Freshwater resources provide a broad set of environmental and ecosystem services which are essential for healthy living of humans and their food and energy production, social and economic stability. This system is also critical for biodiversity, for example providing habitat for many invertebrate and vertebrate species, aquatic animals, and fish species. Along with the increasing human population and socioeconomic development levels have resulted in rapid development of water resources and the replacement of naturally occurring and functioning systems with highly modified and human-engineered systems. Humans need the freshwater provisioning services such as irrigation, domestic water, power production, temperature maintenance and transportation which come from inland water ecosystems such as rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands. Freshwater ecosystem is directly associated with terrestrial ecosystem through recreation, scenic values, fisheries and biodiversity preservation and ecosystem function, which is essential for the sustainable development of human life.
Top1. Introduction
Fresh water is a basic and essential need of all the living organisms. it is a renewable, variable resource and predominant for all the ecological services it offers. This system is also an important part of biodiversity, for example providing habitat for many invertebrates and vertebrate species, aquatic animals and fish species. Climate change affects the water availability in many regions and can harm the health of people and ecosystems. For example, rising temperatures, drought, and reduced snowfall are putting more pressure on water supplies in which can put water infrastructure (such as dams, sewers, and water treatment facilities) at risk (Lall, U., et al. 2018).
Human activities like emission of greenhouse gases that contributed the Global warming which has direct and widespread impact on the hydrological cycle and on the aquatic ecosystems in different parts of the world (Huntington 2006; Oki and Kanae 2006). Freshwater ecosystems are highly stressed due to these climatic changes like eutrophication, species invasion, change in rainfall pattern and rising temperatures. Concerning environmental change, attention has increasingly shifted from localized problems and phenomena to global and regional issues requiring global collaboration. Changes in the environment and sustainability are inextricably linked to social, economic, and political developments. Population growth, economic development and globalization, industrialization, and urbanization are the underlying driving forces of environmental change, all of which have profound effects on the physical environment and the organization of human space (MEA 2005). These factors appear in a variety of ways at the global, regional, national, and local levels. Environmental issues are increasingly trans-boundary, with seemingly local phenomena having global implications and global events having regional and local ramificationsAs a result, environmental management frequently necessarily requires international collaboration (USGCRP 2014). Due to the changing temperature and heat the quantity and quality of water is also affecting which is severely influencing the aquatic habitat and some species are not able of adopt in this changing water environment.(Shuter and Meisner 1992), the uncertain or excess rainfall, increases the velocity of water flow and rise in water level causes the displacement of the sediments and mix other unusefull in aquatic system and cause the disturbances in natural habitat of aquatica animals, making them vulnerable and losses of many fishes. (Pujolaretet al.2011).
India is gradually moving away from being a water-rich country due to increasing population pressure and urbanization. It currently supports 18% of the world's population while using only 4% of global water resources. As a result, water resource management has taken on new significance. Today, water resource availability is a major issue and a major challenge for our country (Water resources in India n.d). Water bodies are an integral part of fresh water resources. The landscape of India is dotted with large number of water bodies. Traditionally, these water bodies have played an important role in supply of drinking water, for domestic use and agriculture purposes etc. They have been the major source of minor irrigation system for agriculture in India. Through the ages, these water bodies, either natural or manmade such as lakes, tanks, ponds and similar structures have sustained the Indian agriculture. In urban areas also water bodies play an important role as a source of drinking water, absorption of flood water and a conduit for ground water recharge. Therefore, it is essential to assess where freshwater resources exist, how they are used, and how climate, technology, policy, and people can play important role in conservation/restoration of these water bodies for healthy and sustainable development.