Dipor Bil

Dipor Bil or Deepor Beel
Dipor Bil or Deepor Beel
Location	Guwahati, Kamrup district, Assam
Coordinates	26°08′N 91°40′E / 26.13°N 91.66°E / 26.13; 91.66
Type	Fresh water
Basin countries	India
Surface area	4,014 ha (15.50 sq mi)
Average depth	1 m (3.3 ft)
Max. depth	4 m (13 ft)
Surface elevation	53 m (174 ft)
Settlements	Twelve villages on the periphery of the beel
Website	www.diporbil.org
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Deepor Beel
Designated	19 August 2002
Reference no.	1207[1]

Dipor Bil, also spelled Deepor Beel (Pron: dɪpɔ:(r) bɪl) (bil or beel means "lake" in the local Assamese language), is located to the south-west of Guwahati city, in Kamrup Metropolitan district^[2] of Assam, India.^[3] It is a permanent freshwater lake, in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River, to the south of the main river. In 1989, 4.1 km² of the area was declared a wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Assam. It is listed as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention which designated the lake as a Ramsar Site in November 2002 for undertaking conservation measures on the basis of its biological and environmental importance.^[3][4]

Considered one of the largest beels in the Brahmaputra valley of Lower Assam, it is categorised as representative of the wetland type under the Burma monsoon forest biogeographic region.^[5]

The Dipor Bil is reported to provide, directly or indirectly, its natural resources for the livelihood of fourteen indigenous villages (1,200 families) located in its precincts.^[6] Freshwater fish is a vital source of protein and income for these communities; the health of these people is stated to be directly dependent on the health of this wetland ecosystem. A member of Deepor Beel Fishermen's Cooperative Society has succinctly stated:^[6] "Our forefathers protected this wetland and we are committed to do the same as we depend on the wetland for our livelihood. We will protect this wetland at any cost and against any odds".