Detailed Data Lake Paliastomi

Partner Living Lakes

Black Sea Eco-Academy

Partner Lake since

2004

Origin

Ice Age

Size

17.3 sq. km [km²]

Protected area

33.710 ha (Kolkheti Wetlands)

Status of refuge

Ramsar Wetland: Kolkheiti National Parc (since 1997)

Water volume

0.052 billion cubic m [m³]

Maximum depth

3.2 m

Average depth

2.6 m

Sea level

from - 0.3 to 2 m

Catchment area

547 sq. km [km²]

Largest in-flow

Pichori River

Salinity

in the past: 2.2 g/l

today: 12 - 13 g/l

Precipitation per year

2,500 mm

Mean air temperature

14 °C

Completely frozen over

never

Location

Georgia

Vegetation of the surrounding area

forest, pasture, grass, farmland, peat-bog

Plants

alder, willow, oak, ash, wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia), bladdernut (Staphylea spp.)

Birds

13,800 birds of different species

Waterfowl

teal, grebe, great crested grebe, little egret, red-necked grebe, black-necked grebe, great cormorant, squacco heron, great white egret, Eurasian spoonbill, glossy ibis, lesser white-fronted goose, ruddy shelduck, marsh sandpiper, great snipe, great black-headed gull, gull-billed tern, white-winged tern, white-headed duck, white-tailed sea eagle

Mammals

golden jackal, wild boar, roe deer, coypu, Eurasian hedgehog, mole

Amphibians

caucasian subspecies of common treefrog and lake frog,

common and eastern crested newts

Reptiles

ring snake, water snake, aesculapian snake, slow worm,

europian marsh turtle, artwin wood lizard

Fish

40 species: crucian, cambala, ...

Biggest problem

high salinity,

sapropel extraction activities and water pollution from toxins of decaying unexcavated peat layers,

proximity to major urban areas of Poti City,

drainage of wetlands,

run-offs from upstream agricultural activities

Industrial exploitation

over-fishing, poaching, peat

Agricultural exploitation

grazing, farmland, tea and citrus plantations