State: PlovdivArea: 3178,99 ха
Ownership: state - 75%; municipality - 11%; private - 14%;
Description:
Pyasachnik reservoir is established on the river bearing the same name, at about 2 km north-west of the village of Ljuben, Plovdiv District. The reservoir collects the waters of two more rivers – the Kalavashtitsa and Gerenska – as well as the waters of the Strelchenska Luda Yana and Toponitsa reservoir, which are coming through an artificial canal. Arable land and small areas of forest around the banks of Pyasachnik reservoir are also part of the area. It also includes the micro-reservoirs Pyasacnik and Panicheri and the pheasant-breeding farm next to the village of Ljuben. The micro- reservoir Panicheri is a shallow artificial water basin with rich fish stocks. It is fed by waters from the Pyasachnik River by means of an artificial canal, as well as by rainfall and snow. Pyasachnik reservoir has entirely open water surface without water-fringe vegetation. At certain spots on the low hills around there are mixed broadleaved forests of Quercus cerris and Quercus pubescens, artificial plantations of Pinus nigra and open terrain of wet meadows and farmland.
Birds:
Pyasachnik reservoir and its surroundings host 146 bird species, 44 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria. Fifty species are included in Annex 1 of the Biodiversity Act as species, which habitats need special protection measures. Of the birds that occur there 72 are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 5 of them being included in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened species, 15 in SPEC 2, and 52 in SPEC 3 as species threatened at European level. Eighty-seven species need special protection of their habitats under the Bird Directive, 43 of which are included in Annex I of the Directive and the rest are migratory waterbirds. Pyasachnik reservoir is a wetland of international importance for the wintering waterbirds that concentrate there in numbers exceeding 22,000 birds, the most numerous being the White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons. Of the globally threatened species the Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus, the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, the Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis and the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla occur there in winter, and the Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca on migration. For many bird species the reservoir serves as an important interim station during spring and autumn migration and a good roosting and feeding site. The area is one of the few places in the country where the Osprey Pandion haliaetus breeds. There is also mixed breeding colony of Little Egret Egretta garzetta and Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax at Panichery micro-reservoir.
Threats:
The area is sensitive to human activities related mainly to unsustainable use of fish resources, but also to hunting, agriculture, water management and forestry. The intensive fishery in the reservoir and the improved access to the reservoir cause disturbance to birds. Direct persecution to birds is caused by poaching - hunting on protected species, illegal fishing by floating nets, where birds are often killed. Activities as sport fishing, hunting, and traffic of motor vehicles cause disturbance to birds. The waterbirds are intentionally disturbed by fishery farmers. Use of pesticides and fertilizers on surrounding agriculture lands, as well as upstream of the rivers affects the water quality. Transfer of water from the Topolnitsa reservoir cause of water pollution by heavy metals. Management of the water level, especially the drainage of the micro-reservoir following fishery practices has negative impact on breeding and staging birds. In addition to this, unsustainable practices such as cutting of trees and bushes around the reservoir, afforestation with non-native species, burning of vegetation and illegal waste deposits cause deterioration of the habitats around the reservoir and disturbance of the wetland functions. One of the potential threats both to the habitats and to the birds in the area is the development of wind turbine farms.
Legal protection:
Pyasachnik Reservoir does not have legal protection by the national conservation legislation. In 1997 the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. In 1998 it was also designated as CORINE Site because of its European value for congregatory and threatened bird species.
