Gogabil Lake

Gogabil Lake is a natural oxbow lake and wetland located near Manihari in Katihar district, Bihar, close to the confluence of the Mahananda and Ganga rivers. Declared Bihar's first Community Reserve in 2019, it covers about 88 acres with an additional buffer area. Notable for its rich avian diversity, the lake hosts numerous resident and migratory bird species, making it an important birdwatching and eco-tourism site in eastern Bihar.

Visitors can expect a tranquil freshwater wetland surrounded by agricultural fields and marsh vegetation. The lake features open water, shallow marshes and watchtowers for bird observation. Visitors can see resident and migratory waterbirds, walk along earthen embankments, enjoy photography and nature observation, and take small boat rides where available. The setting is rural and natural with limited commercial development.

Gogabil Lake is a natural oxbow lake formed by the meandering and shifting courses of the Mahananda and Ganga rivers. Traditionally used by local communities for fishing and agriculture, it was declared Bihar's first Community Reserve in 2019 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to conserve its wetland ecosystem and avifauna through community participation.

The lake supports livelihoods of surrounding villages through fishing and sustains local wetland ecology. Its status as a Community Reserve highlights community-based conservation and growing eco-tourism awareness in the Manihari region of Katihar district.