IIT Madras Researches Uses Dredging Methodology to help triple Irrawaddy Dolphin's population in Odisha’s Chilika Lake

A research project undertaken by the team of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has helped Chilika lake in Odisha, in tripling the population of the Irrawaddy dolphins.
Chilika lake is Asia’s largest and world’s second largest brackish water body and home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals.
The researchers developed a dredging methodology for enhancement of fishery resources and the increase of population of Irrawaddy dolphin with minimum impact on the lake ecosystem.
Dredging is a four-part process consisting of the excavation (loosening or dislodging) of the material from the bottom of the river, bringing the material to the surface (together extraction), transportation and disposal.
As a result, the fish production increased 7-fold and the population of highly threatened Irrawaddy dolphin also increased, thus promoting ecotourism which immensely benefitted the local fishers
The team carried out the restoration work in 6 months at a cost of Rs 10 crore and the lake is now off the threatened list.