The economic values of clean and safe water are well established. Lakes, ponds and reservoirs provide water for variety of purposes: Drinking, Irrigation, Fish and Cultural Amenities as well as for other ecosystem services. However, despite remarkable investments in wastewater treatment facilities, the quality of many water bodies is still adversely affected by such factors as Sediments, Agriculture and other Diffuse pollution sources. These problems can only be tackled and resolved by the implementation of Lake Management and Restoration measures.
After three years as a commendable cooperation on the topic of management, protection and recovery of lakes and reservoirs, LakeAdmin’s “Regional Administration of Lake Restoration Initiatives” has begun its last month of activity in December 2014. The years of work divided among 10 partners from 9 European nations (Czeck Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta) have been characterized by various activities: creating databases, organizing study and conference visits regarding international topics, active involvement with local stakeholders, elaborating on proposals for planning and governing lakes, analyzing methodologies, processes and projects. Overall, an intense exchange of know-how and implementation of practices that are indispensable in achieving elevated qualitative standards and an improved use of bodies of water throughout various European regions.
The key objectives of LakeAdmin are to:
- Improve targets and quality of water restoration in regions that have acknowledged the importance of lakes in their economic development.
- Increase the effectiveness of Regional Development Policies which relate to water management, especially in the area of Lake, Pond and Reservoir restoration and management.
In LakeAdmin, 10 partner organisations will:
- Share and Transfer Good Water Management Practices for better water quality and improved usability.
- Develop implementation plans to assist the adoption of Good Water Management Practices in Partners own regional operational programmes.
- Compile Good Practices and develop a European Lake Restoration Archive of reality examples into open access guidance material available to Lake Managers, Regional Authorities and relevant Stakeholders.
- Expand the Project mission beyond Partner Regions thereby recognizing the European dimension and taking into consideration the new standards set by the WFD for Lakes and Water Bodies
More information can be found on the project website: http://lakeadmin.savonia.fi