Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake (Pong Dam)

Location

It is made of Beas River. In 1960, a dam was built on the Beas river and this dam resulted in a huge Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake (once known as Pong Lake). This huge mass of water varies from 180 sq. km. to 400 sq. km. In 1983, the Sagar was declared a wildlife sanctuary and over 220 species of birds belonging to 54 families have been sighted over the waters and the fringing mud-banks - these include black-headed gulls, plovers, terns, ducks, water-fowl and egrets. The land portion of the sanctuary has barking deer, sambar, wild boars, nilgai, leopards and claw-less otters. 27 species and sub-species of fish belonging to six families have been recorded in the Sagar's waters.

Maharana Pratap Sagar Dam, known in the past as Pong dam reservoir and located at a height of 450 meter, is a milestone of Kangra district. This superb dam is named in honor of the great warrior, Maharana Pratap. Its reservoir having an area of nearly 45,000 hectares is a man-made wetland built over the Beas.

This is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers. Tourists from many countries visit here for exciting bird watching. The Sagar, declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1983, houses lots of variety of migratory birds of over 220 species from Siberia and Central Asia. Most popular of them are black buck, surkhab, cranes and pintails.

The lake is also a perfect base for fishing. Other significant residents here are barking deer, sambhar, wild boars and leopards. Maharana Pratap Sagar is home to a variety of activities including swimming, surfing, rowing and sailing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ptwo/2991531012/