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Wetlands in Yamuna River, Yamuna River in Delhi, Yamuna River, Yamuna River Delhi |
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WETLANDS IN Yamuna River - Delhi
Location: on the eastern outskirts of Delhi
Area: 20,000 ha
Altitude: 210 m
Biogeographical province: 4.8.4 Wetland type: 11, 15, 20
Description of site: A 35-km stretch of the Jamuna river in the environs of Delhi, from approximately 10 km south to 10 km north of the city. Although largely contained within bunded embankments, the narrow floodplain along the Jamuna still constitutes a significant wetland environment. Small areas of marsh remain in a mosaic of arable land, pasture, waste ground, and urban development. Several dams and barrages, such as the Okhla Barrage, provide relatively large areas of openwater. At low water levels, extensive mudflats and sand banks are exposed. There are undoubtedly other stretches of the Jamuna river that are as rich in wildlife as the Delhi section, and probably several other rivers in northern India just as rich as the Jamuna, but no information is available on these other sites
Climatic conditions: Dry tropical monsoon climate typical of the Upper Ganges Plain, with an average annual rainfall of 635 mm. Most of the rain falls during the monsoon in June-September, but some 50-100 mm may fall in winter. There is a marked annual range in mean temperatures (19’C), and a daily range of up to 17’ C. January is the coldest month (16’C) and May the hottest (32-C) Principal vegetation: There are large areas of water hyacinth (EkAhornia crassipes), particularly near the barrages, and reed-beds with species of Typha and Phragmites, chiefly around the islands in the river. At low water levels, much of the exposed river bed is cultivated
Land tenure: A mixture of private and public ownership
Conservation measures taken: None
Land use: Primarily agricultural land providing vegetables and dairy products for the capital city. Water is taken from the river for a variety of industrial and domestic uses
Possible changes in land use: As the city of Delhi continues to expand, new urban and industrial developments and an intensification of current land use will continue to erode the few remaining areas of semi-natural marsh Disturbances and threats: Pollution from domestic and industrial sources is a growing problem, and is already at a critical level along some stretches of the river. About 320,000 k1 of untreated sewage is discharged daily into the river. Factory wastes containing high concentrations of DDT and cholral hydrates, which are released into the river, have resulted in high toxicity. There is a considerable amount of disturbance from the intense human activity in the area, and some shooting and netting of waterfowl occurs
Economic and social values: Important agricultural areas are scattered along the whole Jamuna river system. As pollution levels increase, the value of the river as a source of water for domestic consumption will undoubtedly diminish. The area is often visited by bird-watchers and, with a little management and the provision of basic facilities, could easily be developed for this type of outdoor recreation on a large scale
Fauna: A very important feeding and roosting area for a wide variety of both resident and migratory waterfowl. In winter, many thousands of ducks, chiefly Anas strepera, A. crecca, A. acuta, and A. clypeata, spend the daylight hours on the river and fly out at night to feed on wet arable land.
300 Anas penelope 500 A. strepera
700 A. acuta 6500 A. clypeata
400 Aythya ferina 2400 A. fuligula
on one small dam on the river. The muddy islands provide secure roosting sites for large numbers of gulls and terns (2700 in January 1986), and there is a very large winter roost of swallows and martins (Hirundinidae) in the reed-beds (e.g. 20,000 in February 1982). Many shorebirds, especially Tringa glareola, Calidris minuta, C. temminckii, Philomachus pugnax, and Glareola maldivarum, occur on passage, and to a lesser extent also in winter. Waterfowl counts at several localities along the river and in the nearby Delhi Zoological Gardens in January 1986 and January 1987 recorded: up to 200 Phalacrocorax niger 40 Anhinga melanogaster
75 Nycticorax nycticorax 125 Mycteria leucocephala
200 Anas strepera 2090 A. crecca
220 A. poecilorhyncha 1980 A. acuta
1100 A. clypeata 100 Aythya ferina
100 A. fuligula 350 Fulica atra
50 Himantopus himantopus 75 Recurvirostra avosetta
44 Vanellus spinosus 50 Calidris temminckii
50 Philomachus pugnax 300 Larus brunnicephalus
2,000 L. ridibundus 200 Chlidonias hybrids
75 Geochelidon nilotica
along with smaller numbers of six species of herons and egrets, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, Platalea leucorodia, Phoenicopterus Tuber, Anser indices, Tadorna ferruginea, Sarkidiornis melanotos, Netts rufina, Rostratula benghalensis, and 11 other species of shorebirds. Anas falcata has been recorded, and A. poecilorhyncha breeds. There is a large breeding colony of cormorants, Anhinga melanogaster, herons, egrets, and Mycteria leucocephala in trees in the Zoological Gardens, the birds commuting to the riverine marshes to feed
Special floral values: No information
Location: on the eastern outskirts of Delhi
Area: 20,000 ha
Altitude: 210 m
Biogeographical province: 4.8.4 Wetland type: 11, 15, 20
Description of site: A 35-km stretch of the Jamuna river in the environs of Delhi, from approximately 10 km south to 10 km north of the city. Although largely contained within bunded embankments, the narrow floodplain along the Jamuna still constitutes a significant wetland environment. Small areas of marsh remain in a mosaic of arable land, pasture, waste ground, and urban development. Several dams and barrages, such as the Okhla Barrage, provide relatively large areas of openwater. At low water levels, extensive mudflats and sand banks are exposed. There are undoubtedly other stretches of the Jamuna river that are as rich in wildlife as the Delhi section, and probably several other rivers in northern India just as rich as the Jamuna, but no information is available on these other sites
Climatic conditions: Dry tropical monsoon climate typical of the Upper Ganges Plain, with an average annual rainfall of 635 mm. Most of the rain falls during the monsoon in June-September, but some 50-100 mm may fall in winter. There is a marked annual range in mean temperatures (19’C), and a daily range of up to 17’ C. January is the coldest month (16’C) and May the hottest (32-C) Principal vegetation: There are large areas of water hyacinth (EkAhornia crassipes), particularly near the barrages, and reed-beds with species of Typha and Phragmites, chiefly around the islands in the river. At low water levels, much of the exposed river bed is cultivated
Land tenure: A mixture of private and public ownership
Conservation measures taken: None
Land use: Primarily agricultural land providing vegetables and dairy products for the capital city. Water is taken from the river for a variety of industrial and domestic uses
Possible changes in land use: As the city of Delhi continues to expand, new urban and industrial developments and an intensification of current land use will continue to erode the few remaining areas of semi-natural marsh Disturbances and threats: Pollution from domestic and industrial sources is a growing problem, and is already at a critical level along some stretches of the river. About 320,000 k1 of untreated sewage is discharged daily into the river. Factory wastes containing high concentrations of DDT and cholral hydrates, which are released into the river, have resulted in high toxicity. There is a considerable amount of disturbance from the intense human activity in the area, and some shooting and netting of waterfowl occurs
Economic and social values: Important agricultural areas are scattered along the whole Jamuna river system. As pollution levels increase, the value of the river as a source of water for domestic consumption will undoubtedly diminish. The area is often visited by bird-watchers and, with a little management and the provision of basic facilities, could easily be developed for this type of outdoor recreation on a large scale
Fauna: A very important feeding and roosting area for a wide variety of both resident and migratory waterfowl. In winter, many thousands of ducks, chiefly Anas strepera, A. crecca, A. acuta, and A. clypeata, spend the daylight hours on the river and fly out at night to feed on wet arable land.
300 Anas penelope 500 A. strepera
700 A. acuta 6500 A. clypeata
400 Aythya ferina 2400 A. fuligula
on one small dam on the river. The muddy islands provide secure roosting sites for large numbers of gulls and terns (2700 in January 1986), and there is a very large winter roost of swallows and martins (Hirundinidae) in the reed-beds (e.g. 20,000 in February 1982). Many shorebirds, especially Tringa glareola, Calidris minuta, C. temminckii, Philomachus pugnax, and Glareola maldivarum, occur on passage, and to a lesser extent also in winter. Waterfowl counts at several localities along the river and in the nearby Delhi Zoological Gardens in January 1986 and January 1987 recorded: up to 200 Phalacrocorax niger 40 Anhinga melanogaster
75 Nycticorax nycticorax 125 Mycteria leucocephala
200 Anas strepera 2090 A. crecca
220 A. poecilorhyncha 1980 A. acuta
1100 A. clypeata 100 Aythya ferina
100 A. fuligula 350 Fulica atra
50 Himantopus himantopus 75 Recurvirostra avosetta
44 Vanellus spinosus 50 Calidris temminckii
50 Philomachus pugnax 300 Larus brunnicephalus
2,000 L. ridibundus 200 Chlidonias hybrids
75 Geochelidon nilotica
along with smaller numbers of six species of herons and egrets, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, Platalea leucorodia, Phoenicopterus Tuber, Anser indices, Tadorna ferruginea, Sarkidiornis melanotos, Netts rufina, Rostratula benghalensis, and 11 other species of shorebirds. Anas falcata has been recorded, and A. poecilorhyncha breeds. There is a large breeding colony of cormorants, Anhinga melanogaster, herons, egrets, and Mycteria leucocephala in trees in the Zoological Gardens, the birds commuting to the riverine marshes to feed
Special floral values: No information
For Wetlands in Yamuna River
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