Lakes are more complex and fragile ecosystems than rivers. Because of their importance, beauty, religious and cultural significance and their relative vulnerability to degradation, lakes and reservoirs require more attention than is applied generally to rivers and stream basins.

There are many different types of lakes and reservoirs and they serve many functions and purposes. Some lakes are ephemeral such as flood plain lakes of large rivers. Others may be located in dry regions and are saline like the Aral sea in Asia or the Great salt lake in America. Small salt water lakes in coastal zones are essential for   certain fisheries. Some lakes are recharged almost totally from the ground water inflow, while others, like lake Chad in Africa are small lakes in flood plains or delta areas in Asia,   and recharge ground water supplies depending on the size, depth, climate and flow regime, lakes differ in their vulnerability   to pollution.

The paper provides a brief introduction about lakes across the world, lakes in Bangalore, benefits of restoration, lake and its watershed, lake morphometry, lake processes, the classical lake succession sequence,   point   and non-point sources of pollution, effects of sewage discharge into a clean lake, measures for restoration of a polluted lake and technology options for treating the point   and non-point sources of pollution. The paper concludes by giving a probable scheme for restoration and development of lakes in cities such as Bangalore.

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