Processes and Site Characteristics Controlling Nutrient and Sediment Runoff Loads From Peat Harvesting Sites

Authors:
Tapio Tuukkanen, Bjørn Kløve, Hannu Marttila, Kaisa Heikkinen, Anssi Karppinen

Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Stockholm

Keywords:
peat-harvesting-water-quality-load-formation-load-prediction-runoff

Documentfile:
Tuukkanen et al 2012: Processes and Site Characteristics Controlling Nutrient and Sediment Runoff Loads From Peat Harvesting Sit

Summary:

Theme II. Peat for horticulture, energy and other uses

SUMMARY

Peat drainage and peat harvesting activities result in increased suspended solids (SS) and nutrient runoff loads to watercourses. According to current EU legislation, these harmful environmental impacts must be assessed before peat production can start. However, not enough is known about processes and potential site-specific characteristics which determine the variation in load from different peat production sites. To better assess and predict loads from peat production, extensive data from production methods, geology, hydrology, water protection structures and water quality were collected from 22 peat harvesting catchments around Finland. This study focuses on statistical analyses of the collected data.