Hydrological effects of water management measures in the Dovinė River basin, Lithuania

Abstract

Lake Žuvintas, located in southern Lithuania in the Dovinė River basin, is one of the largest lakes and oldest nature reserves in the country. However, changes in the hydrology of the Dovinė River basin, caused by large-scale land reclamation and water management works carried out in the 20th century, have resulted in a significant decrease in the biodiversity of the lake and surrounding wetlands. In order to halt the ongoing deterioration of the lake and wetlands, solutions have to be found at the basin level. Using the SIMGRO model, various measures were therefore analysed to evaluate their impact on the water management in the Dovinė River basin. The results show that it is impossible to fully restore the water dynamics and flow pattern in the Dovinė River to their original state. However, a good measure for improving the hydrological conditions is to block drainage ditches and remove bushes and trees from the wetlands.