Water situation 16.6.

Water levels exceptionally low in Lakeland Finland, coastal river water levels rising in places

The water levels in the coastal rivers of Southern and Western Finland and North Ostrobothnia have risen rapidly, in places, due to the heavy rainfall of the previous week, and the rise may continue for the next few days. However, river water levels are not expected to reach flood levels.

The exceptionally low amount of snow in the winter and the early and dry spring have caused the water levels of natural lakes to decline exceptionally early. The water levels of many medium-sized and smaller lakes have already fallen to the lowest seasonal levels ever recorded in the area extending from North Karelia to Pirkanmaa. Efforts have been made to curb the decline in water levels in lakes by limiting flow regulation by means of derogations. Rainfall in May and June will improve the water situation slightly, but the water levels of some large lakes, such as Lake Saimaa and Lake Pielinen, will still remain lower than last year, at least for the beginning of the summer.

The drought situation has also posed challenges in reaching the summer target levels for regulated lakes. The discharges of large, regulated water bodies’ outlet rivers, such as Rivers Kokemäenjoki, Kymijoki, Vuoksi and Oulujoki, will be close to the minimum discharges of the season for most of the summer.