pre-proposal restoration project station aar00869 · station aar00869 are threatened by the...

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Pre-proposal restoration project Station AAR00869

Ionela Tamasan

AM16

Environmental Water Management

December 2017

Supervisor: Jens Brøgger

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Contents 1. Project introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 The connection between the Water Framework Directive and the project in Silkeborg

Municipality. ..................................................................................................................................... 3

2. Measures planned to carry out in the project............................................................................... 4

2.1 Phosphorus removal ................................................................................................................... 6

3. Consequences for the biological conditions in the stream, the surrounding areas, and protected

nature types .......................................................................................................................................... 7

4. Stakeholders involvement ............................................................................................................ 8

5. Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 9

References .......................................................................................................................................... 10

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1. Project introduction

Lyngbygaard stream borders to north with Herskind and Sjelle, Galten Skovby to the

south and approximately 17 km west from Aarhus, it has approximately 25 km stretch,

and it is one of the main watercourses in Aarhus’s stream system. (Nielsen, n.d.)

The location of the stream, the project is focusing on, is station AAR00869 which is

located on a private propriety. The stream there, is running close to agricultural fields,

which makes it vulnerable to pollution, mainly Nitrogen and Phosphorus. On a 368 m

stretch the stream is running underground, throughout pipes, to emerge at a point and run

in to a protected bog, where a clear water coarse it is not visible. (p.m. Jens Brøgger)

Due to the current situation at Station AAR00869 concerns such as, biodiversity and

ecological status of the stream, arose. Furthermore, the protected bog must be taken in to

consideration due to the fact that the stream runs in to it. Any pollution the stream carries

in to the bog might disturb its fragile and rare ecosystem. (LASKOW, 2017)

The landowners have dug a ditch with a 188 m stretch on the foot of the slope in order to

increase the drainage of the fields. The ditch was constructed without permission from

the authorities, it is not a protected watercourse and therefore is allowed to modify it,

aiming to include it in the pre-proposal for the restoration. The ditch is canalised, and

supplied with drainage water from the agricultural fields which carries nutrients from the

fertilisers. Another concerning aspect is the ochre that is visibly present in the ditch. (p.m.

Jens Brøgger)

1.2 The connection between the Water Framework Directive and the project in

Silkeborg Municipality.

Water Framework Directive, the legislation in water field that acts at European level,

implemented in Denmark in December 2000, is mainly focusing on pollution caused to

aquatic environment by the agricultural practice. The first deadline for achieving a good

ecological stat of the water course was set in 2015, but due to the complex process that

involves productiveness of the process, the range of the extent and the legal

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requirements that sometimes can be difficult to adjust to a particular situation, the

deadline has been extended. (Boeuf, 2016)

The project conducted by the Silkeborg Municipality is indeed following the goals, the

Water Framework Directive aims for, i.e. overall, achieving a good water status.

(Meisner, 2014)

During 2014 until 2015, a project was conducted at the site by the Silkeborg

Municipality. (Meisner, 2014)

The aim for the project was to restore and improve the overall ecological state of the

stream, to improve and create a better habitat for fauna, improve the physical condition

in order to create possibilities for spawning for species such as salmonids. Another

objective pursued by the project was to boost the overall physical and ecological status

further downstream in the Lyngbygaard Å system, this objective being achievable by

reducing the nutrients that reach the stream along the way, mainly from the agricultural

fields lying along its stretch. (Meisner, 2014)

2. Measures planned to carry out in the project.

Is only reasonable to state that the ecological and physical conditions on the stretch at

Station AAR00869 are threatened by the nutrients that run off from the agricultural

fields that are on a sloppy terrain and furthermore from the dead organic matter that

reaches the stream body. The presence of weeds such nettles (urtica dioica) and

common rush (juncus effusus) are an indicator of rich soil. (Juncus efusus) (: A. E.

Schellman, 2008)

As mentioned, the stream runs in to the bog area which can be very much affected by

the pollution carried by it. (LASKOW, 2017)

The main restoration that will be carried at the site, will be an extension of the wetland.

Having the clay type of soil will be an advantage, mainly due to the high-water retention

properties a clay soil has. By creating a larger wetland area, the stream will have the

possibility to regenerate. (United States Environmental Protection Agency; Office of

Water, 2000)

The wetland will be extended with approximately 5m.

Wetlands act as a buffer zone between the pollution source, in this case the agricultural

land and the water body. Having the wetland next to a stream it impacts the ecological

and physical quality of the waterbody. Because the water is more still, the retention

time is longer, thus the microorganisms have more time to decompose the nutrients.

(Jill Kostel, n.d.)

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Another very important propriety a wetland has is to store a reader high amount of

carbon dioxide. (Carbon Sequestration 101)

In addition to the wetland extension, a buffer zone will be created along it with an

approximately 3m width, and further along the bog. The current legislation requires a

2m buffer zone for the bog, but giving the circumstances, an additional 3m will ensure

a better protection. (Miljøministeriet, By- og Landskabsstyrelsen, 2009)

Another important issue the project is focusing on, is the ochre present in the stream

and the wet area along it. Its presence is most likely to be a consequence of the drainage

that was made on the land. By changing the characteristics of the upper layer of the soil,

iron and sulphur was realised. Ochre can be very toxic for the life in the stream,

especially if the water pH level is lower than 7, as it is at station AAR00869. (Per Søby

Jensen, 2005); (p.m. Jens Brøgger) For our goal, to improve the ecosystem in the stream

as well in the wetland, to be achieved the ochre must be removed. A very simple method

to remove the ochre is to rise the water level, in order to create anoxic environment,

which will further stop the ochre realise. (Per Søby Jensen, 2005)

Other measures to be carried:

• Meandering the stream that runs above the terrain;

• Meandering the dich, to create variation and to improve the physical conditions;

• Remove the vegetation from the banks, where needed;

• Reprofiling stream’s banks;

• Block the drainage system in order to ensure water for the wetland;

• Build a small bridge above the wetland for the landowners to cross the stream

without disturbing the habitats in the water;

Fig.1 suggestion bridge building location

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Not least, due to the previous archaeological findings around the area of the stream,

precautions must be taken and if any findings, Moesgård Museum will be informed

about it immediately.

Fig. 2 cultural heritage

2.1 Phosphorus removal Aside the ochre removal another important goal, the projects pursues, by extending the

wetland is to remove the nutrients that otherwise will reach the stream and affect the

entire ecosystem. (Jill Kostel, n.d.)

The focus in this case is on phosphorus, a nutrient that is used as fertiliser on the nearby

fields. There are two input sources of P: atmospheric, which is usually in a very low

percentage, and run-off from the terrain nearby. When the P reaches the wetland area

it enters either as organic or inorganic form, and further it can be as particulate or

dissolved forms. While the dissolved inorganic P is bioavailable, the organic and

particulate forms often need to transform in to inorganic in order to become

bioavailable. (Jill Kostel, n.d.)

Once it reaches the wetland, P is uptake by plants, plankton, microorganisms, present

in the waterbody, this being associated with biotic mechanism, and it can also bond to

the soil particles, on the bottom throughout sedimentation, this being the abiotic

process. Storage capacity of P in plants is not for a very long time, the plants that have

assimilated P will eventually become detritus and the P will be realised again. One

efficient measure that can be taken, is to physically remove the organic matter and

undecomposed plant material from the bottom of the wetland in order to ensure

available storage space for new P. (Jill Kostel, n.d.)

A more long-term storage for P is the soil, due to the solid form it can take throughout

a complex mineral formation. In more acidic water, such it is at station AAR00869

(p.m. Jens Brøgger), P is fixed with the help of a more shapeless and poorly crystalline

forms of Fe and Al. (Jill Kostel, n.d.)

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The anoxic environment ensures a longer P retention, due to the low decomposition rate

of the organic matter. Minerals such as Al, Fe, Mg and Ca, present in soil can highly

influence the stability and retention level of the P and the minerals themselves are

dependent on the redox conditions that can sometimes change. As one more aspect to

be mention is the water table level of the wetland, the longer stable periods of flooding

during a year time, the safer is the P stored. (Jill Kostel, n.d.)

3. Consequences for the biological conditions in the stream, the

surrounding areas, and protected nature types

When talking about wetlands and whether they are beneficial or not is hard to find

arguments against them. The main reason we do not have them in high percentage

nowadays, is the lack of space, meaning that most of them are drained in order to ensure

more place for urban expansion, farming, or other industries. (Osmond, 1995)

A wetland can only be beneficial for a stream, acting as a filter for all the pollution that is

likely to run-off from the agricultural lands. The only disadvantage in this case is directed

towards the landowners that will need to compromise a small area of land that will no

longer be able to be used as agricultural field. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration , n.d. )

The changes the stream will be subjected will to a certain degree affect its biological

conditions. By changing it course the soil and implicit the flora and fauna within it will be

slightly disturbed, but since the stream will only be meandered where needed, reader high

population of flora and fauna remaining will have a chance to restore. Even the conditions

for salmonids are far from ideal, they are still expected to be present, in the stream closer

to station AAR00869. (Jackson, 2014)

When meandering the ditch, no much attention is required due to the high ochre content

that made quite impossible for any fauna to develop. (Per Søby Jensen, 2005)

The work that will be carried on the site might cause disturbances to a certain level, the

machinery used, and the overall engineering the project requires, is a very important aspect

that needs to be taken in to consideration. (Jackson, 2014)

When the project will be finalised, aside the current protected nature types, new protected

nature areas will be present, this will change the current ecosystem, the food chain, create

new habitats and along with this, different managing techniques, different approaches for

different requirements. (European Environment Agency (EEA), 2017)

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4. Stakeholders involvement

The landowners are overall satisfied with the conditions at the site. The physical state at

the moment is not an impediment for them when it comes to conducting their usual

activities. (p.m. landowners)

They are opened to cooperate with the authorities, as long as two requirements will be

fulfilled.

1. To receive financial support in order to work towards an improvement for the protected

area; (p.m. landowners)

• By extending the wetland and adding a buffer zone the landowners can obtain EU

found, if the management requirements are met. (International Cooperation and

Development - DG DEVCO, 2017)

They are mainly using the land in the vicinity of the stream for grazing and agriculture, and

the grassland is used for hay-making as well, therefore the second requirement is:

2. To maintain the access for tractors from one side of the stream to the other.

• The access will be still available for the landowners to cross from one side of the

stream to the other. This will be possible by building a small bridge over the

wetland.

During the hunting season, fall and winter the landowners are hunting small game such as

pheasants and larger game such as deer. As a suggestion for the project goals they will like

to see an improvement for the small game, wild ducks maybe and larger game such as red

deer. (p.m. landowners)

• Once the wetland is established game birds such as Tufted duck or Goldeneye duck

is very likely to come in to the area. (Carp, 1980)

Fig. 3 Tufted duck Fig. 4 Goldeneye duck

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5. Conclusion

If taking all aspects into consideration, overall the area around station AAR00869 and the

actual stream have a high potential for improvements. Of course, when working with a

restoration project there are more factors that need to be taken in to consideration, and not

always a middle way can be find. In this particular case, a very important saying will have the

landowners, and depending on to which extent they are willing to cooperate with the public

authorities a mutual agreement might be achieved. (Boeuf, 2016)

Environmentally speaking the project has the potential of high rate of success. Wetlands are

proven to be highly efficient when it comes to aquatic management. There are many examples

of project that are proven to be successful and they showed a reader impressive improvement

in the aquatic ecosystem as well as for other terrestrial habitats. (National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration , n.d. )

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Boeuf, B. a. (2016). Studying the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Europe: a

meta-analysis of 89 journal articles. Ecology and Society, 21.

Carbon Sequestration 101. (n.d.). Retrieved from NOAA Fisheries:

http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/coastalcarbonsequestration.html

Carp, E. (1980). Directory of Wetlands of International Importance in the Western Palearctic. In E.

Carp, Directory of Wetlands of International Importance in the Western Palearctic (p. 506).

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European Environment Agency (EEA). (2017, December 01). An introduction to Europe’s Protected

Areas. Retrieved from European Environment Agency (EEA):

https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/biodiversity/europe-protected-areas/europe-

protected-areas-1#parent-fieldname-title

International Cooperation and Development - DG DEVCO. (2017, 12 08). EU development

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https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/environment/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-

services/protected-areas_en

Jackson, A. (2014, August 02). Flood Management. Retrieved from Geography AS Notes:

https://geographyas.info/rivers/flood-management/

Jill Kostel, P. s. (n.d.). Nutrient removal. Retrieved from The Wetlands Initiative:

http://www.wetlands-initiative.org/nutrient-removal/

Juncus efusus. (n.d.). Retrieved from Missouri Botanical Garden:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode

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LASKOW, S. (2017, August 02). Save the Bogs, for Peat’s Sake. Retrieved from Atlas Obscura:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/save-the-peatlands-conservation-bogs

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Kommune, Silkeborg . Retrieved from

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3%A6k%20v%20Toustrup.pdf

Miljøministeriet, By- og Landskabsstyrelsen. (2009, June 24). Vejledning om naturbeskyttelseslovens

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Restoration Division Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from

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Nielsen, B. (n.d.). Sporene i Lyngbygaard Ådal. Retrieved from Spor i Landskabet:

http://www.spor.dk/sporene/midtjylland/lyngbygaard

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restoration

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