Phosphorus from the seabed and water quality in archipelagos - modeling attempt

Programme 2007 - 2013 Central Baltic (FI-SE-EE-LA)

Date of latest update: 2021-04-06

Description

Description (EN):

Despite of extensive water protection measures, the state of the Baltic Sea is poor. Nutrients levels in the water and sediments are high, and anoxic “dead bottoms” are widespread in the sea floor. Even shallow archipelago waters are suffering from oxygen deficiency, though effective water protection measures have cut nutrient discharges from coastal areas. The phenomenon is supposed to be caused by so called internal loading of phosphorus from sediments. Rough estimations made in an earlier INTERREG IIIA financed project, “BEVIS”, show that phosphorus fluxes from sediment may equal or even exceed the total phosphorus load from land sources. Even if the effects of the internal phosphorus loading on the water quality are widely recognised, the present water quality models cannot adequately simulate internal phosphorus fluxes. In the SEABED project we will collect sediment data for phosphorus flux estimations in the project area. We will use the data in generating a dynamic sediment-phosphorus model that will be integrated in a water quality model that can simulate quality changes in the archipelago waters. WP1 deals with the project management and coordination. The aim of WP2 is to collect empirical data to quantify fluxes of phosphorus between sediment and water from different sedimentary areas in Svealand, Åland, SW Finland and W Uusimaa archipelagos. Based on the collected data a dynamic sediment-phosphorus model will be constructed and used in the overall modelling work package 3. The aim of WP3 is to develop a joint water quality model for the project area with a more detailed resolution in the archipelagos and a coarser resolution in the open sea areas. Process-oriented modeling dealing with sediment processes and primary production is part of this WP. Results of the modeling work will be implemented in a user friendly model application with different scenario runs developed in WP4. WP4 includes establishing of scenarios with regard to loading sources, climate change and artificial aeration: 1) Effect of the EU WFD programmes, 2) Effect of the HELCOM BSAP, 3) Effect of climate change, 4) Effect of the WFD action plans and the BSAP, taking into account climate change, 5) Effect of eco-engineering measures. WP5 focuses on awareness raising and information campaigns. The results: 1) A joint three-dimensional water quality model for the project area that can simulate water quality changes caused not only by land-based or atmospheric nutrient loading, but also by phosphorus fluxes from sediment to water. 2) New information of the internal phosphorus loading which can also be used in other archipelago areas in Sweden, Åland and Finland. 3) Results of the scenario simulations which can be used in water management plans even in other Baltic coastal areas. 4) Spreading joint information to the decision makers and inhabitants will increase the environmental awareness and the responsibility of the common environment.

Achievements (EN):

The SEABED project improved the situation in the Baltic Sea by creating tools for the management of the eutrophied archipelago areas with a special focus on the quantification of the internal load of phosphorus. Project enhanced environmental management co-operation between the central Baltic archipelagos and islands and created scenarios about the effects of remedial measures. By using existing and new data from field studies the partners acquired unique knowledge and created a database of the sediment phosphorus resources and potential of internal loading from the shallow‐water archipelago sedimentscreated modelling toolsestablished new regional cooperation and connections among the authorities, managers and other stakeholders within the project area.

Website: http://projects.centralbaltic.eu/

Thematic information

Water management Managing natural and man-made threats, risk management

Partners (7)

Lead Partner: Åbo Akademi

Address: Tuomiokirkkotori 3, FI-20500 Turku, Finland

Legal status: n/a

IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet AB

Name: IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet AB

Address: P.O. Box 210 60, SE-100 31 Stockholm , Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Varsinais-Suomen ELY-keskus

Name: Varsinais-Suomen ELY-keskus

Address: P.O. Box 47, FI-20801 Turku, Finland

Legal status: n/a

KTH Kungliga Tekniska högskolan

Name: KTH Kungliga Tekniska högskolan

Address: Valhallavägen 79 , SE-100 44 Stockholm , Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Svealands Kustvattenvårdsförbund

Name: Svealands Kustvattenvårdsförbund

Address: P.O. Box 38145, SE-100 64 Stockholm , Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Uudenmaan ELY-keskus

Name: Uudenmaan ELY-keskus

Address: P.O. Box 36, FI-00521 Helsinki, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Ålands landskapsregering

Name: Ålands landskapsregering

Address: P.O. Box 1060, AX-22111 Mariehamn, Finland

Legal status: n/a

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Summary

Project name (EN): Phosphorus from the seabed and water quality in archipelagos - modeling attempt

Project acronym: SEABED

Project start date: 2009-09-01

Project end date: 2012-12-31

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 182 000.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 886 500.00

Co-financing sources:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2007 - 2013 Central Baltic (FI-SE-EE-LA)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2014-09-01

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

122 / 122 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

672 / 672 (100%)

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Phosphorus from the seabed and water quality in archipelagos - modeling attempt

Description

Thematic information

Partners (7)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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