State: Sliven, Stara Zagora, YambolArea: 4304,45 ха
Ownership: state - 19%; municipality - 19%; private - 62%;
Description:
A reservoir on the Ovcharitsa River, east of the town of Radnevo that does not freeze in winter. It is surrounded by low hills of arable land. Immediately next to the dam wall Heating Plant 2 is located. The area also includes the nearby small pools with standing water, the sedimentation pools of the heating plant and the valleys of several smaller rivers. The reservoir has an open water area, low banks and shallows, covered by sparse hygrophyte vegetation. Some of the nearby smaller water pools are also overgrown with water fringe hygrophytes, mainly reed mace Typha spp.. The surrounding hills are occupied by arable lands, sown mainly with winter wheat. At certain places in the river valleys of the rivers flowing into the reservoir there is marsh and hygrophyte grass vegetation, strips of trees with prevailing willow Salix spp. and, more rarely, meso-xerothermal vegetation, dominated by Poa bulbosa, Lolium perenne, etc. (Bondev 1991).
Birds:
Ovcharitsa Reservoir is a site of international importance for wintering waterfowl. Every year up to 45,800 waterfowl of 35 species concentrate there. Of the 87 bird species, established there, 22 are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 62 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 4 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 6 in SPEC 2 and 21 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 21 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 19 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. The reservoir is one of the most important places in the world for the Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus and White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons, considerable numbers of which spend the winter there. A large proportion of the Dalmatian Pelicans are young and immature individuals. Although rarely, the Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis is also recorded as a wintering species. The reservoir has significant value at national level for the Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica and the Great White Egret Egretta alba.
Threats:
The area is situated close to a settlement and industrial complex where intensive human activities take place. Access to the area is not limited. The area is sensitive to all human activities, which cause disturbance to birds, especially entering the reservoir by boats before the sunrise, when the birds roost in the water. The other problem is the illegal hunting on protected species, out of the hunting dates and with illegal means. The reservoir is used actively for fishery. Introduction of non-native species into the reservoir change the food base for birds. The agriculture activities around the reservoir, especially the use of pesticides and fertilizers has negative impact on the water quality.
Legal protection:
The area was proposed to be designated as protected area in 1997 because of it importance for birds, but it was not put under legal protection so far. In 1998 the area is appointed as CORINE Site because of its European value for birds. In 1989 the area is designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
