The County Administrative Board of Östergötland conducts assessments of regional waters and implements relevant measures. There are many lakes, rivers and coastal areas in the region which currently do not reach a good status in terms of nutrients. Algal blooms are common. Internal loads from lake sediments are also a problem.
The assessments and recommendations have been based on the current status of water bodies but those may change with the changing climate. Therefore it is important to try and predict the future impact of climate change so that available resources can be used effectively.
Pan-European scale data available for download from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) for Water interface (http://swicca.climate.copernicus.eu/) were used to assess changes in nutrient concentrations and ecological status of streams due to changes in the climate. The objective was to explore the applicability of climate impact indicators to watershed scale and to provide guidance to managers in the country administrative board when planning mitigation measures.
Nutrient indicators from the C3S for Water demonstrator showed the impact of climate change on nutrient loads and concentrations in the lake water for various scenarios. This enabled the client to focus their resources on preparing for the future without the need for processing large amounts of climate data. The indicators can be used in planning for future water quality for drinking, swimming, fishing, and the environment.
Main contractor: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute - SMHI (SE)