Rising water threatens Miekojärvi’s winter ice, fisherman says

Water levels in Miekojärvi, a lake in Ylitornio, have risen by about one metre in August, disrupting fishing, tourism and lakeside life, Yle reports. Professional fisherman Jouko Sirkkala says the situation has confused the lake’s entire ecosystem and could lead to dangerously poor ice conditions next winter.

Miekojärvi covers 53 square kilometres, meaning the rise represents roughly 53 million cubic metres of additional water.

“The fish, crayfish and everything else are bewildered. They must be wondering whether winter has already passed, since the spring floods arrived,” Sirkkala said.

He said fishermen’s nets have been empty day after day because they were set for normal summer water levels. Fishing methods now have to be extensively modified. Shore seines cannot be used because the rising water has covered the beaches.

The higher water level has also affected tourism. Orhinselänniemi, a distinctive sandbar on the lake that attracts visitors from far away, is almost completely covered.

Lakeside residents and holiday-home owners have also been affected. Docks built for normal water levels have come loose, and members of a local boating club had to retrieve one from the middle of a boat channel, Sirkkala said.

Water releases have stopped

Miekojärvi’s water level rose after the level of Vietonen, the regulated lake upstream, had to be lowered. Under its permit conditions, Vietonen must remain within a specified water level range.

Floodgates were opened at the Kaarannekoski power plant between the lakes, releasing water from Vietonen into Miekojärvi. The releases were prompted by heavy rainfall and an autumn flood.

Markku Nivalainen, an expert at Downing Hydro, which owns the power plant, said on Friday that the bypass releases had been stopped for now and that the situation was returning to normal. He said the water level in Miekojärvi was currently 85 centimetres above normal, according to environmental administration data.

Nivalainen acknowledged that residents of Miekojärvi had not been informed about the opening of the floodgates. He said the releases were caused by flooding in Vietonen after a wet summer.

Fisherman criticises compensation rules

Sirkkala criticised the fact that the power company is required to compensate damage along the shores of Vietonen but not in Miekojärvi. He said residents, businesses and the power company all suffer from the situation, while water released through the floodgates generates no income for the company.

Sirkkala also said the dates specified in the permit conditions were artificial and contributed to the problems.

The rise in water levels could affect next winter’s ice. Water has spread onto shoreline meadows, increasing the amount of humus in the lake.

“The ice conditions are expected to be catastrophic,” Sirkkala said.

He said humus could become trapped beneath the ice and split it. Brown, weak ice could also accumulate on the surface, and proper ice may not form at all. In spring, dark surface water warmed by the humus could become hot enough to kill fish such as vendace.