Waterchain – Pilot watersheds as a practical tool to reduce the harmful inflows into the Baltic Sea

WaterChain reduces inflows of nutrients and hazardous substances ending up in the Baltic Sea.

The project has two main approaches:

* Raising awareness on the effects of everyday actions to the Baltic Sea and introducing various means to reduce the chemical and nutrient load.

* Reducing the inflow of nutrients and hazardous substances by utilizing environmental technology.

waterchain partnersWaterChain is coordinated by the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Finland, and carried out by nine partners: Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Finland; Pyhäjärvi Institute, Finland; Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland; KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden; Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia; Estonian Environmental Research Centre, Estonia; Riga Technical University, Latvia; Institute for Environmental Solutions, Latvia; Åland Waterwork Ltd., Finland.

More information about the project can be found at Waterchain website http://waterchain.eu/.

Pilot area: River Eurajoki catchment
Eurajoki catchment hotspotsIn the river Eurajoki catchment area, the activities within the water protection work are carried out in close co-operation with the stakeholders. The water protection work and actions in the Eurajoki catchment area are based on scientific research and results, and long time monitoring data.

Nature-based solutions have been used in the area in reducing nutrient load:

* Sustainable agriculture

* Constructed (man-made) wetlands

* Sedimentation ponds in streams

* Nutrient catching filters, installed in ditches.

Also, close co-operation with the municipalities’ sewage water treatment plants is included in water protection work.

There are two local voluntary restoration programmes which operate in the area:

* Lake Pyhäjärvi Protection Fund – Pyhäjärven suojeluohjelma

* River Eurajoki Fund – JOKIohjelma.

Results and more detailed information on water quality of the Eurajoki catchment