New Master's thesis: Impacts of forestry and agricultural drainage restoration on groundwater levels

The master's thesis by Pihla Bergholm investigated how drainage blocking in the proximity of an aquifer can impact groundwater levels in wide areas in the aquifer, beyond the immediate proximity of the drained areas.

The just published master's thesis by Pihla Bergholm utilized groundwater flow modeling to study the impacts of drainage restoration in an esker area located in Satakunta between lake Köyliönjärvi and Harjavalta city. Based on the results of the study, drainage restoration can impact wide areas in the aquifer, beyond the close proximity of the drained areas, as long as the restored area is chosen correctly. The impacts of the restoration are limited by the drained areas that are not restored as well as other groundwater discharge sites where the groundwater can discharge instead of discharging from the blocked drains.

The master's thesis is connected to a collaboration project in Satakunta. The project aims to figure out the reasons for the decline in the aquifer's groundwater levels that has continued for decades. Additionally, the aim is to find solutions to stop the decline and even lift the groundwater levels again in the area.

The master's thesis is available at Aalto University's thesis collection Aaltodoc. The thesis is written in Finnish but there is a summary in English.