Barrage Mohamed V (6488)
Morocco, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2016

National site name: Barrage Mohamed V

Central coordinates: Latitude: 34.6202, Longitude: -2.9444

Elevation (m): 195 to 385

Area of KBA (km²): 102.54899

Protected area coverage (%): 46.74

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The site is a reservoir created in 1967 by the completion of the Mohamed V dam on the Oued Moulouya in the north-east of the country. Up to 60 m deep, the reservoir is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in Morocco. The site boundaries include the lake and the surrounding hills, which rise to 385 m above sea-level from a water-level at 195 m. Average annual precipitation is 400 mm. The terrestrial vegetation includes steppes of Artemisia inculta and wooded stands of Tamarix, Salix and Eucalyptus.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Mediterranean Hotspot (2017). Taxonomy, nomenclature and global threat category follow the 2016 IUCN Red List.

Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. The reservoir is often host to nearly 100 Marmaronetta angustirostris and the species appears to both breed and overwinter. Another waterfowl species, Tadorna ferruginea, also breeds (197 adults and young seen on 21 July 1996). A total of almost 50 species are known to breed, many of them waterfowl, 40 overwinter and around 20 have been recorded on passage, including Falco naumanni and Aythya nyroca. Up to 438 Phoenicopterus ruber, 480 Grus grus and 893 Aythya ferina have been seen. In addition, five species of the Mediterranean North Africa biome occur (see Table 2). Non-bird biodiversity: The endemic fish Alosa alosa (DD) may occur.

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | water management

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The principal human activities are agriculture, extensive livestock-grazing and fishing. The dam is suffering from siltation, exacerbated by overgrazing and poor agricultural practices in its catchment area, with an estimated one million cubic metres of sediment accruing annually. Pollution by agricultural chemicals, human disturbance of nesting waterfowl, illegal hunting and overgrazing are all threats. The site is currently unprotected, but merits priority protection and listing as a Ramsar Site. It has been classed as a priority 1 SIBE (No. H2).

Additional information