GOZ006 - Wied ta' Marsalforn 2

Description

Wied ta’ Marsalforn is an artificial dam lake constructed within Wied ta’ Marsalforn, located in northern Gozo within the limits of Marsalforn. The site is easily accessible by the public from a nearby surfaced road. The dam lake covers an approximate area of 3,290m2. No irrigation pipelines were present throughout the site, thus it is likely the dam lake is not used for irrigational purposes. It is likely the dam had been constructed as a flood mitigation measure for the nearby surfaced road. The site is predominantly surrounded by active agricultural land with a handful of abandoned fields scattered nearby. A population of Discoclossus pictus was present throughout the site alongside Rumex conglomeratus, Arum italicum and Tamarix sp. The site is not protected by any legislation.

Wetland data

Basic information
Wetland location: Inland
Wetland type: Artificial
Wetland area: 0.30 Ha
Hydrological interaction: Yes 
Water salinity: Fresh (< 0.5 g/l)
Type of fresh water input: Catchment area (precipitation)
Surface water runoff Other
Open water area (%): 5 - 25
Hydroperiod: Temporary/Intermittent
Geographic information
Census district: Gozo and Comino
Island: Gozo
Local council: Iz-Zebbug
Longitude: 14.250810 East
Latitude: 36.058660 North
Biological significance
Biological significance: Low
Ramsar wetland type
Type Coverage (%)
6 -- Water storage areas; reservoirs/barrages/dams/impoundments (generally over 8 ha)
Property status
Public
Ecosystem services
Type of ecosystem service Ecosystem service Scale of Βenefit (%) Importance
Regulatory services Flood hazard regulation
Provisioning services Fresh water
Supporting services Provision of habitat
Regulatory services Water purification
Regulatory services Water regulation
Activities on wetland
Activity Intensity
130 = Irrigation High
701 = water pollution High
920 = Drying out High
Activities on catchment area
Activity Intensity
100 = Cultivation High
110 = Use of pesticides High
120 = Fertilisation High
130 = Irrigation High
501 = paths tracks cycling tracks High
502 = roads motorways High
701 = water pollution High
920 = Drying out High
Impacts
Impact Intensity
ES- = Increase in water supply High
PF- = Fertilizer/Excess nutrient pollution High
PP- = Pesticide pollution High
Vegetation types
Type Coverage (%)
Other 26 - 50
Shrubby / Arborescent 5 - 25
Flora
Species Presence status References
Arum italicum
Mirabilis jalapa var. odorata
Oxalis pes-caprae
Ricinus communis
Rumex conglomeratus
Tamarix sp.
Fauna

Amphibians
Presence status in wetland

References
Discoglossus pictus (Otth, 1837)

Images