Resident survey provided more information on the problems of the Pitkäjärvi catchment area
A resident survey conducted in May collected residents' experiences of flooding and eutrophication problems in the Pitkäjärvi catchment area. The information will be utilised in a project to find solutions for the area’s problems by means of natural water management.
Pitkäjärvi
The challenges related to water management in the Pitkäjärvi catchment area have become more pronounced in recent years. The catchment area extends from Träskanda in Espoo to Keimola in Vantaa. Due to the nutrient load coming from several sources, the lake is eutrophic and more and more blue-green algae has been detected in it. Heavy rains have caused frequent flooding in areas located by the streams that flow into Pitkäjärvi. The Vihdintie road, for example, has suffered from flooding.
The situation will be improved through a joint project of the cities of Vantaa and Espoo and the Uusimaa Business, Transport and Environment Centre. The project is part of a programme to enhance the effectiveness of water protection, which is funded by the Ministry of the Environment.
The project will examine the problems of the catchment area and implement two natural water management structures to improve the situation. Both municipalities will have one structure.
The resident survey was carried out as part of an examination of the state of the catchment area. In addition to the survey, residents' experiences were also heard at a resident event in May. The survey collected comments from 41 different respondents who left a total of 233 observations. In addition to Pitkäjärvi, observations came from the areas of Lippajärvi, Niipperinoja, Pikkujärvi Nature Reserve, Kalajärvi, Kurkijärvi and Odilampi. The responses highlighted, among other things, the flooding and eutrophication of the southern and northern tip of Pitkäjärvi. The answers complement other information collected in the survey concerning the situation in the area.
Learn more about the results of the resident survey on the project website (information in Finnish).
Measures to be decided at the end of the year
After the completion of the preliminary study phase, the project will proceed to the selection and planning of the water management structures to be implemented. The selection will be made during autumn 2023, and the measures selected for implementation will be presented to residents at a resident event in early 2024. After the event, the measures will be implemented in 2024.
The time of the resident event will be announced later. The progress of the project can be followed on the project website (information in Finnish), where the date of the upcoming resident event will also be updated.
