Lough Rea (682)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lough Rea
Central coordinates: Latitude: 53.1833, Longitude: -8.5000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 83 to 83
Area of KBA (km2): 3.65502
Protected area coverage (%): 99.88
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A small lake with islands and some reed-swamp, situated just south of the town of Loughrea in County Galway. There is improved farmland around the lake, and it is used by anglers.
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: This is one of the most important wintering sites in Ireland for Fulica atra (1,700 birds, 1980s). Aythya fuligula (452 birds, 1986), and Pluvialis apricaria (1,000 birds, 1995) also occur in numbers of national importance.
Habitats
Land use: tourism/recreation (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threat to the lake is nutrient pollution from agricultural run-off, as many of the surrounding fields have been fertilized.