Water expertise by Finnish Environment Institute
River and stream management and restoration services
We combine ecological expertise, hydrological modelling and decision support to help you plan effective restoration measures, manage environmental impacts and evaluate results.
Research-based support throughout your restoration project
Successful river and stream restoration requires an understanding of the watercourse, its catchment and the people who depend on it. We support public authorities, municipalities, hydropower operators, landowners, consultants and restoration-project managers from early assessment to follow-up monitoring.
Our expertise covers environments ranging from small forest brooks to large hydropower rivers. We help you select suitable physical, chemical and biological measures, assess their effects and compare practical options.
By combining ecological knowledge, hydrological modelling and participatory decision support, we help you make transparent choices that account for environmental, economic and social objectives.
Services we provide
Our services can support individual stages of a restoration project or provide an integrated foundation for planning, implementation and monitoring.
Ecological flow assessment
Hydromorphological assessment
Nature-like bypass channels
Ecological compensation
Hydraulic and habitat modelling
Restoration design and hydraulic engineering
References
Our projects demonstrate how research, monitoring, modelling and cooperation can support practical water-management measures and strengthen shared knowledge on river restoration.
SAVE – reducing agricultural phosphorus loading
The SAVE project examined gypsum treatment of agricultural fields as a way to reduce phosphorus entering waterways and the Archipelago Sea. The University of Helsinki implemented the gypsum spreading, while Finnish Environment Institute was responsible for studying the effects on water bodies.
In the large-scale pilot, gypsum was applied to approximately 1,500 hectares of farmland in the Savijoki river basin. Water quality, phosphorus loading, river biota and soil were monitored to assess the effectiveness and environmental safety of the measure.
According to the project results:
- Gypsum reduced erosion and phosphorus loading by approximately 50%.
- The project combined continuous water-quality measurements with sampling.
- No harmful effects on the studied river biota were identified.
- The pilot was carried out in cooperation with local farmers.
- SAVE project, Improving the quality of the Archipelago Sea by applying gypsum to agricultural fields (helsinki.fi)
RESTORE – European river-restoration knowledge exchange
The RESTORE project, Rivers Engaging, Supporting and Transferring Knowledge for Restoration in Europe, ran from 2010 to 2013. Finnish Environment Institute was one of six European partners in the EU LIFE+ project.
RESTORE connected river-restoration professionals and brought together existing national restoration initiatives. Its work supported knowledge exchange and strengthened cooperation among restoration networks across Europe.
The project also contributed to the creation of RiverWiki as a resource for sharing information about river-restoration projects and practices.
- European cooperation involving six project partners
- Knowledge exchange between river-restoration professionals
- Support for stronger restoration networks
Development of RiverWiki as a shared resource - RESTORE project, Rivers Engaging, Supporting and Transferring knowledge for Restoration in Europe (ecrr.org)
RiverWiki – shared knowledge on river restoration
Finnish Environment Institute worked with European networks and organisations to develop RiverWiki as part of the RESTORE project.
The interactive resource was created to make information about river-restoration projects and methods easier to share. It enables practitioners to learn from restoration work carried out in different locations and to develop their knowledge through practical examples.
RiverWiki demonstrates the value of maintaining accessible, shared knowledge beyond the duration of an individual project.
- Interactive collection of river-restoration information
- Practical examples available to restoration professionals
- A key output of the EU LIFE+ RESTORE project
- RiverWiki project, Restoring Europe’s rivers (restorerivers.eu)
Frequently asked questions
These answers outline how our expertise can support different watercourses, project stages and restoration needs.
What types of watercourses can you assess?
Our expertise covers environments ranging from small brooks in forests, agricultural areas and cities to large rivers affected by hydropower. The appropriate assessment and modelling methods depend on the site and the project objectives.
At what stage should we involve your experts?
We can support early assessment, comparison of restoration options, planning, implementation and follow-up monitoring. Involving ecological, hydrological and stakeholder expertise early can help establish clear objectives and suitable data requirements.
Can you help us compare different restoration measures?
Yes. We use multi-criteria assessment and modelling to compare alternatives and their potential ecological, economic and social implications. The process can also involve stakeholders in defining objectives and evaluating options.
Do you provide support for hydropower-related projects?
Yes. Our expertise includes ecological flows, nature-like bypass channels, ecological compensation, flow and habitat modelling, and decision support for mitigating the environmental impacts of hydropower.
Can monitoring show whether restoration has worked?
Water-quality and biological monitoring before and after restoration can provide evidence of change and help evaluate whether the project’s objectives have been achieved. The monitoring plan should be designed around the site, measures and intended outcomes.
How do we get started?
Contact our experts with a short description of the watercourse, the project stage, your objectives and any available data. We can then discuss which assessments, modelling methods or advisory services would best support your work.
Plan your restoration project with us
Whether you are defining objectives, comparing measures or evaluating results, our experts can help you build a research-based approach suited to your watercourse and operating context.