Water Protection and Freshwater Restoration

Mitä opit?

Students can:
• Explain the ecological and chemical status and classification of water bodies.
• Identify types, sources, and impacts of external and internal loading.
• Describe key bio-geochemical processes and lake ecosystem structure.
• Summarize the principles of water policies, legislation, and River Basin Management.
• Recognize common methods for river, stream, and lake restoration.
• Evaluate restoration outcomes and propose suitable water protection measures.

Mitä opinnot sisältävät?

This course introduces the ecological and chemical status of water bodies, including classification methods used in Finland and the EU. Students learn about the types, sources, and impacts of loading on aquatic environments, as well as key bio-geochemical cycles, lake morphology, thermal stratification, and food webs. The course also covers the fundamentals of water policies, legislation, and River Basin Management planning at both international and national levels. In the applied section, students become familiar with commonly used restoration methods for rivers, streams, and lakes, and assess the effectiveness of restoration efforts in Finland.

Course duration: weeks 36-43


1. Basics of water protection and freshwater systems

– Key concepts and terminology related to water protection
– Structure and functioning of freshwater systems
– The hydrological cycle and catchment-based approach
– Introduction to nutrient cycles (nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon)
– Basic principles of water quality and ecological status
– Types of loading sources and impacts of loading

2. Water policies and governance

– Key water protection policies and directives (EU and Baltic Sea region)
– Key water protection policies in Finland
– Roles of different stakeholders in water management
– Introduction to River Basin Management planning

3. Limnology

– Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of inland waters
– Stratification, mixing processes and seasonal dynamics
– Nutrient dynamics and primary production
– Oxygen conditions and ecosystem functioning
– Impacts of nutrient loading and eutrophication on aquatic ecosystems

4. River and lake restoration

– Principles of freshwater restoration
– Restoration methods for rivers, streams and lakes
– Measures to reduce nutrient loading and improve ecological status
– Role of internal processes (e.g. sediment interactions) in restoration
– Evaluation of restoration outcomes and effectiveness