Lakes of Ounianga

The site includes eighteen interconnected lakes in the hyper arid Ennedi region of the
Sahara desert covering an area of 62,808 ha. t constitutes an e!ceptional natural landscape
of great "eauty #ith striking colours and shapes. The saline, hyper saline and fresh#ater
lakes are supplied "y ground#ater and are found in t#o groups $0 k% apart. Ounianga &e"ir
co%prises four lakes, the largest of #hich, 'oan, covers an area of ()8 ha and is 2* % deep.
ts highly saline #aters only sustain algae and so%e %icroorganis%s. The second group,
Ounianga Serir, co%prises fourteen lakes separated "y sand dunes. +loating reeds cover
al%ost half the surface of these lakes reducing evaporation. ,t $(6 ha, Lake Teli has the
largest surface area "ut is less than -0 % deep. .ith their high /uality fresh#ater, so%e of
these lakes are ho%e to a/uatic fauna, particularly fish.
English
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Lake 1oukou 2 Sven Oeh%
Outstanding 3niversal 4alue
Brief synthesis
Located in 5orth6Eastern 7had, in a hot and hyperarid desert setting #ith less than 2%%
rainfall per year, the Lakes of Ounianga co%prises a total of -8 lakes, in t#o groups,
displaying a variety of si8es, depths, colorations and che%ical co%positions. The property
covers 62,808 ha and has a $,869 ha "uffer 8one. The Lakes of Ounianga property is
located in a "asin #hich, less than -0,000 years ago, #as occupied "y a %uch larger lake
and has a glo"ally uni/ue hydrological syste%, sustaining the largest per%anent fresh#ater
lakes syste% in the heart of a hyperarid environ%ent.
The property also displays a range of striking aesthetic features, #ith varied coloration
associated #ith the different lakes and their vegetation, and the presence of dra%atic natural
desert landfor%s that all contri"ute to the e!ceptional natural "eauty of the landscape of the
property. The shape and distri"ution of the lakes, co%"ined #ith the effect of the #ind
%oving the floating vegetation in the lakes, gives the i%pression of :#aves of #ater flo#ing
in the desert;.
Criterion (vii): The property represents an e!ceptional e!a%ple of per%anent lakes in a
desert setting, a re%arka"le natural pheno%enon #hich results fro% an a/uifer and
associated co%ple! hydrological syste% #hich is still to "e fully understood. The aesthetic
"eauty of the site results fro% a landscape %osaic #hich includes the varied coloured lakes
#ith their "lue, green and <or reddish #aters, in reflection of their che%ical co%position,
surrounded "y pal%s, dunes and spectacular sandstone landfor%s, all of it in the heart of a
desert that stretches over thousands of kilo%etres. n addition, a"out one third of the surface
of the Ounianga Serir Lakes is covered #ith floating reed carpets #hose intense green
colour contrasts #ith the "lue open #aters. =ock e!posures #hich do%inate the site offer a
"reathtaking vie# on all the lakes, of #hich the colours contrast #ith the "ro#n sand dunes
separated "y "are rock structures. The shape and distri"ution of the lakes, co%"ined #ith
the effect of the #ind %oving the floating vegetation in the lakes, gives the i%pression of
:#aves of #ater flo#ing in the desert;.
Integrity
The "oundaries of the 62,808 ha property have "een designed to ensure its integrity. The
property includes the area situated "elo# the $)0% contour line #ithin the i%%ediate lake
#atershed. The $,869 ha "uffer 8one includes the village of Ounianga &e"ir "eside Lake
'oan. >oning for %anage%ent of the site takes into account pressures #hich are no# %ainly
concentrated on Lake 'oan. Ounianga Serir, the s%allest village ?population of c. -,000 in
20-2@ is ne!t to the lake Teli, inside the property.
The hydrological syste% of the Lakes of Ounianga is functioning and the #ater level is sta"le
apart fro% a slight seasonal variation, thanks to a ground#ater supply #hich co%pensates
evaporation losses.
The "eauty and aesthetic values of the property have "een #ell conserved. ,lthough a good
nu%"er of people live around lakes 'oan and Teli, local initiatives are assuring the
co%pati"ility "et#een hu%an activities and conservation of the siteAs values. ,ctivities
planned in the %anage%ent plan strengthen and co%ple%ent these initiatives. n addition
the recently adopted 0ecree 5o. 09) #hich ai%s to %aintain traditional agricultural practices
in the property instead of intensive agriculture #ill enhance the conservation of the property.
Protection and management requirements
0ecree nB -0**<C=<CD<D7ES<20-0 of -).-2.20-0 designated the Lakes of Ounianga as a
:5atural site;F the protected area syste% of 7had, as esta"lished in La# nB-$<C=<2008,
focuses on fauna and flora conservation and, alone, is not fully suited to OuniangaF thus,
responsi"ility for the property is vested in the Dinistry of 7ulture. There is high level political
support for the protection and %anage%ent of the property at national and local levels.
3nder the decree, all activities that could threaten the integrity of the property, including
%ining, are for"idden. The national designation is si%ilar to 375 7ategory for protected
areas. This decree is co%ple%ented "y the 0ecree 5o. 6(0 #hich regulates the need to
prepare Environ%ental %pact ,ssess%ents for develop%ent proGects.
The property has an effective %anage%ent plan in place for the short and long ter%, and
there are ade/uate resources and staffing provided its i%ple%entation and %onitoring.
.etlands such as the Lakes of Ounianga are also protected "y La# -$<C=<98. ,n action
plan is i%ple%ented through local associations to avoid negative i%pacts on the site.
7onservation efforts focus on factors that could i%pact the siteAs integrity, #hich include
effective %easures to regulate ur"an develop%ent, address litter and #aste %anage%ent,
support sustaina"le agriculture and ensure that traffic, touris% and other uses is %aintained
at levels that do not i%pact the Outstanding 3niversal 4alue of the property. Several local
associations created at the initiative of the local govern%ental authorities and the local
co%%unities are also responsi"le for the conservation of the property. These activities are
i%ple%ented #ith the support of a Local Danage%ent 7o%%ittee, #hich provides input for
i%proving the e!isting %anage%ent plan.