Peculiarities of Long Term Water Level Fluctuatons on the Lithuanian Coast

Abstract

Trends of long-term water level and runoff over the 20th century were analysed based on the data obtained from 12 hydrological gauging stations located on the south and south-east coast of the Baltic Sea, on maximum and minimum water level in the Curonian Lagoon, and on the Nemunas River runoff. It was established that over the 20th century the water level in the south and south-east Baltic Sea (including the Lithuanian coast) and in the Curonian Lagoon had been rising on average at a rate of 1 mm per year, while the Nemunas runoff saw a fall (0.2 km3 per year). Since the mid-1970s in the south and south-east Baltic Sea an acceleration in sea level rise has been observed (at a rate of 5.2 mm per year at Klaipėda). Yet, due to the still falling runoff of the Nemunas the sea level rise has not reflected markedly in the dynamics of the lagoon water level.