Fresh Water Lakes

Sindh is home to two of the largest freshwater lakes in Pakistan, Keenjhar and Haleji, which are also internationally recognized as important for a wide variety of breeding, staging, passage and wintering waterbirds. Some of the wintering birds that have been seen around these lakes include ducks and geese, shorebirds, flamingos, cormorants, herons and egrets, ibises, coots, gulls, terns etc.

Freshwater lakes are an important source for drinking water and fisheries It is estimated that Sindh freshwater lakes account for 65 percent of total freshwater fisheries in Pakistan and over 120 species of freshwater fish found are found in Sindh.

However, decrease inflow of water from River Indus is causing significant damage to these wetlands. With dropping water levels, inflow of industrial wastewater from the Kotri industrial area, and sewage and garbage from the communities in the vicinity many fish and vegetation species are dwindling in number and diversity in the Keenjhar lake is on the decline. Similarly, Haleji Lake is also in danger as it is faced with the problem of eutrophication. Although the lake is rich in nutrients and supports a dense plant population, animal life is threatened by a lack of oxygen .