Wular Lake, the Ramsar wetland that absorbs the Kashmir Valley's flood waters
Background
The Bandipora district administration describes Wular Lake as one of Asia's largest freshwater lakes and a Ramsar Site of international importance.
Covering an area of 130 sq. km. and a perimeter of around 84 km, the lake is one of the most important wetlands of the Kashmir Valley.
It is located 34 km northwest of Srinagar City and lies in the Bandipora and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
River Jhelum flows through the entire length of the Kashmir Valley and ultimately drains into the Wular Lake; the river enters the lake at Banyari in the south and exits from Ningli Sopore in the west.
The lake acts as a huge absorption basin for flood waters, and so shapes the hydrography as well as the ecological and economic spheres of the valley.
The district administration records that the lake has faced siltation, pollution and invasive species growth, which led to a decline in its size and ecological diversity.
The Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) was constituted for the conservation and management of the lake and implements the Comprehensive Management Action Plan framed by Wetlands International South Asia.
Rare migratory bird species have been visiting Wular lake after many years, the authority records.
In plain words
Ramsar Convention — An international treaty under which countries list and protect wetlands of international importance.
Siltation — The slow filling up of a lake or river bed with fine soil and sand brought in by water.
Absorption basin — A low-lying water body that takes in surplus flood water and releases it slowly, reducing damage downstream.