This Publication is a conversion of a project report of 1997 into a book form. Therefore I had to elevate two of my then assistants as my co-authors due to their valuable contributions. In fact they are the actual workers – I am only a compiler of data and the writer. This has biographies of Six tanks from Tamilnadu and Pondicherry. Some of these are non-system type and all vary from each other in many characteristics. For each water body we collected data on water, soil, plants and animals, and peoples' perceptions. From these, inferences are drawn. Suggestions for management to restore and improve these ecosystems are made. This work is relevant to about 200, 000 similar waterbodies in the semi-arid regions of India spread in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamilnadu. CONTENTS Foreword ........................................................................................................... 9 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................ 11 Preface to the Current Edition ........................................................................ 13 Preface of the Project Report .......................................................................... 15 I. Introduction ......................................................................................... 19 II. Methodology ........................................................................................ 27 III. Water Bodies ........................................................................................ 33 1. Kaveripakkam ................................................................................ 34 2. Pillaipakkam .................................................................................. 58 3. Kaliveli .......................................................................................... 75 4. Ousteri .......................................................................................... 108 5. Mirattunilai .................................................................................. 130 6. Kambikudi.................................................................................... 151 IV. Discussion .......................................................................................... 169 V. Perspectives ....................................................................................... 197 VI. Summary ............................................................................................ 209 VII. References ......................................................................................... 215 VIII. Appendices ....................................................................................... 217 1. Questionnaire ............................................................................... 218 2. Biodiversity .................................................................................. 227 3. Bibliographies .............................................................................. 268 4. Document From PWD, T N ......................................................... 300 5. Three Publications ....................................................................... 353 6. Confessions .................................................................................. 372 Index .................................................................................................. 375