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Location Nepal, Lumbini
Central coordinates 83o 5.00' East  27o 35.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4ii
Area 225 ha
Altitude 197 m
Year of IBA assessment 2005

Bird Conservation Nepal (Partner Designate)

Site description Jagdishpur is currently the largest reservoir in the country with a surface area of 157 ha and was constructed for the purpose of irrigation. It was created over the location of Jakhira Lake and surrounding agricultural land in the early 1970s. The construction of a rock-fill dyke took place in the early 1980s. The water in the reservoir 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 reservoir mouth. The water depth at the reservoir’s deepest point varies from a maximum of 5 - 7 metres to a minimum of 2 -3 metres. The reservoir is surrounded by cultivated land and there are two smaller lakes known as Sagarhawa and Niglihawa situated in the area that serve as a buffer habitat for bird movements. The reservoir bank is planted with Dalbergia sissoo and Acacia catechu. The aquatic vegetation is represented by extensive coverage of floating leaved species, mainly Nelumbo nucifera, followed by Hygrorhiza aristata and Potamogetan nodosus. The abundant submerged species include Naja minor, Ceratophyllum demersum and Hydrilla verticillata. Ipomea carnea ssp. fistulosa and Typha angustifolia grow around the reservoir margin. In general the vegetation is in a submerged succession stage, with patches of floating species and reed swamp formations. The dense aquatic macrophyte vegetation indicates an advancing eutrophic status and a high sedimentation rate. This could lead to a rapid succession towards a marsh meadow condition and a reduction in the life span of the reservoir in the absence of a desiltation tank (DNPWC and IUCN 2003).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca winter  2004  unknown  A1  Near Threatened 
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus unknown  2004  unknown  A1, A4i  Vulnerable 
Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster unknown  2004  unknown  A1  Near Threatened 
White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis unknown  2004  unknown  A1, A4ii  Critically Endangered 
Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris unknown  2004  unknown  A1, A4ii  Critically Endangered 
Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata unknown  2004  unknown  A1, A4ii  Vulnerable 
Sarus Crane Grus antigone unknown  2004  unknown  A1  Vulnerable 
Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda unknown  2004  unknown  A1  Endangered 

Protected areas

Jagadishpur Reservoir Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 225 is identical to site 225  


IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)   -
Artificial - terrestrial   -

Other biodiversity The wetland supports a small population of the globally threatened Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perpsicillata. A total of 25 species of fish was recorded during the July 1997 survey (DNPWC and IUCN 2003).

References Scott (1989), Bhandari (1998), Cox (2000), DNPWC and IUCN (2003).


Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2014) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Jagdishpur Reservoir. Downloaded from on 13/07/2014
