ISSN 0912-7402

No.70 : March 2023

Lake Balaton and Beyond:
Linking Science, Culture, and Governancefor the Sustainable Use of Lakes

Taking into account the availability of freshwater resources on
Earth, we can see how extremely important the lakes are. However,lakes are not simply storage of fresh water. They are complex
natural, social and economic systems. From a global perspective,
the importance of standing water is mainly due to their utilization
as a source of drinking water, but lakes also play outstanding roles
in terms of water transport, agriculture or tourism. In addition,
besides their economic utilization, we must not forget about theiressential role in regard to protecting both aquatic and terrestrial
biodiversity.

IN
THIS
ISSUE

The 19th World Lake Conference will be organized from
November 7th to 9th, 2023 at Lake Balaton, which is the largest
freshwater lake in Central Europe. Lake Balaton is one of the mostsignificant natural treasures of Hungary. It is a popular tourism
destination due to the pleasant temperature of the lake, thefavourable climatic conditions, the variety of beautiful landscapes,
and the diversity of cultural-historical assets.
With a surface area of 600 km², 78 km in length, 6.6 km width,and an average depth of 3.2 m, Lake Balaton is one of theshallowest large lakes in the world. Located in the Transdanubian■ Lake Balaton and Beyond: Linking Science, Culture,
and Governance for the Sustainable Use of Lakes■ Report from a Former JICA Training Participant(Albania)■ Road to SLM (Sustainable Lake Management)■ Letter from Scientific Committee (India)■ The 14th Term Scientific Committee Comes on Board■ Our Activities Overview（FY2022）■ WLC19 Call for Participation■ Thank You for Your Support!

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region of West Hungary, the Lake Balaton
catchment area, including the lake itself, is 5775
km2. However, Lake Balaton is very vulnerable
at the same time mainly due to its very shallow
profile and the fact that through heavy reliance on
tourism, the socioeconomic consequences of
ecological deterioration can be severe andimmediate.
Lake Balaton will host the World Lake
Conference for the second time. In 1988, the 3rd
WLC was organized at Keszthely, while this year
Balatonfüred will provide a venue for the event.
The conference in 1988 focused mainly on water
quality problems, such as eutrophication,
acidification, and toxic substances.
Lake Balaton, like many other lakes in theworld, has been threatened by eutrophication.
The overgrowth of floating microscopic algae (phytoplankton) was
mainly due to increased phosphorus loads carried by the Zala
River. Trophic levels in the lake increased dramatically in the
1970s. In summer, algal blooms caused by filamentous nitrogenfixing cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) became regular. The
dominant cyanobacteria in Lake Balaton (Cylindrospermopsis
raciborskii, Aphanizomenon, and Anabaena species) were potential
toxin-producing organisms.
In order to restore the original ecological status of the lake, alarge-scale restoration program was initiated in the early 1980s.
The main elements of the program included the discharge of
wastewater from coastal settlements, the dephosphorization ofwastewater, and the construction of the Kis-Balaton Water
Protection System. Due to these measures, the external phosphorus
load of the lake decreased to about one-third. Consequently, thebiomass of planktonic algae has also decreased gradually andsignificantly.
After successfully solving the major water quality problems by
1995, Lake Balaton had to face newly emerged problems, namely
the effects of climate change. A negative water balance whichstarted in 2000 and lasted for 4 years, caused the shallow lake’s
water level to drastically decrease, severely impacting vegetation,

Kis-Balaton area

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Sailing boats on Lake Balaton

biodiversity, and local livelihoods.
These events highlighted that the region is uniquely vulnerable
to various constellations of natural and human-induced changes,
particularly as it struggles with other institutional, economic andsocial challenges as well. However, Lake Balaton is not alone insuch kinds of problems. In spite of the fact, that lakes have different
geographical features, they have to face many environmental andeconomic problems in the world.
The common goal is to dedicate more attention to the sustainable
management of lakes and to find the balance between the objectivesof lake conservation and the objectives of the economic and naturalutilization of lakes. In order to ensure the sustainable utilization oflakes, a comprehensive and integrated approach is needed.
Therefore, the theme of the 19th World Lake Conference, ‘beyondlakes’, intends to contribute to achieving this goal.
The conference will focus on the water-related environmental
problems of Lake Balaton and other large lakes in the world, and it
will introduce modelling and rehabilitation options. However, theconference also aims to present appropriate and effective lake
management tools to maintain the ecosystem services provided bylakes. Accordingly, the conference will also be in line with theresolution on Sustainable Lake Management (SLM) adopted by theUnited Nations Environmental Assembly(UNEA) in March 2022.
The 19th World Lake Conference will bea forum, where scientists and researchers,
lake management experts, policy-makers,
government actors, and interested citizens,coming from all over the world, can meetto discuss current and relevant lake
management problems and to look forsolutions together. In order to learn more
about the diversity of lakes worldwide,
come to Lake Balaton for the 19th World
Lake Conference. More information about
the event is available on the conference
website: https://www.worldlakeconferencebalaton.hu/en(contributed by Lake Balaton Development
Coordination Agency)

Report from a Former JICA
Training Participant
Gerta Lubonja (Albania)
General Director
Water Resources Management Agency

The Outstanding Universal Value of Ohrid Lake
Lake Ohrid is the oldest lake inEurope and one of the world’s few
ancient lakes, such as Lake Baikal
in Siberia and Lake Tanganyika in
the East African Rift Valley.
Formed as a result of tectonic
rifting forces that pull east andwest, it exists for millions of years
in geographical isolation, being
home to many endemic species. It
provides refuge for numerous
endemic and relict freshwater
species of flora and fauna datingfrom the tertiary period. As a deep
and ancient lake of tectonic origin, Lake Ohrid has existed continuously
for approximately two to three million years. Its oligotrophic waters
conserve over 200 species of plants and animals unique to the lake. Someare eagerly sought after, such as the famous Ohrid Trout, while others are
hardly noticed, like tiny yet beautiful diatoms and a variety of molluscs
and sponges. The Lake Ohrid region is one of the oldest humansettlements in Europe. People have been drawn to its dramatic andbeautiful setting for thousands of years, for spiritual and religious
contemplation, fishing in rich waters, or growing crops in the fertile
surrounding soils. Evidence of past settlements can be seen in churches,monasteries and basilicas—in particular around Ohrid and Lin Peninsula.
Multiple layers of intangible cultural heritage including songs, dances,cuisine and festivals reflect how the local culture has adapted andcontinues to enjoy a vibrant life around this enduring lake.
The Lake Ohrid region, a mixed World Heritage property covering circa
95,000 ha, was first inscribed for its nature conservation values in 1979
and for its cultural heritage values a year later. These inscriptions related
to the part of the lake located in North Macedonia. The property was
extended to include the rest of Lake Ohrid, located in Albania, in 2019.
The immediate catchment area is of 1,129 km2, but the effective
catchment extends into the Lake Prespa basin due to an undergroundkarst connection. The phenomenon of groundwater movement fromPrespa to Ohrid is internationally recognized and is one of the mostinteresting natural phenomena. Lake Ohrid is hydrogeologicallyconnected to Lake Prespa, which sits around 150 m higher than Lake
Ohrid (depending on waterlevel variations). The
hydraulic connection between
Lake Prespa and Lake Ohrid,
through the karstic massif,
makes Lake Prespa its mostimportant source of water,
contributing over 40 % of its

water. It only takes six hours forthe water to travel through thekarstic system from Zavir/Zaveri
to Tushemisht, which means thatany change in the quality of Lake
Prespa’s waters would also affect- almost immediately - Lake
Ohrid.
Groundwater is invisible,
but its influence is visible
everywhere. Although we do notsee it, it is under our feet and is ahidden treasure that enriches ourlives. But human activities andclimate change are rapidly
increasing pressure on groundwater resources.
World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22 and is amechanism that serves to increase awareness about the use of water
resources. In order to highlight this event, but also due to the fact that UN
2022 theme on World Water Day was making the invisible visible, weorganised a boot camp and training activity with high school pupils of
Pogradec city. The programme was composed as a simulation ofgroundwater pollution and water parameters testing afterwards. This“celebration” emphasized the importance of groundwater to human healthand the environment. The goal of WRMA (Water Resources Management
Agency) is to consider research and data when it comes to groundwater,
as well as to enlighten people about the importance of groundwater forthe country, as the main source of drinking water in Albania. Educating
people, especially youth will help to attract future water professionals,
contribute about innovative approaches to maintain groundwaterdependent ecosystems. Knowing how groundwater flows through thesubsurface and what factors influence its quantity and quality, was themain objective of this activity.
In spite of all the international and national protection measures,
unplanned urban development, inadequate wastewater and solid waste
management, habitat alteration, destruction and depletion of natural
resources, mining activities, infrastructure development and intensive
tourism activities continue to threaten the region’s heritage.
A range of serious protection and management issues still require
strong and effective action by the riparians. These include the urgent needto protect the water quality of the lake and therefore maintain its
oligotrophic ecological function; concerning tourism and associated legal
and illegal development and the impacts of development on habitats andspecies, including on the lake shores. There is also evidence of climatechange impacting the whole area, such as through the warming of thelake. These issues also require international attention since they cannot betackled at local level.

3Road to SLM (Sustainable Lake Management)
A resolution on “Sustainable Lake Management” was adopted at the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) held in Nairobi, Kenya, in March
2022. From the drafting stage of this resolution, ILEC has been working with the Government of Indonesia, the proposing country. This was the first resolution
addressing lakes and reservoirs at the international level and became a major step toward mainstreaming lakes in the global water agenda.
In cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and relevant government agencies, we have been promoting international
cooperation, including human resource development for people involved in lakes around the world. And we will link this growing momentum to discussions at
the 19th World Lake Conference (WLC19) to be held in the fall of 2023, as well as to the realization of sustainable lake management around the world.

SLM

UN 2023 Water Conference
ILEC vice president will
speak at a side event on“SLM” to be cohosted by
the Indonesian government
and UNEP at the UN
Headquarters.

Sep.
Jan.

Oct.
Mar.

WLC19

2023
ILEC Autumn International Events
Scientific Committee General Meeting
International Symposium 2022
“Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations”
FY2022 JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program
Government officials and a university professor from nine countries (Albania,
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, Bolivia,
and Botswana) participated in learning about environmental conservation
efforts in Lake Biwa based on the ILLBM concept.

Dec.

Oct.

2022
May.

Apr.
4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit (4th APWS)
Government leaders from the Asia-Pacific region attended thisevent. We exhibited a booth jointly with Shiga Prefecture andcalled for the mainstreaming lakes.

Technical Cooperation for Improving Lake Water Quality in Indonesia
We were commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment ofJapan to undertake the “Technical Cooperation for Improving
Lake Water Quality in Indonesia” project jointly with IDEA
Consultants, Inc. This project focuses on agricultural land,
livestock load, soil runoff, and domestic wastewater treatment
to contribute to solving problems.

Jul.
UNEP-ILEC International Webinar on“Taking a Major Step Toward Mainstreaming Lakes”
We invited representatives from the Indonesian government, theJapanese Ministry of Environment, UNEP, etc. to the related event to
the 4th APWS. The event had 135 participants from 20 countries.

Oct.

Mar.

Sustainable Lake Management Resolution
Adopted at UNEA5.2

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PESSVA Project Launched in Collaboration with
the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM)
With a grant from Japan Fund for Global Environment, the“PESSVA (Participatory Ecosystem Service Shared Value
Assessment)” project was implemented for Chendoroh Lake inthe state of Perak, Malaysia. The project promotes integrated
efforts to use and conserve basin resources by involving
various stakeholders, including residents, fishermen, andorganizations, in the assessment of the value of target lakes.

5Letter from Scientiﬁc Committee (India)

Loktak Lake, a Unique Wetlandof North-East India
Ajit Kumar Pattnaik

Vice President
Wetlands International, South Asia

Loktak Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the northeasternregion of India. It represents an extraordinary story of natural antiquity,
diversity, beauty and human sentiment. It is considered the lifeline ofManipuri, is deeply embedded in their culture, and plays a vital role in theecological and economic security of the Manipur state. The lake is oval with amaximum length and width of 26 km and 13 km, respectively. The lake’s
depth varies between 0.5 to 4.58 m, with an average depth recorded at 2.7 m.
There are 14 hills varying in size and elevation, appearing as islands, in thesouthern part of the lake, transforming it into heaven on earth. The lake is richin biodiversity and has been designated as a wetland of international
importance, i.e. Ramsar site.
Loktak Lake has a unique macrophytic ecosystem called ‘Phumdi’ (aManipuri word meaning floating mats of vegetation). The largest area of the
Phumdi in Loktak Lake is in the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is home
to Manipur brow-antlered deer (Rucervus eldi eldi), a highly endangered andendemic species of the lake. The habitat exclusively consists of floating
meadows and an elevated strip of hard ground that dissects the park into
northern and southern zones. Loktak Lake has been broadly divided into threezones, viz., northern, central and southern zone, based on the existence of
Phumdi, drainage network, open water area and human activity.
The catchment of the lake includes drainage sub-basins of the Manipur
River Basin and its associated tributaries up to the Ithai Barrage. The
catchment covers an area of 4,947 km2 and constitutes 22% of the total
geographic area of the state. The lake has been the water source forhydroelectric power, irrigation, and habitat for several plants used as food,lake fish, fodder, fuel, medicines, biodiversity, recreation, and a host of
ecosystem services. Despite this, Loktak is under severe ecological andanthropogenic pressure and is fast degrading. Due to the change in theecological character, it is included in the Montreux Record* by Ramsar.
Ecosystem services and biodiversity of Loktak Lake complex are understress due to lopsided developmental planning within the basin. Water
resources development projects for flood mitigation, agriculture andhydropower generation have led to the modification of hydrological regimes,

seriously impacting the wetlands’
ecosystem. The hydrologicalregime of the lake is drasticallyaltered due to the construction of the Ithai barrage downstream of Loktak in
1984 entailing regulation of lake levels for hydropower generation. The
barrage converted a naturally fluctuating water level of the lake into areservoir leading to inundation of peripheral areas, loss of migratory fisheries,
reduction and degradation of national park habitat, decline in water quality
and siltation. Rapid growth of population in the hills has led to expansion inareas under shifting cultivation enhancing lake siltation and loss of floodattenuation capacity. High levels of urbanization within the upstream reacheswith inadequate sewerage systems have led to the dumping of untreatedsewage into the lake, leading to a decline in water quality. Inundation of
peripheral areas due to constant water levels forced an occupation shift fromtraditional agriculture to fisheries-based livelihood systems. Declining
resource base with increasing population pressure forced the propagation ofharmful fishing practices, ultimately leading to phumdi proliferation andchoking of the central sector of the lake. The ultimate effect was theimpoverishment of livelihoods and the enhancement of poverty within
wetland communities.
The process of development and implementation of restoration plans for
Loktak Lake needs to be accompanied by governance improvements at thebasin level. Such an approach underpins the Integrated Lake BasinManagement (ILBM) framework which calls for achieving sustainable
management of lakes through gradual, continuous and holistic improvementof basin governance, including sustained efforts for integration of institutional
responsibilities, policy directions, stakeholder participation, scientific andtraditional knowledge, technological possibilities, and funding prospects andconstraints (RCSE and ILEC, 2014). Recently the Government of Manipur
approached the Asian Development Bank for assistance in the restoration of
Loktak Lake. A strategic plan for the restoration of Loktak is underway basedon the ILBM Platform principles with an objective for restoration andsustainable lake management.

Loktak Lake with traditional circular fishing enclosure (Attaphum)

Loktak Lake Panoramic view

＊ Montreux Record: The list of Ramsar wetlands where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur.

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The 14th Term Scientific Committee Comes on Board

The 14th ILEC Scientific Committee was launched in April 2022. The committee members are renowned scientists andmanagerial experts with a depth of experience in the field of lake basin management, providing their expertise and playing theregional focal point role for all ILEC activities.

Tiina Nõges
Estonia

Yoshihisa Shimizu
Japan

Ajit Kumar Pattnaik
India

Adelina Santos-Borja
Philippines

Walter Rast
USA

Masatsugu Takamatsu
USA

Alejandro Juarez Aguilar
MexicoDaniel Olago
Kenya

Sandra Azevedo
BrazilColin Maxwell Finlayson
Australia

Our Activities Overview（FY2022）●April23-24 Participation in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit (Kumamoto)
29 Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto, the president, received the Order of the Sacred Treasure,Gold and Silver Star【PIC ❶】

●May

18

●June

Formulation of ILEC Mid-Term Framework for 2022-2025【PIC ❷】7 Receipt of a donation from Kinki Rokin Bank
10 Receipt of a donation from Kansai Mirai Bank, Limited●July●AugustInternational Webinar in conjunction with the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit
PIC ❶24-30 Participatory Ecosystem Services Shared Value Assessment (PESSVA) Workshop (Kusatsu)
6 Cohosting “Parent-Child Workshop for the future of Lake Biwa” with Kinki Rokin Bank andCertified NPO Biwako Houjounosato (Kusatsu)【PIC ❸】*About 50 parents and children participated. After receiving a lecture on the environmental impact of plastics, they cleaned up the lakeside.

24-27 Pre-meeting of ILEC Scientific Committee General Meeting (Kusatsu)●September 1-22

JICA-KCCP Training Program Part 1●October

12-15 ILEC Scientific Committee General Meeting (Kusatsu)
15
International Symposium 2022 “Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future
Generations” (Kusatsu)
24-29 PESSVA Field Visit in Malaysia (Kuala Kangsar, etc.)●November

7-11 Lake Biwa Model Study Program for Administrative Agency Officials in Hai
Phong City and Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam (Kusatsu, etc.)【PIC ❹】7-11 WLC19 on-site Preparatory Meeting in Lake Balaton Area
(Siófok, Balatonfüred, etc.)
14-17 Courtesy Visit to UNEP Nairobi Office (Kenya)

PIC ❷

PIC ❸

●December 19-25 Indonesia Field Visit and the first Workshop (Semarang)
2023●January

11-30●March3 JICA Regional Understanding Program (Kusatsu)
22-24 Participation in UN 2023 Water Conference, and speak at a side event (New York)JICA-KCCP Training Program Part 2 (Kusatsu, etc.)
PIC ❹

Web

Hybrid (Onsite + Web)7

WLC19Call for Participation
The 19th World Lake Conference will be held in Balatonfüred,Hungary, in November 2023. Balatonfüred is a resort town on thenorthern shore of Lake Balaton with many historic attractions. It iseasily accessible by train or bus from the capital, Budapest, which isonly one to two hours away. The beautiful city of Budapest, known as
the “Pearl of the Danube”, is also a World Heritage Site and well worth
a visit.
We recommend taking the opportunity to visit there, too.

● Dates: November 7-9, 2023
● Venue: the Balatonfured Conference Hall (tentative name, currently under construction)● Theme: “Beyond the lakes: linking science, culture and governance for their sustainable use”
Further information on registration and the content of the event will be posted on the official WLC19 website
as it becomes available.
https://www.worldlakeconference-balaton.hu/en

Thank You for Your Support!

FY2022●ILEC received sponsorships for the International Symposium 2022 from the following organizations(in no particular order)●IILEC received sponsorships from the following organizations (in no particular order)●ILEC received donations from the following organizations (in no particular order)

ONEWALK, Biz Hits, KAIGAI FX, CROSS WEB, Bike-Tasaburo, Higashikaigan, Soelu, GranPaz Consulting, STLL, Lani, Sakane Holdings,
Shinjuku Zeirishi (Tax Accountant) Office, Best Selection!

INTERNATIONAL LAKE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE FOUNDATION (ILEC)

1091 Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu-city Shiga 525-0001, JAPAN
Tel:+81-77-568-4567 / Fax:+81-77-568-4568 /Website: www.ilec.or.jp / Facebook: www.facebook.com/ilec.english*The latest issue and back issues of this newsletter are also available on our website above.

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