The Porto Botte beach and pond can be found along the coastal area of Giba, in the southwestern coast of Sardinia.
The beach extends for around a kilometre and a half remaining fairly narrow between the wetland and sea.
The sandy shore features large grain sand with an abundance of shells (gastropod and bivalvia shells). The seabed is fairly low.
The Porto Botte Pond’s wetland lies behind the beach and is a naturalistic site of considerable importance.
The pond is cordoned off to the west by a spit, and to the south by the Baiocca pond (in the area of Masainas) and to the north-east and south-east by flood terraces. Its depth doesn’t exceed 50 cm. Porto Botte is connected to the Baiocca Pond via the reclaimed gullies, and both basins receive water from the flood plain.
The pond is connected to the sea via an artificial canal, controlled by a system of locks.
In the past, the area was subject to different reclamation works which did not, however, alter the site’s ancient physiognomy and morphology allowing its naturalness to be preserved. This is clear from the presence of typical pond vegetation, as well as the presence of different aquatic bird species. The lake-like basins are occupied by brackish environment plant meadows and the salt steppes surround the pond’s shores, giving the site an excellent naturalistic quality.
The whole area is part of the Site of Community Importance (SCI) “Stagno di Porto Botte” (ITB042226), regulated by the Rete Natura 2000.
