Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater body in the European part of the continent. Its rehabilitation and conservation are of critical environmental and socially significance. Forty percent of Ladoga’s water area lies within the administrative borders of the Republic of Karelia.
The federal Clean Ladoga project was initiated by the Leningrad Region. It involves six regions of the country. The project is currently in the preparatory phase. Specialists from the Karelian Research Centre RAS, who have repeatedly underscored the need to develop an ad hoc federal program for conserving Lakes Onego and Ladoga, have also prepared their scientifically grounded proposals.
– An integrated program for the environmental rehabilitation of Lake Ladoga must encompass the water bodies located throughout its entire catchment area, – proclaimed KarRC RAS CEO, RAS Corresponding Fellow Olga Bakhmet in her talk at the meeting.
Scientists argue for integrated monitoring arrangements to be implemented for Lake Ladoga and the reservoirs that feed it with water. Specifically, this single water system encompasses lakes Ladoga and Onego, lakes Il’men’ and Saimaa, connected by the rivers Svir, Volkhov, and Vuoksa.
Lake Ladoga – the largest body of fresh water in Europe. Photo: I. Georgievsky / KarRC RAS
The monitoring system should include chemical analysis of both surface and groundwater, bio-testing for water quality, assessment of pollutant accumulation in the water column and sediments, determination of changes in the thermal and hydrological regimes of water bodies to understand pollution patterns, quantification of the loading from river runoff and discharges from industry and agriculture, and identification of hot spots within the catchment to take measures to reduce the negative impact.
– It is crucial that data are collected using a common methodology. This will allow for an objective assessment of the state of the Ladoga catchment area and the effectiveness of the measures for reducing human impact, – stressed Olga Bakhmet.
Staff at the KarRC RAS scientific divisions possess extensive experience in implementing integrated studies of Lake Ladoga and its catchment. The Northern Water Problems Institute KarRC RAS has designed a unique long-term environmental monitoring system, featuring 60-year data series. The Department for Multidisciplinary Research employs GIS technologies to map the catchment’s land cover, enabling hot spot identification. The Research Centre has highly qualified specialists and the necessary infrastructure, including research vessels, for conducting specialized studies. Thus, Karelian scientists are ready to join in the federal project as its active participants.
The Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, also noted that the project activities should not be limited to Lake Ladoga alone – they must cover the entire Baltic water system. He believes the presentations made at the meeting can help accelerate the adoption of the relevant legislation.