By Dr. Ashraf Zainabi

Anyone who has observed the condition of Kashmir lakes over the past two or three decades will notice that their decline has not been sudden. 

It has happened slowly, and almost silently. 

Water that was once clearer is now frequently turbid. More recently, the Dal Lake water turned greenish, a coolant like in colour. Aquatic vegetation now covers large stretches that earlier remained open water. In many stretches, the lake depth has visibly reduced. 

These changes are often discussed in emotional terms, but they are also the outcome of very specific ecological processes. 

People living around these lakes often notice the change before any government and scientific report is published. 

The scientific explanation for the degradation of many freshwater lakes is well known. Lakes naturally receive nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from surrounding landscapes. In moderate quantities, these nutrients are part of normal ecological functioning. Problems arise when the inflow of nutrients becomes excessive. 

When a certain threshold is crossed, biological productivity increases rapidly. Algae multiply, aquatic weeds expand and water quality gradually deteriorates. In lake science, this process is called eutrophication. 

As vegetation grows and later decomposes, oxygen levels in the water decline. Fish and other aquatic organisms begin to experience stress. The lake slowly moves away from its earlier ecological balance. 

The question, therefore arises, why do restoration efforts still concentrate mainly on in-box cosmetic interventions, such as removing weeds, instead of controlling what enters the lake, that is precisely an out of box appropriate solution?

Nutrient enrichment is closely connected with the way water enters the lake system in Kashmir.........

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