Loktak Lake, which falls in Bishnupur district of Manipur, is the largest fresh water lake in the Northeast located 48km from Imphal. Loktak Lake is a huge and beautiful stretch of water spread across 312 sq km area and looks like a miniature island sea. From the tourist bungalow atop Sendra Island, visitors get a bird's eye view of life on the lake - small islands that are actually floating weed on which live the lake people, the shimmering blue waters of the lake, labyrinthine boat routes and colourful water plants.

The Sendra Tourist Home with an attached cafeteria in the middle of the lake is an ideal tourist spot. Boating and other water sports are being introduced here. Fishermen and their families who live near the shores of lake in huts also build their houses on island of floating weed that dirt around the lake.

A myriad hues grace the lake from the warm golden glow of dawn to the peach, pinks and greys of the day and the absolute silver of high noon. The lake has floating islands on which people have set up habitats. They ply their little skiffs to catch fish and collect the tri-corn-shaped singhara fruit of lotus.

Entry in the Ramsar sites directory of wetlands of international importance:

DESIGNATION DATE: 23/03/1990

COORDINATES: 24°26'N 093°49'E

ELEVATION: No information

AREA: 26,600 ha

LOCATION: About 20 km south-southwest of the city of Imphal, in the state of Manipur, eastern India.

CRITERIA: (Criteria codes were not stipulated by the Contracting Party).

IMPORTANCE: Loktak Lake is an ancient lake and plays an important role in the economy of the Manipur State. Without the lake, the valley would be subjected to high floods during monsoon and drought during the dry season. It is a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. The livelihood of the surrounding rural population is largely dependent upon the fish of the lake. The site is an important wintering and staging area for waterbirds. In the southeastern region of this lake, there is Keibul Lamjao National Park that is the only refuge for the highly endangered Manipur brown-antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi). Other endangered species include Python molurus.

WETLAND TYPES: (O, Tp, 3, 6) (dominance unspecified)
Loktak lake encompasses a wide variety of habitats with its shallow depth, such as floating islands of decaying vegetative matter and small hills that form islands in the lake.

BIOLOGICAL/ECOLOGICAL NOTES: Dominant aquatic macrophytes are the introduced Eichhornia crassipes. Other species are Polygonum sp., Vallisneria sp. and Trapa natans. Bird species include Dendrocygna javanica, Anser crecca, A. platyrhynchos, Netta rufina, Rallus striatus, Egretta garzetta, E. intermedia, Casmerodius albus and many other species.

HYDROLOGICAL/PHYSICAL NOTES: The catchment area of the lake is about 980 sq. km. Run-off from this catchment is drained into the lake mainly through seven streams which originate primarily in the northern and western flanks of the lake.

HUMAN USES: There are many rural and urban settlements around the lake, with the total human population on and around the lake estimated at approximately 100,000. Local populations depend heavily on Loktak lake for food, animal feed, fibre, fuel and shelter. Fishing is the predominant activity. Tourism plays an increasingly important role in the region. The planned activities in the future include the construction of a 126 km dyke encircling the lake, dredging of a major portion of the lake, encouragement of further human settlements, establishment of large fish culture pens in the middle of the water, destruction of a number of hillock islands and the installation of a large number of sluice gates, culverts and canals.

CONSERVATION MEASURES: Following a major flood in 1986, the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) was established in 1987 to "check the fast deteriorating condition of Loktak Lake and to bring about the improvement of the lake along with the development in the field of fisheries, agriculture, tourism and afforestation". The LDA appointed a consultancy company to develop a management plan. In 1993 the site was placed on the Ramsar Convention's Montreux Record of priority sites for conservation action. The management plan submitted in 1993 is essentially an economic development project with emphasis on development of fisheries, tourism and agriculture.

ADVERSE FACTORS: The damming of the lake in 1983 (by the Ithai Barrage) caused the local extinction of several native fish species from the lake and the loss of extensive areas of rice cultivation, increasing the pressure on adjoining land which was already intensively cultivated. Local people can no longer use traditional fishing techniques developed for use in shallow water, and have even resorted to poisoning fish. The lake is undergoing rapid eutrophication caused by the inflow of domestic sewage, and fertilisers/pesticide runoff. This has been accelerated by the damming of the lake, which has restricted water circulation. Over-fishing is a problem, and waterbirds are intensively hunted and sold in Imphal. Increasing siltation has been caused by deforestation and shifting cultivation in the catchment area, involving the cutting and burning of forest for only three or four seasons of rice cultivation.

SITE MANAGEMENT: Loktak Development Authority (LDA). No further contact details provided.
Based on the 1989 Ramsar site information provided. Please see "Site Description" in the Introduction for more details about the structure and content of Directory descriptions.

Natural site datasheet from UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

AREA: 26,600ha

DEGREE OF PROTECTION: The wetland has been identified as one of the sites for conservation under the Indian national wetland programme. The state government has also constituted Loktak Development Authority for development of the wetland area on a sound ecological basis. Designated as a Ramsar site on 23 March 1990.

SITE DESCRIPTION: Loktak Lake, the largest natural wetland in north-east India, is a large expanse of water west of the River Imphal. The catchment area is about 98,000ha. Run-off from the catchment drains into the lake mainly through seven streams which originate primarily in the northern and western flanks of the lake. Thick floating mats of weeds covered with soil, called 'phumids', are a characteristic feature of this lake. The main fish fauna present are minnows and minor carps. Keibul Lamjao National Park, habitat of the threatened brow antlered deer Cervus eldi eldi known locally as 'sangai', is located in the south-east area of the lake.

CHANGES IN ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER: Due to deforestation in the catchment area and denudation of vegetation, the rate of soil erosion has increased considerably during recent years and has resulted in siltation of the lake. Severe infestation of the lake by water hyacinth, compounded with the problem of the 'phumids', interferes greatly with water circulation, resulting in increasing rate of siltation and deposit of pollutants in the lake ecosystem.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: A wetland management scheme, funded by central government, has been prepared by the state government. Furthermore, the North-eastern Council is keen to develop this wetland area.

REFERENCES: The above information is taken from documentation supplied by the Government of India at the time of designation.