Puttenahalli Lake, like other lakes in Bangalore, is a rain-fed lake. During the monsoons, the water level rises while in the hot summers, the level drops - due to seepage into the ground as well as evaporation. This year we find that the water level is more than last year. Having abused this resource over several years and reducing it to the garbage dump that it was, it is going to take some time before the lake is brimming with water again. The ground water needs to come up from below, and the trees need to grow, to reduce evaporation rate.
We do have plans to divert more rain water into the lake during the monsoons (finance for this awaited), which will further help the cause of raising the water level.
Weeds thrive when the water level drops, because they have just enough water to keep them healthy, unlike when there is a lot of water to suffocate them. Now, when the water level is at is lowest, is the best time to get rid of at least some of the overgrowth.
A group of 50 volunteers have signed up to help us remove the weeds growing in the shallow edges of Puttenahalli Lake on Sat. 14th April 2012, for a couple of hours in the morning. Others are welcome to join them, but do let us know at <firstname.lastname@example.org>.
Despite the drop in water, the lake is home to loads of birds. Several birds have built nests among the weeds in the lake bed, so during the de-weeding we will be ensuring that the nests, and the weeds they depend on remain untouched.