Science &amp; Technology Agenda for Blue-Green Spaces Inspired by Citizen Science: Case for Rejuvenation of Powai Lake

Balakrishnan Lekshmi,Steven Loiselle,Raghuvansh Saxena,Shruti Sharma,Rahul S Sutar,Shardul D Prabhu,Dipanjan Saha,Arundhati M Kamat,Richa Singh,Shyam R Asolekar

doi:10.3390/su131810061

Abstract

Urban lakes play a major role in the socio-cultural and ecological sustainability of many cities, but are often under major development and pollution pressures. Urban decision makers are faced with a challenging task of identifying the causes of their decline and building plans for their conservation or rejuvenation. Powai Lake is a perfect example of an urban water body with historic, cultural, and ecological importance to the population of Metropolitan Mumbai, with local and regional authorities, including the Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra, working to identify methods for rejuvenating the Lake. In this context, characterization of pollution dynamics, hotspots, and extent is fundamental to the development of management plans and appropriate technologies for the remediation and rejuvenation of Powai Lake—the long-term goal of the present study. A two-year monitoring program at eight sampling locations on the Lake’s periphery, with the engagement of citizen scientists along with environmental researchers, revealed clear seasonal and spatial dynamics that allowed for the identification of pollution drivers and the development of a three-phase rejuvenation plan. The plan represents a novel and holistic approach that recognizes Powai Lake as a complex system with multiple drivers, and aims at ecological balance and sustainable delivery of ecosystem services.

Highlights

Major factors that lead to the degradation of surface water bodies are often related to progressive urbanization and the resulting imbalance between blue-green spaces within urban ecosystems
Data collected by citizen scientists in summer and post-monsoon months were significantly correlated with research scientists’ data in the months in corresponding seasons
Surya et al [42] (2.8–8 mg/L) with the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the present study clearly suggests that that the concentrations

Summary

Introduction

Major factors that lead to the degradation of surface water bodies are often related to progressive urbanization and the resulting imbalance between blue-green spaces within urban ecosystems. In the case of India, disposal of untreated sewage and partially treated industrial effluents into lakes, rivers, and coastal ecosystems have outpaced the pollution control systems instituted by urban local bodies and communities. This has resulted in conditions of increased turbidity, algal blooms, eutrophication, and siltation in most urban water bodies [1,2,3]. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation [4] These efforts are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals SDG 6, SDG 11, SDG 14, and SDG.

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Conclusion