A management modelling system which includes dynamic drainage basin and lake water quality models:: the Lake Vortsjarv, Estonia, case study

The primary goal of the Lake Vortsjarv management project in Estonia, was to provide new information for planning restoration of the lake. The joint Finnish-Estonian project enabled use of various modelling approaches for management planning. An integrated, dynamic water quality model of the drainage basin and the lake was applied as an operational management tool. The state of the lake was predicted according to different scenarios. The results indicated that external loading of the lake has been very high for a long time, which has led to hypertrophy and also very high internal loading. The most effective method of restoration that can be carried out in practice was found to be the prevention of too low water levels.