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Laguna de Fuente de Piedra

Images: CMA de la Junta de Andalucía

The Laguna de Fuente de Piedra is the second largest inland lagoon (+1300ha) in Spain (after Gallocanta) and the largest lake in Andalucia. It also has some of the greatest concentrations of greater flamingo in Europe, with almost 20,000 nesting in 1998, and an immense concentration of 50,000 adults and chicks in 2000. Like many other of Spain's inland lagoons, the lake is fed by a number of small streams and is endorheic (no outlet). This means much of it evaporates in the summer, although in some years water is pumped in for the birds. The remains of old saltworks can be seen in the form of linear islands on which thousands of flamingos nest. Best visited March to May.

The reserve is a Ramsar site (see below) and a ZEPA. Fuente de Piedra (Fountain of Stone) takes its name from a nearby fountain from which people used to take its waters in order to eliminate gallstones and kidney stones.

Where is stay in the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra

Information from Ramsar Directory of Wetlands of International Importance

Importance: The Laguna de Fuente de Piedra is of special importance because of its nesting colony of greater flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber (12,000 pairs in 1988). Laguna de Fuente de Piedra is one of the most important breeding sites for this species in the Mediterranean region (second only to the Camargue, France, Ramsar Site7FR001). Other nesting birds include the rare gull Larus genei and Gelochelidon nilotica , while Anser anser , Tadorna tadorna and Netta rufina are amongst the wintering species. The fields surrounding the lagoon support nesting Circus pygargus (at least 20 pairs) and Burhinus oedicnemus , as well as up to 250 wintering Grus grus .

Wetland Types: The site consists of a large shallow, seasonally variable, saline lagoon (the largest lagoon in Andalucía), and the surrounding marshlands.

Biological/Ecological notes: The edges of the lagoon and the island ridges are covered by halophytic vegetation (e.g. Arthrocnemum sp., Suaeda sp., Salicornia sp. and Frankenietea sp.). The emergent aquatic vegetation is dominated by Phragmites australis and Arundo donax . The affluent rivers support beds of Juncus subulatus , Scirpus maritimus and Ranunculus muricatus .

Hydrological/Physical notes: The lagoon is 6.5 km long and 2.5 km wide. It is situated at the centre of a basin that has no drainage to the outside. The wetland is fed by five small rivers, by rainfall and by highly mineralised groundwater. It contains many narrow, emergent ridges, most of them artificial. There are three small hills on different sides of the site. The wetland is surrounded by an old canal dug to protect the adjacent agricultural lands from flooding.


 

 

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