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Background
Jagdishpur wetlands area, comprising 225 ha, was
declared as a Ramsar Site in 2003 mainly on the basis of
migratory water birds and threatened mammals found in
the area. It is also one of the 27 Important Bird Areas
(IBAs) networks of Nepal. More than 100 bird species and
as many as 8 globally threatened and near-threatened
bird species have been recorded from Jagdishpur Lake
Area.
Jagdishpur is currently the largest man-made lake in the
country with a surface area if 157 ha and was
constructed for the purpose of irrigation. It was
created over location of Jakhira Lake and surrounding
agricultural land in the early 1980s. The water in the
lake is fed from the nearby Banganga River that has a
catchment area in the Churia Hills. Incoming suspended
silts and nutrients are deposited in the lake mouth. The
water depth at the deepest point varies from a maximum
of 7 meters to a minimum of 2 meters. The lake is
surrounded by cultivated land and there are two smaller
lakes known as Sagarhawa and Niglihawa situated within
3km distance that serve as a buffer habitat for bird
movement.
The Site and People
 The site is owned by the state. The surrounding areas
are privately owned. Current uses of the lake by the
local population include fishing, grazing, fuel wood and
fodder collection, domestic use (e.g. Laundry),
harvesting of wetland products, recreation (e.g. picnic,
bathing, boating) and supply of water for irrigation in
6,200 ha of surrounding cultivated land. The water body
has a great potential for commercial stock fish
production. Its surroundings are mainly used for
farming.
Flora
The
veetation is mainle in a submerged succession stage with
patches of floating species and reed swanp formations.
Marsh meadows and extensive mudflat fringed by marsh
lies in the northern part. The terrestrial vegetation is
dominated by sisoo Dalbergia sisoo and khair Acacia
catechu along the dyke. The wetland vegetation consists
of morning glory Ipomea carnea sps. and cattail Typha
angustifolia. The aquatic vegetation is represented by
extensive coverage of floating leaf species mainly lotus
Nelumbo nucifera followed by wild rice Hygrorhiza
aristata and pondweed Potamogeton nodosus. The free
floating species include water velvet Azolla imbricata
and duckweed Lemna sps. The abundant submerged species
include water numph Naja minor, hydrilla Hydrilla
verticillata and hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum. The
site provides shelter for an assemblage of some rare
conservation impotance species of plants, which include
threatened Serpentine Rauvolfia serpentine, pondweed
Potamogeton lucens and lotus Nelumbo nucifera.
Fauna
Fish
Our study has found out a total of 39 fish species from
the lake. This represents 14 families and 6 orders
including lowland Terai endemics e.g. Notopterus
notopterus, Oxygaster bacaila, threatned Puntius chola
and common species such as Dhawai, Piruwa, Tilwa,
Sidhari, Thothana, Kauwa, Chanari, Khesti. Bisides fish,
two species of freshwater prawn are also recorded.
Birds
 BirdLife International has identified Jagdishpur as an
Important Bird Area (IBA) because of its international
importance for threatened
species and their habitat conservation. The site
provides an important habitat for resident,
wintering and passage migrant, wetland and small
passerine birds. Noteworthy are the grebes, cormorants,
herons and egrets, storks, ducks and geese, terns and
gull, birds of prey, rails, coot and waterhens, jacanas
as well as cranes and kingfisher.
Eight globally threatened and near threatened bird
species have been recorded including White-rumped
Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Slender-billed Vulture
G.tenuirostris, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus,
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, Indian Spotted
Eagle A.hastata, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
and the tallest of all the flying birds, Sarus Crane
Grus antigone.
Location
Jagdishpur Lake can be accessed from Jitpur of the east
west highway and is only 15 km. Similarly, Tilaurakot
Palace (where Buddha lived for more than 20 years),
Niglihawa, birth place of Kanakmuni Buddha and Lambu
Sagar (where Shakyas were massacred) are 7,5 and 2 km
from the lake.
This project is sponsored by
DANONE-evian group.
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