Water resources management

In all tasks in the fields of agriculture, forestry, water management and fisheries, the aim is also to ensure that the status of watercourses and groundwater is good and their use is sustainable. There are a number of ways to achieve this. Water protection measures in agriculture and forestry reduce loading that causes eutrophication, while restoration measures improve the state and usability of waters whose status has deteriorated. The regulation of watercourses is developed by reconciling the objectives of water resources management, flood and drought risk management, fisheries, business activities and recreational use. Improving the passage and breeding conditions of migratory fish to revive their entire life cycle is still necessary in many built-up watercourses.

Each resident, farmer and other operator can also contribute to improving the state of waters. The conditions for collaboration networks, partnerships and self-initiated restoration measures are being be improved. The good status of waters is promoted, in particular, through the agri-environment payment scheme. In addition, financial aid may be applied for to undertake projects concerned with the use and state of waters and aquatic environments and restoration of field and forest ditches. Improving the state of waters may also be financially profitable as it enables the utilisation of plants and fish in waters. The good state of the aquatic environment also benefits its recreational use and tourism.

River basin management plans for 2016–2021 were completed at the end of 2015. The plans specify the actions to be taken to manage and restore waters during the six-year water management period.

Related links

www.ymparisto.fi/vaikutavesiin (in Finnish)