Lake Limboto is administratively located in five sub-districts in Gorontalo City and Gorontalo Regency. However, its existence is threatened by the continuous process of shrinkage and siltation due to sedimentation and eutrophication. Based on data from the Gorontalo District Fisheries Office in 2000, the area of Limboto in 1999 was around 3,000 hectares. However, in 2007 it was estimated that the area was only 2,537 hectares with a depth of only 2-4 meters.
In fact, the Limboto area has an important role including providing clean water, regulating hydrological functions, preventing natural disasters, as a source of freshwater fisheries, as a source of community income, controlling floods, as a means of research and education as well as a habitat for plants and animals.
Lake Limboto has a high biodiversity. There are at least nine types of plants inhabiting this lake, namely Common Water Hyacinth (Eicchornia crassipes), Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquaca), Morning Glory (Ipomoea crassicaulis), two types of grass (Panicum repens and Scirpus mucronatus), Water Lettuce (Pisa straotes), Hydrilla (Hydrilla vercillata), Lotus (Nelumbium sp.) and Water Velvet (Azolla pinata).
There are 17 species out of 12 families inhabiting the lake, consisting of nine native species and eight introduced species. Among the natives are the Spangled Gudgeon (Ophiocara porocephala/Ophiocara sp.), Bareye Goby (Glossogobius giuris) and a migration fish, eel (Anguilla sp).
Not only plants and fish, various types of raptors, water birds and migratory birds are also found in this lake. Limboto is one of the favorite stopover places for migratory birds in Sulawesi. As of October 2015, 37 species of migratory birds were observed in this lake, including the Oriental Pranticole (Glareola maldivarum), Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus Himantopus) and Common Redshank (Tringa totanus). Burung Indonesia and Gorontalo bird watchers even encountered 10 Pintail Snipe (Gallinago stenura) in this area in late September 2015.
Pintail Snipe is a water bird belonging to the Scolopacidae family. It breeds in Southeast Asia, Siberia, which migrates to Indonesia and the Philippines in winter. This bird is common in Java, Bali, Sumatra, West Kalimantan and the Kelabit highlands in Sarawak. This bird is not common in other parts of Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.
The various functions and benefits of Limboto, including its role as a habitat for various types of biodiversity, has proved how important this lake ecosystem is. Therefore, it is important for the community and local and central governments to pay serious attention to the synergistic and sustainable management of the Limboto Lake area. Thus, the sustainability and economic improvement of the community around Lake Limboto is reserved. (Fajar Kaprawi)