Delta of the Rhine (3254)
Austria, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Rheindelta
Central coordinates: Latitude: 47.4333, Longitude: 9.6667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 397 to 402
Area of KBA (km2): 36.30235
Protected area coverage (%): 57.45
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site encompasses the mouth of the Rhine as it flows into Lake Constance, together with an area of wet grassland, the Lauteracher Ried. Many parts of this grassland have been drained and are now intensively managed. There are some reedbeds (Phragmites) along the lakeside. Some intensively managed riverine forest remains. The largest part of the site consists of a large, shallow-water bay.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: An important site for species breeding in wet meadows, and passage and wintering waterbirds.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (35%) | fisheries/aquaculture (60%) | forestry (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 30 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 60 | |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Drainage schemes and subsequent agricultural intensification, as well as the high level of human disturbance, are the main threats to the IBA.