Wildlife - Tour in Asan Barrage Bird Sanctuary

Location :40 kms west of Dehradun, in the west of Dehradun valley on Dehradun-Paonta Road. Also known as Dhalipur Lake.

Access : The peripheral road has become a preferred route from Himachal, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

Birding Season : Arrival & Departure October November,December March-end Or Early April, Sometimes April- end.

Climate : The reservoir has a typical North Indian monsoon climate, with distinct summer and winter months.

Temperature (deg C) : Summer max. 38, min. 14; Winter max. 21, min. 2; Average Rainfall 250 cm; South West monsoon during June to September.

Introduction : The Asan Barrage Bird Sanctuary was created in the year 1967,as a result of the construction of Asan barrage at the confluence of the river Yamuna & Asan through Dhalipur power house. The Asan Barrage, popularly known as Dhalipur lake,is famous for bird watching. The barrage is 287.5 m long, the river bed being 389.4 m above sea level.

Wildlife Species : At the Asan Barrage Bird Sanctuary a total number of 53 species of water birds visit the Asan reservoir, of which 19 are winter migrants from Eurasia. During winter months 90% of the waterbird population comprises of 11 migratory species, namely Brahminy Duck, Pintail, Red Crested Pochard, Shoveller, Tufted Duck , Mallard, Coot, Wigeon, Common Teal, Common Pochard and Gadwall. The Asan reservoir exists throughout the year and is fed from the river Asan and the discharge channel of Yamuna through Dhalipur powerhouse. Although the water level is controlled, it often goes down, and swampy islands in the middle become visible, attracting a variety of marsh-loving birds like Egrets, Herons and Lapwings etc.

Vegetation : The aquatic vegetation of the reservoir consists of Eichhornia crassips, Potamogeton pectinatus, Typha elephantina, and Ceratophyllum demersum. The surrounding bushes include Xanthium strumarium, Eclipta prostrata, Ipomoea sp., Mimosa pudica, Achyranthus aspera, Polygonum glabrum, P. lanigerum, Aeschynomene sp., Ageratum conyzoides, phyllanthus sp., Monochoria hastata, Mosla dianthera, and Lantana camara. On the southern side, agricultural fields surround the barrage. Further south there is mixed forest in Siwaliks comprising principally Shorea robusta, Anogeissus Latifolia, Lannea coromandelica, Dalbergia sissoo, and Bombax ceiba.