Universitas Islam Sultan Agung (UNISSULA) develops and supports an ongoing aquatic stewardship programme to maintain the quality and sustainability of aquatic ecosystems associated with the university.

A central component of this programme is the UNISSULA campus lake, which is maintained on a regular six-month cycle. The programme combines routine physical maintenance, water-quality monitoring, pollution prevention, and institutional environmental practices designed to protect the physical, chemical, and biological condition of the aquatic environment.

Through this continuing programme, UNISSULA encourages responsible management of campus water resources and promotes good aquatic stewardship as part of regular university environmental management.

Ongoing Maintenance of the UNISSULA Campus Lake

UNISSULA conducts routine maintenance of the campus lake every six months.

The regular maintenance schedule demonstrates that aquatic ecosystem management is not conducted only as a one-time environmental activity. Instead, the university maintains an ongoing programme for the care of the lake and its surrounding environment.

Routine maintenance supports the continued ecological and environmental function of the campus water body by helping to maintain appropriate physical conditions and preventing deterioration of the aquatic environment.

The six-month maintenance cycle also provides an opportunity to identify changes in the lake condition and determine whether additional maintenance or environmental management measures are necessary.

Water Quality Monitoring

Aquatic stewardship at the campus lake is supported by direct water-quality monitoring.

UNISSULA uses digital multi-parameter water-quality equipment to observe several physicochemical characteristics of the lake water, including:

• pH;
• temperature;
• electrical conductivity;
• salinity; and
• related dissolved-solids and water-condition indicators.

Monitoring provides measurable information that can be used to observe changes in water conditions over time.

Documented measurements include a pH reading of approximately 6.27 and temperature measurements, while the digital monitoring interface also provides information on conductivity, salt concentration, and related parameters.

These measurements support more informed management of the campus aquatic environment.

Combining Monitoring and Maintenance

The campus aquatic stewardship programme integrates environmental monitoring with routine maintenance.

The approach can be described as:

Monitor water conditions → Observe environmental change → Conduct routine maintenance → Prevent pollution → Maintain the aquatic environment

This combination is important because aquatic stewardship requires both observation and practical management.

Monitoring helps identify changes, while routine maintenance helps maintain the environmental condition of the water body and its surrounding area.

Institutional Plan for Aquatic Ecosystem Protection

The ongoing programme is supported by UNISSULA’s institutional plan for minimising physical, chemical, and biological alterations to aquatic ecosystems.

Circular Letter No. 9015/J/SA/IX/2025 establishes measures to protect aquatic ecosystems associated with university activities.

For physical conditions, university units are required to minimise changes in water flow, sedimentation, erosion, and disturbance to water channels, rivers, ponds, coastal areas, and related habitats.

For chemical conditions, activities must prevent changes in water quality through responsible management of wastewater, chemicals, hazardous waste, and other pollution sources.

For biological conditions, university activities are expected to protect habitats, vegetation, biodiversity, and aquatic organisms.

These institutional measures provide a framework for the ongoing stewardship of the campus lake.

Pollution Prevention as Part of Aquatic Stewardship

Good aquatic stewardship also requires preventing pollutants from entering aquatic environments.

UNISSULA’s institutional pollution-prevention policy requires university units to prevent the direct disposal of waste, plastics, chemicals, hazardous waste, and wastewater into water channels, rivers, coastal areas, or environments that could pollute aquatic ecosystems.

The policy also extends responsibility to service providers, vendors, and third parties supporting university activities.

These measures complement routine lake maintenance by reducing environmental pressure from land-based activities.

Plastic Waste Reduction

UNISSULA also supports aquatic stewardship by reducing potential sources of plastic pollution.

The university requires its units to reduce plastic use, particularly single-use plastics, across academic activities, administration, meetings, seminars, student activities, and university services.

Reusable alternatives such as refillable bottles, reusable food and drink containers, reusable bags, and non-plastic packaging are encouraged.

Reducing plastic at source helps lower the risk of waste reaching drains, water channels, and aquatic environments.

Institutional Support for Aquatic Stewardship

UNISSULA supports the programme through several practical mechanisms.

The university provides a recurring maintenance schedule for the campus lake, water-quality monitoring equipment, institutional environmental policies, pollution-prevention requirements, and operational support for maintaining the aquatic environment.

This institutional support encourages responsible environmental practices by university units and helps maintain aquatic stewardship as a continuing campus activity.

The recurring six-month maintenance cycle is particularly important because it demonstrates continuity rather than occasional environmental action.

Stewardship of a Local Aquatic Ecosystem

The UNISSULA campus lake is directly associated with the university and therefore represents an important local aquatic ecosystem for environmental management.

Its stewardship provides an opportunity to integrate:

Maintenance + Monitoring + Pollution Prevention + Environmental Responsibility

within the university’s own physical environment.

The lake also provides a practical setting for increasing awareness among students, staff, and university units about the importance of maintaining water quality and protecting aquatic environments.

Evidence of Implementation

1. UNISSULA conducts routine maintenance of the campus lake every six months, demonstrating an ongoing aquatic stewardship programme rather than a one-time activity.
2. The university conducts direct water-quality monitoring of the campus lake using digital multi-parameter monitoring equipment.
3. Monitoring includes pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, salinity, and related water-quality indicators, providing measurable information on aquatic environmental conditions.
4. Photographic documentation records the campus lake, the water-quality monitoring equipment, and the digital monitoring interface used in the programme.
5. UNISSULA maintains an institutional plan to minimise physical alterations to aquatic ecosystems, including impacts associated with water flow, sedimentation, erosion, and habitat disturbance.
6. The institutional plan addresses chemical alterations through management of wastewater, chemicals, hazardous waste, and other pollution sources.
7. The plan also protects biological conditions, including habitat, vegetation, biodiversity, and aquatic organisms.
8. UNISSULA prohibits direct disposal of pollutants into aquatic environments, supporting continued protection of the campus water environment.
9. Plastic-reduction measures further support aquatic stewardship by reducing potential land-based sources of water pollution.