of 3 meters, a surface area more than 10 hectares, and minimal or little aquatic vegetation.” 
• Whereas, Shallow Water Bodies are lakes that are less than 3 meters deep. 
• The water body’s shallowness allows sunlight to reach the lake’s bottom, allowing aquatic macrophytes to flourish in profusion. 
• They are also referred to as marshes.

Shallow lakes or wetlands are of enormous ecological importance:

• Wetlands, also referred to as “nature’s kidneys” and “nature’s grocery,” play a significant role in pollution disposal, flood mitigation, groundwater recharge and discharge, coastline protection, and wildlife habitat. 
• Nearly two thirds of the world’s fish harvest are caught in shallow water bodies because they are often more nutrient-rich, which encourages the primary development of phytoplankton. 
• Instead of releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, wetlands store carbon in their soil and plant communities. 
• For both human and planetary existence, wetlands are essential. More than a billion people rely on them for a living, and wetlands are home to 40% of the world’s biodiversity. 
• Numerous researchers have quantified the economic benefits provided by wetlands in a watershed.

Challenges:

• These lake habitats are currently threatened owing to human disturbances produced by urbanisation, since they have been severely degraded as a result of pollution from untreated local sewage disposal or encroachment, resulting in shrinking lakes. 
• These bodies of water are subject to sedimentation. Sediments carried in from the watershed gradually fill these bodies of water. 
• Even little variations in temperature and rainfall patterns can have a domino effect on shallow lakes. 
• Other dangers include invasive development (both intentional and accidental), pollution from the disposal of solid waste and building materials, untreated sewage, and septage.

Way forward:

The United Nations designated 2021-30 as the “Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.” This time span must be used to protect India’s shallow water bodies, an underutilized conservation objective.

Topics: GS-III: Conservation Environmental Pollution Degradation