Silt flowing from the Shivalik catchment and the spread of invasive weeds remain the two major challenges facing Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh, Chief Conservator of Forests Saurabh Kumar has said following the lake’s inclusion in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance.
Kumar said the Ramsar designation raises the wetland’s international profile and recognises its ecological and cultural significance. The recognition is also expected to create opportunities for ecotourism and environmental education, potentially benefiting local communities. However, the wetland will continue to be managed under existing regulations including the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
An integrated management plan covering the wetland’s conservation needs has been prepared. Measures to control soil erosion, including vegetation based interventions and engineering works have been undertaken across the catchment. According to Kumar, these efforts have significantly reduced the amount of silt entering the lake. Invasive weeds are being managed through periodic removal.
Under the standardised monitoring system prescribed by the 2017 rules, Sukhna Wetland’s overall health has been assessed as “moderate to good”. Kumar said the assessment reflects a wetland affected by changing water flows, pressure on its catchment and the spread of invasive species.
Siltation Has Threatened the Lake for Decades
Silt accumulation has been a major concern since Sukhna Lake was created in 1958. By 1988, the lake had lost 66 per cent of its original water holding capacity. Catchment treatment measures including afforestation subsequently helped reduce siltation.
The Ramsar designation brings greater international attention to the effectiveness of these conservation efforts and the need to maintain them over the long term.
Sukhna is a human made, rain fed wetland situated where the Shivalik foothills meet the Indo Gangetic plains. It receives water from two seasonal hill streams, Kansal and Saketri, which carry monsoon runoff into the lake. Their tributaries, including the Nepli and Ghareri channels form the Sukhna choe, which also carries water towards the Ghaggar basin.
The amount and speed of runoff vary across the catchment. The Ghareri sub catchment has a dense network of drainage channels that generates runoff quickly while Kansal has longer stream networks shaped by steeper slopes and varied geological conditions.
Located at the base of steep slopes, the lake traps sediment and helps control erosion. It also moderates downstream flooding and retains nutrients that influence habitat quality. The wetland provides a refuge for wildlife in an urban edge environment where recreational activity and habitat fragmentation create additional pressures on conservation.
Important Habitat for Migratory Birds and Wildlife
The Ramsar Secretariat has listed Sukhna Wetland as Site No. 2602. The wetland supports birds using the Central Asian Flyway, including the vulnerable common pochard, as well as the endangered Pallas’s fish eagle and black pond turtle.
Other species recorded in and around the wetland include the steppe eagle, ruddy shelduck, ferruginous duck, northern pintail and Eurasian spoonbill. Reptiles such as the Indian cobra and Indian rock python, along with sambar, peafowl and red junglefowl, are also found in the surrounding area.