Al Wathba Wetland Reserve is a complex of natural and man-made surface water bodies located approximately 40km southeast of Abu Dhabi Island.
The reserve lies north of the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Truck Road, and is approximately 3.5km long and 1.5km wide, and composed of a series of narrow, linear water bodies separated by dunes.
Some of the ponds are contiguous, others are isolated, and some others are contiguous during periods of high water. Total surface area of the main lake is around 132 hectares.
The lakes occupy an area of 'inland sabkha', a site where the water table lies just below the surface and the water is drawn upwards through the sands by capillary action where it evaporates leaving deposits of salts. As a result, the lakes exhibit salinity regimes that vary spatially and temporarily.
Immediately to the north of the site is the Mafraq Sewage Treatment Works from which Al Wathba Wetlands receives much of its water in the form of treated effluent.
The other main source of water being irrigation water runoff is collected from the nearby fodder farms at Al Wathba camel racetrack.
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