For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

A

1.2 Site code

IE0004134

1.3 Site name

Lough Rea SPA

1.4 First Compilation date

2005-03

1.5 Update date

2018-09

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Address:
Email:	datadelivery@chg.gov.ie

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site classified as SPA:	2007-02
National legal reference of SPA designation	No information provided

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-8.575761
Latitude:	53.188087

2.2 Area [ha]

365.4106

2.3 Marine area [%]

0.0000

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
IE01	Border, Midland and Western

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Atlantic

(0.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

No habitat types are reported for the site

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A056	Anas clypeata			w	264	264	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A052	Anas crecca			w	102	102	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A050	Anas penelope			w	224	224	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			w	127	127	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A059	Aythya ferina			w	96	96	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A061	Aythya fuligula			w	167	167	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A125	Fulica atra			w	1172	1172	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A179	Larus ridibundus			w	342	342	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A004	Tachybaptus ruficollis			w	11	11	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			w	555	555	i		G	C	B	C	C

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
P		Chara tomentosa									X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N06	84.00
N07	12.00
N10	1.00
N14	1.00
N16	2.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

Lough Rea is a medium-sized lake lying just south of Loughrea town. The lake, which is underlain by Carboniferous limestone, is moderately hard and has a high water transparency. It is fed by a stream and by springs, and its outflow ultimately joins the Dunkellin River. It reaches a maximum depth of 15 m. Lough Rea is classified as an oligotrophic system and has a benthic vegetation typical of hard oligo-mesotrophic waters. Charophytes are well-represented, along with pondweeds and other aquatics. Reedswamp, wet grassland and wet woodland occur on the sheltered western and south-eastern shores. There are several very small islands. Apart from the northern shore towards the town, the lake is surrounded by fairly intensive agricultural land.

4.2 Quality and importance

Lough Rea is one of the most important waterfowl sites in the western region. It is of national importance for Anas clypeata and Fulica atra. It also supports a range of other wetland species, including Anas penelope, Aythya ferina and Aythya fuligula. Numbers of Anas clypeata had formerly been of international importance and those of Aythya fuligula of national importance. Habitat is of good quality, with both feeding and roost areas present. The site has been well monitored in recent years. The site supports the Red Data Book charophyte Chara tomentosa.

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Colhoun, K. (2001). I-WeBS Report 1998-99. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Crowe, O. (2005). Ireland's Wetlands and their Waterbirds: Status and Distribution. Birdwatch Ireland, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow. Crowe, O., Austin, G.A., Colhoun, K., Cranswick, P.A., Kershaw, M. and Musgrove, A.J. (2008). Estimates and trends of waterbird numbers wintering in Ireland 1994/95 to 2003/04. Bird Study 55: 66-77.Crowe, O. and Boland, H. (2004). Irish Wetland Bird Survey: results of the Waterbird Monitoring in Ireland in 2001.2002. Irish Birds 7: 313-326. Hunt, J., Derwin, J., Coveney, J. and Newton, S. (2000). Republic of Ireland. Pp. 365-416 in Heath, M.F. and Evans, M.I. (eds). Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for Conservation 1: Northern Europe. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8). Irish Wetland Birds Survey (I-WeBS) Database, 1994/95-2002/03. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. McGarrigle, M.L., Bowman, J.J., Clabby, K.J., Lucey, J., Cunningham, P., MacCarthaigh, M., Keegan, M., Cantrell, B., Lehane, M., Clenaghan, C. and Toner, P.F. (2002). Water Quality in Ireland 1998-2000. Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford. Merne, O.J. (1989). Important bird areas in the Republic of Ireland. In: Grimmett, R.F.A. and Jones, T.A. (eds). Important Bird Areas in Europe. ICBP Technical Publication No. 9. Cambridge. Sheppard, R. (1993). Ireland's Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

Back to top No information provided

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

No information provided

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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INSPIRE ID:	IE.NPWS.PS.NATURA2000.SPA.IE0004134
Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)
Yes X No

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SITE DISPLAY