Drought leaves Saimaa 50 centimetres below average

Water levels in eastern Finland remain exceptionally low as drought continues, Yle reports. Saimaa, Finland’s largest water system, is still about 50 centimetres below its average level.

Many natural lakes in the Finnish Lakeland region are also unusually low, despite late-July rainfall that lifted the levels of some large lakes. Kallavesi is about 25 centimetres and Pielinen about 30 centimetres below average. Viinijärvi in North Karelia is at its lowest level in recorded history.

Forecasts indicate that the water levels of the major lakes will either decline slowly or remain unchanged throughout August. A rise would require prolonged rainfall. Soil moisture and groundwater levels would have to increase first before more water reached the lakes and other waterways.

The low levels are making boating and water collection more difficult, with some piers left almost on dry land. On Saimaa, log rafts used for timber transport have had to be arranged more narrowly than usual.

The Southeast Finland vitality centre said it was not aware of the low water levels disrupting raft traffic or the operations of industrial facilities.

Rainfall in eastern Finland has had little effect on groundwater levels. Small groundwater formations in the region are 10 to 60 centimetres below the average for this time of year. The soil is dry in South Savo, North Karelia, Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme and parts of Ostrobothnia.