Water is important for sustaining life, both biodiversity and human well-being. Less than 3% of the total water is represented by freshwater systems. This small fraction of
water supports various orders of animals, plants, fungi and algae, contributing to almost 10% of all the species described till date.

Freshwater ecosystems, along with the biodiversity it houses, provides a range of ecosystem services such as regulating biogeochemical cycles, food web, nutrient cycles, soil quality and flood flows, and are also important for sustaining human wellbeing. Freshwater provides livelihood options like commercial and subsistence fishing opportunities, reed and medicinal plant collection (e.g. watercress, water lily and coontail). The freshwater systems supply nutrients and carbon sources to sustain terrestrial and marine productivity as well. These systems also have aesthetic, cultural, spiritual and recreational values.