MAL034 - Tac-Cawla
Description
Taċ-Ċawla are a series of connected artificially constructed reservoirs, intended for irrigation and water storage, located in central Malta within Attard. These reservoirs are constructed of cement and limestone, and cover an approximate area of 2,130m2. The site is not accessible to the public as it located on gated privately-owned property. These reservoirs are predominantly surrounded by active agricultural land, thus are likely to be used for irrigation of these fields. No important community habitats or vegetation were noted around these reservoirs. The site is not protected by any legislation.
Wetland data
Basic information
| Wetland location: | Inland |
| Wetland type: | Artificial |
| Wetland area: | 0.20 Ha |
| Hydrological interaction: | - |
| Water salinity: | Fresh (< 0.5 g/l) |
| Type of fresh water input: | Catchment area (precipitation) |
| Surface water runoff | There is no obvious water outflow |
| Open water area (%): | 76 - 95 |
| Hydroperiod: | Permanent |
Geographic information
| Census district: | Western |
| Island: | Malta |
| Local council: | H'Attard |
| Longitude: | 14.448640 East |
| Latitude: | 35.890840 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
| Private |
Ecosystem services
| Type of ecosystem service | Ecosystem service | Scale of Βenefit (%) | Importance |
| Provisioning services | Food | ||
| Provisioning services | Fresh water |
Activities on wetland
| Activity | Intensity |
| 020 = Resource conservation | High |
| 130 = Irrigation | High |
| 701 = water pollution | High |
Activities on catchment area
| Activity | Intensity |
| 110 = Use of pesticides | High |
| 120 = Fertilisation | High |
| 130 = Irrigation | High |
| 502 = roads motorways | High |
| 701 = water pollution | High |
Impacts
| Impact | Intensity |
| EE- = Increase of economic potential | High |
| ES- = Increase in water supply | High |
| PF- = Fertilizer/Excess nutrient pollution | High |
| PP- = Pesticide pollution |
Vegetation types
| Type | Coverage (%) |
| Floating-leaved | 76 - 95 |
Flora
| Species | Presence status | References |
| Lemna minor |