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Wetlands in Sareswar Beel, Sareswar Beel in Assam, Sareswar Beel, Sareswar Beel Assam |
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SARESWAR BEEL Assam
Location: Approximately in Dhubri division, about 35 km NNE of Dhubri, Assam
Area: 1700 ha
Altitude: 55 m
Biogeographical province: 4.9.4
Wetland type: 14
Description of site: A shallow, freshwater lake with abundant aquatic vegetation on the floodplain to the north of the Brahmaputra river in lower Assam. The western edge of the wetland borders on the Rupshi and Bamunijoia Reserved Forests. The southern, eastern, and western margins are cultivated, with small villages scattered amongst the rice fields. At maximum flooding, the beel is about four metres deep; during the dry winter season, the depth falls to about one metre, and the exposed shoreline is converted into rice paddies. As much as 75% of the beel remains open water, despite the presence’of Eichhornia
Climatic conditions: Humid, tropical monsoon climate typical of lower Assam
Principal vegetation: The principal aquatic plants are Eichhornia crassipes, Vallisneria spiralis, Hydrilla verticillata, Monochoria hastata, Traps bispinosa, Sagittaria sagittifolia, and Pistia stratiotes. Forestry plantations to the west include species of Shores, Ficus, Tectona, Albizzia, and Lagestroemia
Land tenure: The lake is state-owned and under the control of the Fishery Development Corporation, a semi-government body. The Reserve Forests to the west are also state-owned; other adjacent areas are privately owned
Conservation measures taken: None
Conservation measures proposed: It has been proposed that the Rupshi Reserved Forest be extended to incorporate Sareswar Bheel, and that the lake be declared a bird sanctuary. The control of Eichhornia crassipes has been strongly recommended
Land use: Fishing, gathering of edible plants and fodder for domestic livestock, and cultivation of rice during the dry season. The lake is famous for its large fish. Forestry and agriculture in surrounding areas
Disturbances and threats: The fishery is being over-exploited largely because there are no restrictions on mesh size, and this is causing a decrease in fish populations. Cultivation of the lake margins during the dry season destroys large areas of aquatic vegetation, and there is some poaching of waterfowl
Economic and social values: The beel supports an important fishery and produces fish of an unsually large 120size
Fauna: The rich fish fauna includes Labeo rohita, L. ceatatus, L. gonius, Notopterus chitala, Channa striatus, C. punctatus, Anabas testudineus, Mystus vitatus, M. seenghala, Heteropneustes fossilis, Clarius batrachus, Ompok bimaculatus, Wallago attu, and Puntius puntius. The lake supports a great diversity of resident and migratory waterfowl, and is particularly important in winter. Both the lesser adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) and greater adjutant (L. dubius) are regular in the winter months. A waterfowl census in January 1987 recorded 36 species of waterfowl including:
270 Phalacrocorax niger 100 Ardeola grayii
12 Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 13 Leptoptilos dubius
7 L. javanicus 530 Dendrocygna javanica
17 D. bicolor 5 Gallicrex cinerea 30 Porphyrio porphyrio
and small numbers of eight other species of ducks
Location: Approximately in Dhubri division, about 35 km NNE of Dhubri, Assam
Area: 1700 ha
Altitude: 55 m
Biogeographical province: 4.9.4
Wetland type: 14
Description of site: A shallow, freshwater lake with abundant aquatic vegetation on the floodplain to the north of the Brahmaputra river in lower Assam. The western edge of the wetland borders on the Rupshi and Bamunijoia Reserved Forests. The southern, eastern, and western margins are cultivated, with small villages scattered amongst the rice fields. At maximum flooding, the beel is about four metres deep; during the dry winter season, the depth falls to about one metre, and the exposed shoreline is converted into rice paddies. As much as 75% of the beel remains open water, despite the presence’of Eichhornia
Climatic conditions: Humid, tropical monsoon climate typical of lower Assam
Principal vegetation: The principal aquatic plants are Eichhornia crassipes, Vallisneria spiralis, Hydrilla verticillata, Monochoria hastata, Traps bispinosa, Sagittaria sagittifolia, and Pistia stratiotes. Forestry plantations to the west include species of Shores, Ficus, Tectona, Albizzia, and Lagestroemia
Land tenure: The lake is state-owned and under the control of the Fishery Development Corporation, a semi-government body. The Reserve Forests to the west are also state-owned; other adjacent areas are privately owned
Conservation measures taken: None
Conservation measures proposed: It has been proposed that the Rupshi Reserved Forest be extended to incorporate Sareswar Bheel, and that the lake be declared a bird sanctuary. The control of Eichhornia crassipes has been strongly recommended
Land use: Fishing, gathering of edible plants and fodder for domestic livestock, and cultivation of rice during the dry season. The lake is famous for its large fish. Forestry and agriculture in surrounding areas
Disturbances and threats: The fishery is being over-exploited largely because there are no restrictions on mesh size, and this is causing a decrease in fish populations. Cultivation of the lake margins during the dry season destroys large areas of aquatic vegetation, and there is some poaching of waterfowl
Economic and social values: The beel supports an important fishery and produces fish of an unsually large 120size
Fauna: The rich fish fauna includes Labeo rohita, L. ceatatus, L. gonius, Notopterus chitala, Channa striatus, C. punctatus, Anabas testudineus, Mystus vitatus, M. seenghala, Heteropneustes fossilis, Clarius batrachus, Ompok bimaculatus, Wallago attu, and Puntius puntius. The lake supports a great diversity of resident and migratory waterfowl, and is particularly important in winter. Both the lesser adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) and greater adjutant (L. dubius) are regular in the winter months. A waterfowl census in January 1987 recorded 36 species of waterfowl including:
270 Phalacrocorax niger 100 Ardeola grayii
12 Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 13 Leptoptilos dubius
7 L. javanicus 530 Dendrocygna javanica
17 D. bicolor 5 Gallicrex cinerea 30 Porphyrio porphyrio
and small numbers of eight other species of ducks
For Wetlands in Sareswar Beel
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