Gajedi (Danapur) Lake is situated at Gajedi VDC of Rupandehi District about 4.5 km south from the East-West Highway. It covers a net area of 9.5 hectares. Around 2 hectares of this Lake (northern part of the Lake) is covered by bushes due to soil settling. This Lake is now managed and protected by the Samayamai Community Forest User's Group with 312 households. Among them, 84 percent belong to Janajati especially Magar community, 5 percent Dalits and 11 percent others with rich in their cultural practices and values which is the unique feature of the community. Along with the lake the Forest Users Group is also managing 63.5 hectares forest area since1999. The Lake is a habitat for about 40 species of birds including indigenous to migratory. Birds including saras (crane), Hile Gidha, Garud, kingfisher, jal hans, different kinds of egrets are seen in the Lake. Few reptiles like tortoise, gohara (small crocodile), also reside here. It is the habitat of around 30 species of fish including indigenous and others.
At present, the lake is facing problem from siltation and encroachment. On the other hand, community members could not get any benefits from the lake. Thus the project aim to explore and manage wetland based income generation activities such as tourism, pisciculture and irrigation. Gajedi Lake has got greater potentials in implementing such a demonstration project to replicate the model in other wetlands of Nepal too.