Introduction to Nandur Madhameshwar Bird Sanctuary

Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary is named after village Nandur located in the area and name Madhmeshwar is after the God Shiva, a temple around 250 years old construction that located in a downstream rocky area of the reservoir. It is also a pilgrimage center for Mahanubhav Pantha worshipers.

Due to drought and famine situation in the period of British Indian Governance, the British had built a stone pickup wear in the year 1907-1913 on the confluence of two rivers the main river Godavari and its tributary Kadva. Later on, in the year 1950, it had been rejuvenated and reconstructed as Nandur Madhmeshwar Project. There are two lateral gates to control water level and outlet canals as left and right canals for irrigation to agriculture. 

In 1986 it has been declared a bird sanctuary by Government of Maharashtra State Department of Forest and Wildlife. The sanctuary has three parts or components the reservoir and its backwater area, downstream rocky area around Madhmeshwar temple and a patch of 14 ha. thick forest in downstream region to right outlet canal. The entire area under the sanctuary is 19.6 Km2. 

Similarly, the area of the sanctuary also gets mixed with agricultural crop fields. Since the construction of gates to control water level for this project river Godavari remained a source of water and suspended silt and organic matter drifted through flood from upstream catchment area and finally get deposited into the reservoir. 

Hence due to long tern deposition of silt and organic matter various kinds of microhabitats are developed that includes wetlands, marshy area, swamps, islets, small bogs. In the backwater area between two rivers, there is moderate forest that also an important microhabitat as a part of this sanctuary. On the right flank of river Godavari especially a large wetland of around 1000 ha. is developed where the maximum population, diversity, and activities of the bird species can be observed.

In upstream part of this project through River Godavari the excess water released from Gangapur and Darna reservoirs hence the water level in Nandur Madhmeshwar project is maintained. There are reports on presence of 24 species of fishes, some molluscs, prawns and crabs in the reservoir, which is main food for the birds. Similarly several visiting

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