Bengaluru's Lakes: Lost Water Network

Bengaluru's historical landscape was defined by hundreds of lakes and tanks forming an intricate water system, essential for sustaining groundwater long before its rise as a tech hub. Around 500 years ago, approximately 80 water bodies were established near the settlement that would become Bengaluru.

The city's plateau geography facilitated this network, with lakes positioned along natural drainage routes. This allowed water to flow between bodies and replenish groundwater, serving as critical infrastructure for centuries.

However, rapid urban growth, particularly in the 20th century, pressured this system. Bengaluru's population surged, and its built-up area expanded dramatically, leading to the fragmentation of the interconnected lakes and natural drainage channels.

As development replaced open land with buildings and infrastructure, the city's reliance shifted from its local water bodies to distant water supply schemes like the Cauvery water supply project. This marked a significant transition from a decentralized, lake-based system to dependence on transported water.

By the 21st century, Bengaluru had transformed into a dense metropolis. The story of its 560 lakes illustrates this evolution, highlighting how urban expansion altered the relationship with water and created new challenges for a city once designed to manage its resources intrinsically.