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close| Location | Morocco, Ouarzazate |
| Central coordinates | 6o 46.00' West 30o 56.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i |
| Area | 5,000 ha |
| Altitude | 1,200 m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information See Box for key species. The site is chiefly notable for its populations of summer visitors, such as Marmaronetta angustirostris and Tadorna ferruginea, both of which exceed IBA thresholds. A few pairs of Marmaronetta angustirostris have bred; Tadorna ferruginea breeds regularly, but numbers of pairs are unknown. Wintering populations of waterfowl are small, although some 20 species have been recorded. The most abundant is Tadorna ferruginea, with up to 400 individuals noted.
Site description The site is located on the southern side of the High Atlas a few kilometres east of the town of Ouarzazate. It consists of a large reservoir formed in 1972 by the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Oued Drâa, near the confluence of the Oued Dadès and the Oued Ouarzazate. The reservoir is also fed by many small temporary side-streams. Where these enter the lake, the water is relatively shallow and dense vegetation of Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus spp., Juncus spp., Phragmites australis and Tamarix canariensis occurs. Elsewhere, the water depth drops off sharply, reaching 2–4 m deep only several metres from the rocky shore. Annual precipitation averages 1,500 mm.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea | breeding | - | - | - | Least Concern | |
| Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea | winter | - | 400-700 individuals | - | A4i | Least Concern |
| Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris | passage | - | 187 individuals | - | A1, A4i | Vulnerable |
| Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris | breeding | - | - | - | Vulnerable |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| fisheries/aquaculture | - |
| hunting | - |
| water management | - |
| other | - |
| Notes: Reed-cutting. | |
Other biodiversity The toad Bufo brongersmai, a Moroccan endemic, occurs.
Management considerations The reservoir is a priority 2 SIBE (No. H42). It is public land, administered by AEFCS and the Service des Travaux Publics. Human activities include fishing, livestock-grazing and reed-cutting around the reservoir’s shores. The main threat is discharge of wastewater from the town of Ouarzazate into the eastern end of the reservoir, and consequent organic and chemical pollution. Nesting birds are also subject to human disturbance and poaching near the western end of the lake. Recommended measures include the protection of this nesting zone by the restriction of access during the breeding season, perhaps entailing fencing off the area.
References BCEOM-SECA (1995b).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Barrage al Mansour Ad-Dhabi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013
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