Victoria Lagoon

The Victoria Lagoon is the only natural coastal lagoon in Cantabria and it is included in the SCI “Santoña, Victoria y Joyel Marshes”. It is considered a fresh water lagoon as fresh water coming from rainwater, springs and surface runoff waters is predominant. The salt conditions, water renewal and vegetation content have caused for nearly the entire subarea to be classified as a priority habitat of community interest 1150* (coastal lagoons), occupying 83 % of the area of this priority habitat in the Cantabrian region. In the most outward section of the lagoon hábitats 1140  y 1330  can also be found.

Species of community interests have been seen in this space.  Such is the case of the Platalea leucorodia, the Ardea purpurea and the Ixobrychus minutus, which use the marshes to hibernate and/or nest.  Other species such as the Circus cyaneus, the Emberiza hortelana, the Sylvia hundata, the Phalacrocorax aristotelis and the Falco peregrinus, as well as the endangered species Hydrobates pelagicus, amongst others, have been seen.

The natural process of closure and opening of the connecting channel between the lagoon and the Cantabrian Sea and their morphology are factors which determine the large amount of time lagoon waters take to renew, which causes the lagoon to experience a significant eutrophication process in the summer periods where rain is scarce and phytoplankton production is at its highest.