Tauns Barrage Cive 33
Tauns Barrage Cive 33
Tauns Barrage Cive 33
Location:
30º 42’ N, 70º 50’ E; 20 km northwest of Kot Adu, Muzaffargarh District, Punjab Province.
Altitude: 139 m.
Description of site:
A large water storage reservoir behind a barrage on the Indus River near the town of Taunsa,
constructed for irrigation purposes. Five embankments project out into the reservoir and retain
shallow lagoons as the water level in the main river channel falls. Land exposed at low water
levels is leased to local farmers for cultivation. The depth of water in the main channel varies
from 5.0 - 11.5 m. The Ph value is 6.5 - 7.0.
Climatic conditions:
Dry subtropical climate with an annual rainfall of 200-450mm, and a relative humidity ranging
from 25 - 85%. The average minimum temperature in January is 4.5º - 5.5º c, and the
average maximum in June is 42º - 45º c.
Principal vegetation:
The aquatic vegetation in the seepage lagoons includes Carex fedia, Hydrilla verticillata,
Nelumbium speciosum, Nymphaea loctus, Phragmites karka, Potamogeton crispus, P.
pectinatus, Ranunculus aquatilis, Saccharum spontaneum, Typha angustata, Vallisneria
spiralis and Zannichellia palustris. Much of the land adjacent to the reservoir is under
cultivation, mainly for cotton, sugar cane, wheat and fodder crops. Riverine forest along the
Indus is dominated by Dalbergia sissoo and Populus euphratica in association with Tamarix
dioica. other natural vegetation includes Acacia nilotica, Prosopis cineraria, Pisum arvense,
Salsola barysoma, Cynodon dactylon, Eleusine compressa and Panicum antidotale.
Land tenure:
The reservoir is state owned (Government of the Punjab), and controlled by the Irrigation
Department; adjacent areas are privately owned.
Fauna:
A very important wintering area for waterfowl, notably anatidae, a breeding area for several
species, notably Dendrocygna javanica, and a staging area for certain cranes (Grus grus and
Anthropides virgo) and shorebirds. Taunsa Barrage is the most important wintering area for
the Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus in Pakistan; up to 430 were recorded in the early
1970’s, but numbers have shown a serious decline in recent years. Dendrocygna javanica is
a common breeding summer visitor; 325 were counted in August 1995. The rare marbled teal
Marmaronetta angustirostris is a regular passage migrant and winter visitor in small numbers;
the highest count in recent years has been 30 in September 1985. Over 24,000 waterfowl
were present in mid-January 1987, including:
620 Phalacrocorax niger, 79 Anser indicus, 2780 Anas penelope, 770 A. strepera, 4,880 A.
crecca, 270 A. platyrhynchos, 1,660 A. acuta, 390 A. clypeata, 4,690 Aythya ferina, 53
Anthropoides virgo, 150 Porphyrio porphyrio and 7,510 Fulica atra, along with smaller
numbers of Tachybaptus ruficollis, Tadorna tadorna, Marmaronetta angustirostris (5), Netta
rufina (31), Aythya fuligula, Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Himantopus himantopus and
Numenius arquata.
Other waterfowl which have been recorded at the barrage include up to 180 Phalacrocorax
fuscicollis, up to 770 herons and egrets of eight species and 210 Platalea leucorodia, 600
Tadorna ferruginea, 60 Recurvirostra avosetta, 110 Limosa limosa, 430 Tringa erythropus,
680 Calidris minuta and large numbers of gulls and terns, mainly Larus ridibundus, Sterna
aurantia and S. melanogaster. Less common visitors include Anhinga melanogaster,
Anastomus oscitans, Ciconia ciconia, C. nigra, Pseudibis papillosa, Phoenicopterus ruber,
Nettapus coromandelianus, Aythya nyroca, Rostratula benghalensis, Glareola lactea and
Vanellus leucurus.
The Indus Dolphin Platanista minor and Smooth-coated Otter Lutra perspicillata are present
in the river in small numbers, and the Hog Deer Axis porcinus still occurs in the area, although
it has been heavily persecuted. Other mammals include Canis aureus, Felis chaus, Sus
scrofa cristatus and Lepus nigricollis.
The endangered Gharial Gavialis gangeticus has been reported at the barrage (two adults in
about 1980).
Fish species known to occur in the river and lagoons include Ambassis nama, A. ranga,
Bagerius bagarius, Barilius vagra, Catla catla, Channa marulius, C. punctatus, Cirrhinus
mrigala, C. reba, Eutropiichthys vaccha, Heteropneustes fossilis, Labeo calbasu, L.
microphthalmus, L. rohita, Mastacembelus armatus, M. pancalus, Mystus aor, M. seenghala,
Nandus, Notopterus chitale, N. notopterus, Puntius sophore, P. ticto, Tita rita and Wallago
attu. Other aquatic fauna includes Hirudinaria sp., Rana tigrina, Kachuga smithi, Hardella
thurgi, Geoclemys hamiltonii, Trionyx gangeticus, Lissemys punctata and natrix piscator.
2b. Of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of a region because of
the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna.
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