Kolleru Lake Freshwater Wetland Ecology of West Godavari

Kolleru Lake, located between the Krishna and Godavari deltas in West Godavari and Krishna districts, is India's largest freshwater lake and a Ramsar-designated wetland. The lake is a natural flood basin that reduces delta flooding during the northeast monsoon by storing excess water. It supports extraordinary waterbird biodiversity — at peak season, hundreds of thousands of painted storks, pelicans, open-billed storks, and egrets nest in the lake's fringing vegetation. The lake's fish populations support the livelihoods of over 200 fishing villages. However, intensive aquaculture development from the 1990s converted large areas of the lake to shrimp ponds, severely degrading the ecosystem. A 2010 Supreme Court order and subsequent restoration work have partially revived the lake's ecological functions.