Umiam Water Sports Complex

Umiam Water Sports Complex is a recreation and boating facility on the shores of Umiam Lake, also known as Barapani Lake, about 15 km from Shillong in Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya. The lake is a large artificial reservoir formed by damming the Umiam River. Managed by Meghalaya Tourism, the complex is notable for offering organized water sports, boating and lakeside leisure with scenic views of surrounding pine-covered hills.

Visitors can expect a lakeside complex on the banks of the expansive Umiam reservoir surrounded by forested hills. The site includes a jetty, boathouse, ticket counter and open viewing areas overlooking the water. Activities are centered on boating and water sports on the calm lake waters. Visitors can take pedal boats, row boats, cruise boats and speed boats, and view the lake and dam area. The setting is open and scenic, suitable for sightseeing, photography and short leisure stays.

Umiam Lake was created in the early 1960s by damming the Umiam River as part of the Umiam Hydroelectric Project. The dam was constructed to generate hydroelectric power and the resulting reservoir became one of the largest artificial lakes in Meghalaya. The Water Sports Complex was later developed by Meghalaya Tourism to promote tourism and water-based recreation on the lake.