Chilika Lagoon: Experience and Lessons Learned Brief (Lake Basin Management Initiative). 2005. (2.2 MB)

The Chilika Lagoon (also referred to here as Lake Chilika, Chilika Lake, or simply “Chilika”) is the biggest lagoon on India’s eastern coast (see Figure 1). Its size fluctuates substantially within the course of a year, with a maximum area of 1,165 km2 during the monsoon season and a minimum of 906 km2 during the dry season. It is of relatively recent origin, being formed several thousand years ago. Freshwater runoff from the drainage basin, combined with saline water inflows from the ocean, result in a wide range of fresh, brackish and saline water environments within the lagoon, with this spatially and temporally diverse water environment supporting an exceptionally productive ecosystem. Main LBMI report - http://www.iwlearn.net/publications/ll/lbmi_main_report_2005.pdf/view Original LBMI website - http://www.ilec.or.jp/eg/lbmi/index.htm

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