Makkah waste-water stream (8273)
Saudi Arabia, Middle East

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 1994

National site name: Makkah waste-water stream

Central coordinates: Latitude: 21.2000, Longitude: 39.6500

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 80 to 180

Area of KBA (km²): 19.41172

KBA classification: Regional

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: A stream of treated sewage effluent, flowing 20-30 km south-west from Makkah into the largely flat sandy desert of the Tihamah. The flow is rather erratic, being strongest for the first 12-15 km, after which satellite pools tend to be ephemeral. The water is often densely lined with Calotropis, Phragmites and grasses.

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: See box for key species. A wide range of ducks and waders uses the site in winter. Other migrants include small numbers of Grus grus and G. virgo. Pterocles lichtensteinii and P. exustus can be very common in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: See Gasperetti (1989).

Delineation rationale: 2009-10-12 (BL Secretariat): Relatively straightforward to digitize (c.30 km of wadi, as in IBA description), though the original 1994 coordinates lie well outside the polygon, and the stated area (300 ha) is much too small; coords and area therefore changed accordingly.

Habitats

Land use: hunting | water management

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Savanna	5
Shrubland	5
Desert	45
Artificial - Aquatic	45

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Not proposed as a protected area and not threatened, although waterfowl may be shot where the site runs close to the Makkah bypass. 'No hunting' signs could be placed on the adjacent roadside.

Additional information