洱(er)源西湖(hu)濕地(di)地(di)處洱(er)海(hai)源頭(tou),屬瀾滄江水(shui)系,為高(gao)原斷(duan)陷湖(hu)泊,是大(da)理及周邊地(di)區(qu)生(sheng)態安全的(de)重要保障。西湖(hu)濕地(di)生(sheng)物豐富(fu)多樣,天然濕地(di)生(sheng)態系統保存較為完整,有洱(er)海(hai)大(da)頭(tou)鯉、灰裂腹魚(yu)、大(da)理裂腹魚(yu)等特有魚(yu)類,是許多越冬(dong)鳥類的(de)棲息地(di)和覓食地(di),也是瀕危鳥類紫(zi)水(shui)雞的(de)生(sheng)存地(di)。濕地(di)內活(huo)性炭沉積特殊(shu),在湖(hu)泊演替、氣候(hou)變化等方面具有潛在的(de)研究價值(zhi)。它同時是云南省(sheng)高(gao)原濕地(di)中景觀獨(du)特、白族風俗濃郁、歷史(shi)文化積淀深厚的(de)特殊(shu)區(qu)域。
洱源(yuan)西(xi)(xi)湖(hu)濕(shi)地(di)(di)位(wei)于蒼山(shan)19峰之(zhi)一的(de)云弄峰北麓,右所鎮境內,流域面(mian)積119平方公(gong)里,湖(hu)面(mian)面(mian)積4.7平方公(gong)里,湖(hu)周長10.3公(gong)里,平均(jun)水深1.8米(mi),屬瀾滄江水系,地(di)(di)處洱海(hai)源(yuan)頭,洱海(hai)13%的(de)地(di)(di)表水來(lai)自西(xi)(xi)湖(hu)。西(xi)(xi)湖(hu)生(sheng)態系統(tong)(tong)多樣(yang)(yang)性極為獨(du)特(te),形成面(mian)山(shan)森林(灌叢)— 村莊(zhuang)— 農田(tian)— 湖(hu)濱沼澤(ze)— 湖(hu)泊水面(mian)— 島(dao)嶼村莊(zhuang)的(de)自然生(sheng)態系統(tong)(tong)與人工生(sheng)態系統(tong)(tong)交叉重疊的(de)多樣(yang)(yang)性特(te)征,具有(you)典型的(de)湖(hu)盆(pen)— 湖(hu)濱— 面(mian)山(shan)結構,包(bao)含(han)了(le)區(qu)(qu)域內景(jing)(jing)觀(guan)(guan)多樣(yang)(yang)性的(de)所有(you)范疇,構成了(le)地(di)(di)熱溫泉、民俗風情、歷史文化、煙渚漁村、島(dao)嶼水鄉(xiang)的(de)特(te)色景(jing)(jing)觀(guan)(guan)構架。此外,西(xi)(xi)湖(hu)濕(shi)地(di)(di)生(sheng)態系統(tong)(tong)中(zhong)形成的(de)泥碳沼澤(ze),埋(mai)藏于水下約(yue)2米(mi)處,平均(jun)厚度4米(mi),最深超過15米(mi),儲量達390萬噸,是目前在滇西(xi)(xi)湖(hu)泊中(zhong)發現的(de)極具價值(zhi)的(de)類型。西(xi)(xi)湖(hu)同時也是大理州水域風光(guang)(guang)型旅游(you)區(qu)(qu)的(de)標志性景(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu),日均(jun)接待(dai)觀(guan)(guan)光(guang)(guang)旅游(you)游(you)客(ke)2000人以上。
洱源西(xi)湖濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)為(wei)高原斷陷湖泊(bo),屬瀾滄江水系(xi),地(di)(di)(di)處洱海(hai)源頭,生(sheng)(sheng)態區(qu)位十分重要,是(shi)大(da)(da)理(li)(li)及(ji)周邊(bian)地(di)(di)(di)區(qu)生(sheng)(sheng)態安全(quan)的(de)(de)重要保障。洱源西(xi)湖濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)生(sheng)(sheng)物多樣(yang)性豐富,天然濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)生(sheng)(sheng)態系(xi)統保存較為(wei)完整,保存有(you)洱海(hai)大(da)(da)頭鯉(li)、灰(hui)裂腹(fu)魚、大(da)(da)理(li)(li)裂腹(fu)魚等(deng)(deng)特有(you)魚類,是(shi)許多越冬鳥類的(de)(de)棲息(xi)地(di)(di)(di)和覓食地(di)(di)(di),也是(shi)瀕危鳥類紫(zi)水雞(ji),據目(mu)前的(de)(de)調查,為(wei)我國最大(da)(da)的(de)(de)紫(zi)水雞(ji)種群。濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)內活性炭沉積特殊,在(zai)湖泊(bo)演替、氣候變化(hua)等(deng)(deng)方面具有(you)潛在(zai)的(de)(de)研究價值。洱源西(xi)湖是(shi)云南(nan)高原濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)中(zhong)景觀獨(du)特,白(bai)族(zu)風(feng)俗濃郁(yu),歷史文(wen)化(hua)積淀(dian)深厚的(de)(de)特殊區(qu)域(yu),是(shi)展示濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)保護(hu)成(cheng)效和濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)生(sheng)(sheng)態環境教育(yu)的(de)(de)理(li)(li)想基地(di)(di)(di)。
洱源(yuan)西湖濕(shi)地(di)(di)是(shi)(shi)極具觀賞價值的珍稀(xi)鳥類紫(zi)水雞在我省的分(fen)布(bu)地(di)(di),也是(shi)(shi)我國(guo)紫(zi)水雞重要和(he)(he)(he)較大(da)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)群分(fen)布(bu)地(di)(di),還是(shi)(shi)許多越(yue)冬(dong)鳥類的棲息地(di)(di)和(he)(he)(he)補食地(di)(di);此(ci)外,西湖水道(dao)為(wei)大(da)理裂(lie)腹(fu)魚(yu)的洄(hui)游通道(dao)和(he)(he)(he)產卵區,生(sheng)物(wu)多樣性價值極為(wei)獨特(te)和(he)(he)(he)豐富。在去年濕(shi)地(di)(di)規(gui)劃編制調查過程中(zhong),相(xiang)關專家(jia)調查記(ji)錄到西湖共有哺乳類動物(wu)18種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),爬行動物(wu)16種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),兩棲動物(wu)14種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),魚(yu)類26種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),鳥類76種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其中(zhong)水域鳥類39種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong);維管桿物(wu)306種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其中(zhong)濕(shi)地(di)(di)植(zhi)物(wu)115種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。這些植(zhi)物(wu)中(zhong),野菱、海菜花屬國(guo)家(jia)II級保護(hu)(hu)(hu)植(zhi)物(wu),虎紋蛙、大(da)壁(bi)虎,灰雁、鳳頭(tou)鷹、白(bai)尾鷂、燕隼等屬國(guo)家(jia)II級保護(hu)(hu)(hu)動物(wu)。另外,分(fen)布(bu)有大(da)眼鯉、洱海大(da)頭(tou)鯉、大(da)理云南鯉、灰裂(lie)腹(fu)魚(yu)、大(da)理裂(lie)腹(fu)魚(yu)等滇西高(gao)原湖泊(bo)(bo)特(te)有魚(yu)類和(he)(he)(he)斑頭(tou)雁等青藏高(gao)原特(te)有珍稀(xi)鳥類,有著較高(gao)的生(sheng)物(wu)多樣性保護(hu)(hu)(hu)價值,是(shi)(shi)開展泥碳沉積、湖泊(bo)(bo)演化、生(sheng)態系統研(yan)究的典型(xing)地(di)(di)段,也是(shi)(shi)濕(shi)地(di)(di)環境(jing)教(jiao)育的基(ji)地(di)(di),在洱海濕(shi)地(di)(di)生(sheng)態系統保護(hu)(hu)(hu)、區域環境(jing)維護(hu)(hu)(hu)和(he)(he)(he)濕(shi)地(di)(di)資源(yuan)利用方面發揮著重要作用。