The Gallocanta Lake ( es, Laguna de Gallocanta) is an
endorheic
An endorheic basin (; also spelled endoreic basin or endorreic basin) is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water, such as rivers or oceans, but drainage converges instead into lakes ...
lake in
Aragon, Spain. Falling within the boundaries of two provinces,
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with ...
and
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
, the lake is located just to the south of
Gallocanta
Gallocanta is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 158 inhabitants.
Just to the south of the village is the Laguna de Gallocanta, an endorhe ...
village, between the
Aragonese comarcas of
Campo de Daroca and
Comarca del Jiloca. This lake is situated on a high continental plain at an altitude of almost 1,000 m.
It lies in a 53,600 ha
natural basin known as ''El Campo de Bello'', encircled by the
Iberian System
Iberian refers to Iberia. Most commonly Iberian refers to:
*Someone or something originating in the Iberian Peninsula, namely from Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra.
The term ''Iberian'' is also used to refer to anything pertaining to the fo ...
mountain ranges of
Sierra de Santa Cruz and
Sierra de Pardos in the north,
Sierra Menera in the south and
Sierra del Caldereros in the east. It is an intermittent rain-fed lake, largely dependent on abundant autumnal and spring rains if it is to maintain a sizeable amount of water into the hot summer months. During the summer of 1969 drought the lake dried completely, leaving a crust of
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
and remaining dry for a long spell.
Ecology
The migration
phenology of
common crane
The common crane (''Grus grus''), also known as the Eurasian crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes. A medium-sized species, it is the only crane commonly found in Europe besides the demoiselle crane (''Grus virgo'') and the Siberian ...
s in southwestern Europe is changing due to
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
.
[ The Laguna de Gallocanta remains one of the most important stopover sites for this species in Europe,]
Protected areas
In the 1970s Gallocanta Lake was designated a National Hunting Reserve (''Refugio Nacional de Caza de la Laguna de Gallocanta'').
In 1994 Gallocanta Lake was declared a Ramsar site, protecting an area of 6,720 ha as a wetland of international importance.
The lake has also received designations specifically for its importance to birdlife:
* it has been declared a Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certa ...
by the European Union.
* it is an Important Bird Area (IBA). Following an assessment in 2016, the lake was one of a number of sites classed as an IBA in danger in 2017.
Tourism
There is an interpretation centre with displays on the lake's geology and wildlife. There are also private initiatives promoting bird tourism.Allucant (tourism website)
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See also
*Gallocanta
Gallocanta is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 158 inhabitants.
Just to the south of the village is the Laguna de Gallocanta, an endorhe ...
*List of Ramsar sites in Spain
This list of Ramsar sites in Spain includes wetlands that are considered to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Spain currently has 74 sites designated as "Wetlands of International Importance" with a surface area of . For ...
* List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance
References
External links
{{commons category
Aragón es Así - Laguna de Gallocanta
Gallocanta
Gallocanta is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 158 inhabitants.
Just to the south of the village is the Laguna de Gallocanta, an endorhe ...
Gallocanta
Gallocanta is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 158 inhabitants.
Just to the south of the village is the Laguna de Gallocanta, an endorhe ...
Birdwatching sites in Spain
Important Bird Areas of Spain
Protected areas established in 1994
Ramsar sites in Spain
Sistema Ibérico