Estanys de Basturs, Protected wetland in Isona i Conca Dellà, Spain.
Estanys de Basturs consists of two karstic lakes on the northern slope of Mont de Conques, about a kilometre southeast of Basturs. The larger, almost circular lake has a conical basin; the smaller Estany Xic lies northwest, surrounded by fields and partly drained by a ditch. A walking area with a bird observatory circles the lakes.
The lakes formed through natural geological processes where limestone was dissolved by water to create depressions. Protection of the site began in 1992 when authorities recognized their ecological value.
The lakes' present shape results from drainage channels dug beside them to irrigate lower crop fields, which lowered the original water level. A walking area with a bird observation point has been laid out around the two lakes.
Both lakes are accessible from Basturs village via paved roads, making initial access straightforward. Sturdy footwear is recommended for the unpaved tracks between the sites, especially after rain when the ground becomes muddy.
The sources name no algae species, but they do record two algae found only in Catalonia here, alongside Chara aspera, Nitella tenuissima and Utricularia vulgaris. The site also holds a priority habitat, calcareous marshes with Cladium mariscus, and bacteria-rich bottom silts. Drought in 2022, 2023 and part of 2024 dropped the water to 2 metres of its 16-metre depth, prompting the Geoparc Orígens to commission a study of how the lakes work.
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