LakeRevive

What is LakeRevive?

LakeRevive is an innovative decision-support tool designed to help contractors, site engineers, environmental professionals & citizen volunteers select appropriate nature-based solutions (NbS) for urban lake restoration initiatives. The tool guides users through a systematic process to determine whether blue-green infrastructure such as constructed wetland (CW), floating islands (FI), or a combination of both would be most effective for their specific lake conditions. Additionally, it also provides guidance on rejuvenation of shoreline for water quality and biodiversity enhancement.
NOTE: This tool is applicable for lakes facing algal bloom, fish kill events, spread of invasive species due to inflows of secondary treated domestic wastewater. If a lake is used as a flood-mitigation tool, the contractor must consider the full-tank level and draw-down level, especially for constructed wetland.

User-friendly scientifically backed solutions

LakeRevive requires basic lake morphological and hydrological data as an input which is typically found in the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Resource optimization

The scale and design of NbS is optimised considering self assimilation capacity of the lake and optimal nutrient levels in urban lake to achieve average water clarity (secchi depth) of 40–80 cm.

Climate resilience

The NbS recommended by LakeRevive contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation by enhancing, improving water retention and ground-water recharge and regulating micro-climate.

Why LakeRevive is important?

Urban lakes are vital ecosystems facing unprecedented threats from urbanisation, pollution and climate change. Despite addressing the inflows of raw sewage, secondary wastewater discharges (enriched with nutrients) and urban runoffs are leading to degradation of restored lakes. LakeRevive helps in designing solutions to address issues such as algal bloom or low water clarity and extremely low early morning Dissolved oxygen (DO) <4mg/l caused by inflows of nutrients such as total phosphorus (TP) and total nitgrogen (TN).

Addressing the urban lake crisis

Lakes across the rapidly urbanising catchments are deteriorating at an alarming rate due to sewage inflow, industrial pollution and encroachment. In many cities, including Bengaluru, most of urban water bodies show signs of severe degradation, with high nutrient loads leading to eutrophication, algal blooms and fish kills. LakeRevive provides timely intervention strategies to reverse this decline.

Bridging the knowledge-implementation gap

Despite growing scientific understanding of lake ecosystems, there remains a significant gap between research and practical implementation of NbS. Due to the lack of design principles, many restoration projects fail to achieve improved water quality and biodiversity at urban lakes. LakeRevive bridges this gap by translating complex scientific principles into actionable recommendations.

Democratising lake conservation

Lake restoration has traditionally required specialised expertise that is often inaccessible to local communities and smaller organisations. LakeRevive democratises this process by making scientific decision-making available to a wider audience, empowering local stakeholders to take meaningful action for their neighborhood lakes.

Supporting evidence-based policy

The tool will help generate evidence on efficacy of NbS in improving lake health. This would help in formulating evidence-based policies. To generate the evidence, communities can use lake health score card, for which the link is provided in the lake heath index page.

Preserving ecosystem services

Access to clean lakes enhances mental well-being. Studies show that spending time in natural spaces reduces stress, boosts mood and fosters a sense of connection with nature. Restored lakes become community hubs for recreation, reflection and learning.

How does it work?

Step 1: Enter basic lake parameters

Begin by entering fundamental lake characteristics from your Detailed Project Report (DPR): • Lake surface area (m²) • Average depth (m) • Water quality parameters [Total Phosphorus(TP) levels] • Area available for implementing NbS

Step 2: Enter inflow information

Provide details about the water entering your lake: • Inflow rate (KLD or m³/day) • Inflow water quality (TP levels)

Step 3: Automated analysis

The tool then processes this information through specialised algorithms that • Calculates nutrient loading rates • Determine removal requirements to achieve target water quality • Assess the feasibility of different NbS based on the available space and lake morphology

Step 4: Solution recommendation

Based on the analysis, LakeRevive provides: • A clear recommendation for either CW or FI, or a combination of both • The required size and configuration of the recommended solution • Expected nutrient removal efficiency • Alternative approaches if standard NbS are insufficient

Step 5: Implementation guidance

The tool offers practical guidance for implementing the recommended solution: • Design parameters for CW or FI • Plant species recommendations • Maintenance requirements

© 2025

Designed and Developed by Sreekuttan V N