| Dhansiri | |
| Pushpin Map: | India Assam#India |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Mouth of Dhansiri river in Assam, India |
| Source1 Location: | Laisang Peak (Nagaland) |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Type2: | Location |
| Subdivision Name2: | Assam, Nagaland, North-east India |
| Length: | 352km (219miles) |
The Dhansiri is a river of Golaghat District of Assam and the Chümoukedima District and Dimapur District of Nagaland. It originates from Laisang peak of Nagaland. It flows through a distance of 352km (219miles) from south to north before joining the Brahmaputra on its south bank. Its total catchment area is 1220km2.[1]
While flowing as the boundary between Karbi Anglong and Nagaland, it flanks a large wilderness very rich in wildlife. On one side is the Dhansiri Reserved Forest and on the other Intanki National Park.[2]
It has several types of important wood bearing trees along its bank like Intanki Forest.[3] Dhansari river along with Kapili by headward erosion has completely isolated the Mikir hills from the Peninsular plateau. There are numerous perennially waterlogged swampy region locally known as bils associated with this river.
In Ahom Buranjis, it is mentioned as Khe-Nam-Ti-Ma which means A river coming from watery place. (Khe = A river, Nam = Water, Ti = Place, Ma = Coming)[4]
A fish survey conducted in 2011-12 found that the river showed the presence of 34 species of fishes belonging to five orders, thirteen families and 24 genera. Seventeen species of Cypriniformes were found, followed by eight species of Siluriformes.[5] The Dhansiri river in Dimapur has freshwater, semi torrent, hill stream and ornamental fish species.[6]