7ES015 Lagunas de la Mata y Torrevieja
Coordinates: 38º00'N - 000º42'W Elevation: 0-31 m Area:3,700 ha
Location:
The site is located immediately northwest of the Mediterranean coastal town of Torrevieja, Alicante province, in the autonomous region of Comunidad Valenciana (Valencia), in southeastern Spain. It lies approximately 23 km south-southwest of the Salinas de Santa Pola, Ramsar site.
Criteria:
1a, 2a, 2c, 2d, 3b, 3c
The area supports several vegetation communities which are endemic to the southeastern part of the Iberian peninsula, namely Halimiono - Salicornietum alpini, Cistancho lutae - Arthrocnemetum fruticosi, Frankenio corymbosae - Arthrocnemetum macrostachyi and Limonio caesii - Lygeetum sparti. Additionally the site harbours the endemic plant species Cynomorium coccineum and Limonium album, which have very restricted ranges. Nesting birds include Tadorna tadorna (rare as a breeding species in Spain), Circus pygargus, Burhinus oedicnemus (declining owing to agricultural change), Himantopus himantopus, Recurvirostra avosetta, Charadrius alexandrinus and Sterna albifrons. Up to 2,000 non-breeding Phoenicopterus ruber may occur on the Laguna de Torrevieja, especially when the Salinas de Santa Pola are subject to disturbance. The site is especially important for wintering waterbirds, notably Podiceps nigricollis (numbers may exceed 3,000), Anas clypeata and Netta rufina. At times it may support great flocks of shorebirds and Anatidae, seeking refuge during shooting periods in nearby areas Pantano de El Hondo and Salinas de Santa Pola.
Wetland Types:
J, 5, Sp, Tp (dominant types listed first)
La Mata and Torrevieja are two large saline lagoons in a basin like depression near the sea, which are connected with each other and with the sea by artificial canals. The saline lagoons are used for salt exploitation.
Biological/
Ecological notes
La Mata is surrounded by rather open halophytic vegetation (especially Salicornia europaea), giving way to Pinus and Eucalyptus scrub in the south. North and west of this lagoon are cultivated fields. The hyper-saline conditions in and around the Laguna de Torrevieja also have created belts of halophytic vegetation. Both lagoons are partly fringed by Phragmites beds along their northwestern edges, where there is an inflow of freshwater. The abundance of the crustacean Artemia salina in the lagoons is very important as it serves as food for many of the bird species using the site.
Hydrological/
Physical notes
 The site is located in a tectonic depression. The lagoons are isolated from the sea by a sand bar. The El Acequión canal, connecting Torrevieja Lagoon to the sea, was constructed in 1482. In 1907, a similar canal was dug from La Mata to the sea, as was the canal connecting the two lagoons. Water levels are artificially managed by the salt mining company according to their needs, and may vary greatly.
Human uses
Most of the site is owned by the state. It is leased to the Nueva Compa¤¡a Arrendataria de las Salinas de Torrevieja, S.A., belonging to the Belgian multinational company Solvay. This is the second most important European salt mine and the fourth largest in the world. La Mata is used as a concentration area. When required, water can be pumped from La Mata to Torrevieja, where the final stages of the process take place. The surrounding area is privately owned and mainly used as citrus orchards. The coast is used for tourism and recreation, and there is some urban development.

Conservation
Measures

The site is designated a Natural Park (Paraje Natural) and a Reserve from Hunting (Refugio Nacional de Caza). Of the area, 2,100 ha also have been declared an EU Special Protection Area for wild birds. A management plan for the site is in preparation.
Adverse
Factors 		The use of La Mata as a reservoir for the salt industry means that water levels may vary dramatically. Sometimes the islands in the lagoon are flooded at unusual times of the year, causing considerable damage to nesting birds. Other management difficulties include the illegal dumping of refuse, the influx of polluted water and uncontrolled tourism/recreational activities (disturbance, pollution). Urban developments are closing in on the site, and there are plans for the construction of a motorway (autopista), from Alicante to Cartagena, which would pass close to the site.
References