Waterpraxis as a tool supporting protection of water in the Sulejow Reservoir

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to present results of the Waterpraxis project and to share the project experience. The Waterpraxis project entitled “From theory and plans to eco-efficient and sustainable practices to improve the status of the Baltic Sea,” partly funded by the EU Baltic Sea Region Program 2007–2013, focuses on developing water management practices, as well as on preparing water protection action plans and measures for selected pilot sites around the Baltic Sea to meet environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Waterpraxis identifies needs for improvement of current water management practices and, on the basis of experience gathered during the project, proposes also some changes to current practices. In addition, it provides improved water management action plans and makes it possible to prepare a set of investment plans for selected measures in the project‘s pilot areas in Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, and Finland. The study area in Poland is the Sulejow Reservoir (Lodz Region, Central Poland). The artificial reservoir is a typical shallow lowland water body covering a large area and is particularly prone to eutrophication, which is determined by a relatively long retention period, shallow depth, and the impact of the inflow of rivers and the direct basin. As a result, the project provides a significant improvement in the level of protection of the local environment. Implementation of the project will also have a positive impact on the standards of living and business environment in the area of the Sulejow Reservoir. It will also contribute significantly to improving quality of life in the area and raise environmental awareness among both local authorities and inhabitants.

Keywords:

• Sulejow Reservoir
• Waterpraxis project
• Eutrophication
• Action plans

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study was supported by the project WATERPRAXIS of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007–2013 (grant #10: From theory and plans to eco-efficient and sustainable practices to improve the status of the Baltic Sea).

Notes

The Sixth Dubrovnik Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES 2011), 25–29 September 2011, Dubrovnik, Croatia