Koshi Barrage
{{Short description|Barrage in Bhimnagar, Nepal}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|image = Koshi Barrage Original.jpg
|image_size=300px|caption = Koshi Barrage
|official_name = Koshi Barrage
|carries = Motor vehicles
pedestrians
bicycles
|crosses = Koshi River
|named_for=Koshi River|maint =
|maintained=India|design = Truss bridge
Aqueduct
|material=Concrete, steel|mainspan =
|length = {{convert|1150|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
|width = {{convert|10|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
|clearance =
|traffic =
|mapframe=yes|mapframe-point=on|mapframe-frame-width=280|mapframe-marker=bridge|mapframe-marker-color=|mapframe-zoom=11|mapframe-switcher=zoom|designer=Joseph and Company Limited, India|builder=Joseph and Company Limited, India|begin = 1958
|complete = 1962
|open = {{Start date and age|1962|df=yes}}
|life =
|closed =
|coordinates = {{coord|26.5263|86.9269|display=inline,title}}
}}
The Koshi Barrage is a sluice across the Koshi river in the Nepalese Mithila region that carries vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between Madhesh Province and Koshi Province of Nepal. It is near the International border with India. It was built between 1958 and 1962 and has 56 gates.{{Cite web |title=Koshi Barrack over the largest river of Nepal |url=http://bossnepal.com/koshi-barrack-largest-river-nepal/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529201659/http://bossnepal.com/koshi-barrack-largest-river-nepal/ |archive-date=2024-05-29 |access-date=2018-05-29 |website=Boss Nepal |language=en-US}} It was constructed after the Koshi Agreement was signed between the Government of Nepal and India on 25 April 1954.{{Cite web |url=http://egov.eletsonline.com/2008/10/the-sorrow-of-bihar/ |title=Sorrow of Bihar |website=egov.eletsonline.com |date=30 September 2008 |access-date=2018-05-29}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.indianembassy.org.np/water-resources/agreement_on_the_Kosi_project_bet_nepal_india_kathmandu_april25_1954.pdf |title=Koshi Agreement between India and Nepal |website=Indian Embassy, Nepal |language=en-US |access-date=2018-05-29 |archive-date=2 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902040356/https://www.indianembassy.org.np/water-resources/agreement_on_the_Kosi_project_bet_nepal_india_kathmandu_april25_1954.pdf |url-status=dead }} The barrage was designed and built by Joseph and Company Limited, India. The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is roughly 3–4 miles north of the barrage.
2008 flood
{{main|2008 Bihar flood}}
In August 2008, the eastern embankments of the Koshi Barrage collapsed, several miles north of the Nepal-India border. The resulting flood wiped out miles of fertile farmland in Nepal, covering it with a thick layer of river sand, and affected 53,800 Nepalese. It left 3 million people homeless in Bihar, India.Adhikary, Dhruba (5 September 2008). [https://web.archive.org/web/20081120150628/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JI05Df01.html "For Prachanda, a tale of two cities"], Asia Times. Retrieved on 29 September 2008.
2017 flood
{{Main|2017 Bihar flood}}
Every year several areas of Terai are affected due to the flood and blockage of this barrage. This affects mostly the Koshi region of Bihar (Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura and Purnia). The Kosi River is known as the "Sorrow of Bihar" as the annual floods affect about {{convert|21000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} of fertile agricultural lands thereby disturbing the rural economy. The Koshi has an average water flow (discharge) of {{convert|2166|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/sorrow-of-bihar-river-koshi-an-overview-40044.html |title='Sorrow of Bihar' River Kosi: An overview |date=2014-08-04 |language=en-US |access-date=2018-05-29}}
Tourism
{{main|Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve}}
File:Golden Hour on the Koshi - A Fisherman's Tale.jpg
This river is home to the Gangetic Dolphin and other different species of fresh water fish. Siberian birds can be seen there easily during the month of August–October.{{cite news |title=दुई दिने प्याकेजको तयारी |url=https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/02/837632 |access-date=8 March 2020 |agency=OK |publisher=onlinekhabar |date=18 February 2020}} People usually visit there to have the varieties of fish dishes in the nearby riverside restaurants and see the scenic view from the barrage.
Air transport
Rajbiraj Airport is the nearest airport roughly {{cvt|26|km}} away is located in district headquarter and nearest city Rajbiraj. Shree Airlines and Buddha Air operates daily flights between Rajbiraj and Kathmandu{{Cite web|url=https://www.aviationnepal.com/rajbiraj-airport-to-resume-its-flight-services-from-may-8-as-shree-airline-prepares-for-flight-operation/|title = Rajbiraj Airport to resume its flight services from May 8 as Shree Airline prepares for flight operation|date = 24 April 2019}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- balraj media. [http://koshi%20barrage%20:-%20कोशी%20पुल%20नहीं%20बचा%20पाया%20नेपालhttps://balrajmedia.com/koshi-barrage-%e0%a4%95%e0%a5%8b%e0%a4%b6%e0%a5%80-%e0%a4%aa%e0%a5%81%e0%a4%b2-%e0%a4%a8%e0%a4%b9%e0%a5%80%e0%a4%82-%e0%a4%ac%e0%a4%9a%e0%a4 koshi barrage :- कोशी पुल नहीं बचा पाया नेपाल]
- Sushil Koirala (21 August 2008). [http://www.kantipuronline.com/columns.php?&nid=157806 "What is Flooding the Koshi Barrage?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913211702/http://www.kantipuronline.com/columns.php?&nid=157806 |date=13 September 2008 }}, eKantipur.com.
- [http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/ON/article/viewFile/507/507 Diversity of Wetland Birds around the Koshi Barrage Area ] by D. T. Chhetry in Our Nature (2006)4:91-95
- {{cite book |author=Reed, David |author2=James McConnachie |title=The Rough Guide to Nepal |year=2002 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=1-85828-899-1 |pages=395}}
{{Kosi basin}}
{{Portal bar|Nepal|Geography|Water|Weather}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
Category:Dams completed in 1962