Jagdishpur Reservoir

Jagdishpur Reservoir

A group of sarus cranes (Grus antigone) at Jagdishpur Reservoir
Location Jahadi, Kapilvastu District, Nepal
Coordinates 27°35′00″N 83°05′00″E / 27.58333°N 83.08333°E / 27.58333; 83.08333Coordinates: 27°35′00″N 83°05′00″E / 27.58333°N 83.08333°E / 27.58333; 83.08333
Lake type Reservoir
Primary inflows Banganga River
River sources Banganga River
Primary outflows Banganga River
Catchment area Sivalik Hills
Basin countries Nepal
Managing agency Department of Irrigation and District Forest Office
Designation Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance
Max. length 1.6 km (1 mi)
Max. width 1.4 km (1 mi)
Surface area 225 ha (556 acres)
Surface elevation 197 m (646 ft)
Settlements Dhankauli, Hathausa, Jahadi, Jayanagar, Kapilvastu, Kopawa, Nigalihawa

The Jagdishpur Reservoir is a reservoir in Jahadi Village Development Committee, Kapilvastu District, Nepal. With a surface area of 225 ha (556 acres), it is the largest reservoir in the country and an important wetland site.[1] It is situated at an altitude of 197 m (646 ft).[2] The maximum water depth varies between 2 m (6.6 ft) in the dry season and 7 m (23 ft) in the monsoon season.[3]

The Jagdishpur Reservoir is listed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention.[4]

History

The Jagdishpur Reservoir was constructed in the early 1970s for irrigation purposes. It is fed by a canal from the nearby Banganga River, which drains the Chure Hills. The reservoir is surrounded by cultivated land and a few smaller lakes which serve as a buffer zone for bird movement.[2] In 2003, the reservoir was declared a Ramsar site.[4] Despite this, its birds and other fauna have not yet been studied in great detail.[3]

Fauna

The silt and nutrients deposited in the reservoir favour the growth of reed beds, which provide shelter for several endangered species. The habitat of the reservoir and its surroundings is important for resident, wintering and migrating wetland birds, comprising 45 different bird species.[2] Five of these are globally threatened species.[5] The surrounding cultivated land also provides habitat for a large numbers of birds. Some of the notable species documented in the area include:[3]

Also 18 species of fish, nine of herpetofauna and six mammalian species have been documented in and around the reservoir.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Bhandari, B. (1996). An inventory of Nepal’s Terai wetlands. IUCN Nepal, Kathmandu.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bhuju, U. R., Shakya, P. R., Basnet, T. B., Shrestha, S. (2007). Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Kathmandu, ISBN 978-92-9115-033-5
  3. 1 2 3 Baral, H. S. (2008). "Birds of Jagdishpur Reservoir, Nepal" (PDF). Forktail. 24: 115–119. ISSN 0950-1746.
  4. 1 2 Bhandari, B. B. (2009). Wise use of Wetlands in Nepal. Banko Janakari 19 (3): 10–17.
  5. ↑ Baral, H. S.; Inskipp, C. (2005). Important Bird Areas in Nepal: key sites for conservation (1st ed.). Kathmandu, Nepal and Cambridge, UK: Bird Conservation Nepal and BirdLife International. ISBN 978-9993379225.

Further reading

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