INTRODUCTION:

Wetland are distinct ecosystem, where dry land is
saturated by water.The primary factor that
distinguishes wetlands from other landforms or water
bodies is the characteristic vegetation of
aquatic plants, adapted to the unique hydric soil.
Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources
and ecosystem services such as food, water, fibre,
groundwater recharge, water purification, flood
moderation, erosion control
and climate regulation.
State of Maharashtra has a large number of
unrecognized wetland bodies which require immediate
attention before they degrade and dry Deccan Plateau
faces shortage of water during the summer season and
Wetlands are also known as the kidneys of Earth.
They purify the waters that pass through them and
distil out poisonous sediments, chemicals, and
pollutants.
Conceptual model of formation of Wetlands.
The wetland is rich in biodiversity and has
species representing both India's Western
Ghats and the Deccan Plateau Bio Geographical
Zones. To date, 536 species of aquatic and
terrestrial plants, eight species of mammals, 265
species of birds, 24 species of freshwater fish,
and 41 species of butterflies from the area have
been reported. Mumbai's Central Institute of
Fisheries Education reported 24 fish species in
the Nandur Madhameshwar wetland from ten
families. However, it was only in 1994 that the
Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department began
efforts to protect, maintain and conserve it. The
problems in settling the claims of local people,
other agencies and departments on the land,
the resource study of the area fluctuations in
the population of migratory birds.

thus to overcome this scarcity of water the British
Government had designed Godavari Canal System by
constructing dams across the river Dama at Nandgaon
and at the confluence of rivers Godavari and Kadva at
Nandur Madhameshwar in the years 1907-1913. The
water stored in this canal is later then released to
nearby areas like Aurangabad and Ahmednagar for
irrigation and drinking purposes. This Wetland was
formed due to continuous deposition of silt and
organic matter which was carried by the Godavari and
Kadva river streams.
This has led to the most distinctive and biologically rich
Wetland in the state of Maharashtra This Wetland
Ecosystem is a home for major migratory birds and
thus there is a need of high global conservation for the
bio-diversity
BACKGROUND STUDY:
Wetland protection aimed at protecting and
restoring areas such as swamps, marshes, and
bogs where water occurs at or near the Earth's
surface. Wetlands occupy at least six percent of
the Earth and, because of the ecological services
they offer, have become a focal issue for
conservation With a large number of coastal and
inland wetlands, the state of Maharashtra is
blessed. These are one coastal Wetland in
Mumbai's Sewri and five inland wetlands in the
districts of Ujni in Pune, Nandur Madhyameshwar
in Nashik Jayakwadi in Aurangabad, Lonar in
Buldhana, and Navegaon in Gondia. The Nandur
Madhyameshwar in Nashik is one of the most
significant ones. The flow of water carries a lot of
silt and organic matter and the same is deposited
in Nandur Madhameshwar Lake For the last few
years, the deposition process has been going on
and the water level in the lake has been shallow.
The deposition of silt has also enriched the
agricultural lands surrounding it and enriched the
habitats in and around body of water.

Wetlands are distinct ecosystems where water meets

land. It is flooded by water either permanently or
seasonally where there is sudden depression in land
Wetlands are also considered the most biologically
diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide
range of plant and animal life.

WETLAND CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH CENTER SAI .S. SHEVDE 05-AR-18-48