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close| Location | Algeria, El Tarf |
| Central coordinates | 8o 2.00' East 36o 34.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, A4iii |
| Area | 3,000 ha |
| Altitude | 170 m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. The site acts as an important daytime roost and refuge for wintering waterbirds that feed in other wetlands, particularly when hunting disturbs other sites. More than 20,000 waterbirds have been recorded at this site, with an estimated total of 100,000 birds in 1974 (95,000 of which were Anas penelope) and other large counts of ducks including up to 20,000 A. penelope and 18,000 A. acuta (no information on years) and 11,000 A. crecca in 1981. The precise relationship between this site and hunting pressure on other sites is not clear, but the site is thought to be particularly linked with Marais de Mekhada (site DZ006), and the 95,000 A. penelope recorded in 1974 were believed to have been displaced from site DZ006 because of very low water-levels making it unsuitable as a roost.
Site description The site lies c.35 km south-east of Annaba, 170 m above sea-level. It consists of an artificial reservoir created by a dam across the Oued Bou Namoussa, in the hills about 20 km above the entry of the Oued to the alluvial flood-plain of Marais de Mekhada (site DZ006). The water reaches a maximum depth of 20 m and a maximum area of 30 km² (at capacity), and the reservoir is devoid of rooted vegetation because of the large, rapid fluctuations in water-level.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope | winter | 1974 | 95,000 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Northern Pintail Anas acuta | winter | 1980 | 18,000 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | winter | 1974-1980 | - | unknown | A4iii |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| water management | - |
Other biodiversity None known to BirdLife International.
Management considerations Although the site has no formal protection, access is severely restricted and hunting is prohibited. Since the site is not a feeding ground, but only a roost and refuge for birds when other sites are disturbed, this level of informal protection may be sufficient to maintain its value for the species that use it.
References Hughes and Hughes (1992), Skinner and Smart (1984), Stevenson et al. (1988).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Barrage de la Cheffia. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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