Vadodara: Ajwa Sarowar whose official name is Sir Sayajirao Reservoir is in its 132nd year. However, owing to its proximity to Ajwa village, the reservoir is referred to as Ajwa lake in folklore. In the past, it was the only source of drinking water for the whole of Vadodara city.

The reservoir was constructed by Jagannath Sadashiv Seth on a 14 square kilometre plot for the erstwhile princely state of Baroda in 1891. The embankment of the reservoir made from clay is 4.5 kilometres long, the maximum depth of the lake is 17 metres and the width is 4.87 metres. This lake can hold 2240 million cubic feet of water up to the level of 214 feet.

The rivers of the catchment area of Ajwa reservoir, namely, Surya, Vagholi, Omkar and Gojari, help to fill it up with rainwater. The gates of the reservoir were designed by an engineer, M Vishveshvaraiya. These gates are used to discharge surplus water from the reservoir into Surya and Vishwamitri rivers. This gate of the reservoir plays an important role in preventing floods. Known as west wier in engineering terms, it is popularly called as the lakes 62 gates to the ordinary citizens.

The 62 gates are never opened. When the water level crosses a certain height, it overflows over the gates. According to government rules, water can be collected up to 211 feet height in the lake till August 15. After that, as per yardsticks, the gates can be raised to allow water level to rise to a maximum of 214 feet. Apart from the Ajwa lake, Sayajirao had also arranged for constructing a dam near Jojva to prevent rainwater from flowing into the sea of Orsang and also constructed Vadhwana lake at Dabhoi and arranged to fill it up with water, almost a century back. Today, besides encouraging paddy farming, the lake has become a haven for domestic as well as migratory birds. DeshGujarat

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