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Description
The objective of the project is to create a remote data processing system for improved mapping and monitoring of the ecological status of marine and inland water.
The project will contribute to the ability of Lithuanian environmental authorities to roughly assess the water status of lakes and reservoirs in spatial and temporal coverage. Moreover, authorities will possess tools and capacities to assess yearly land use change. Additionally, a broader set of tools and methods of remote data processing system will be developed through the project.
Activities:
- Preparation of methodologies for generating various environmental assessment products on water bodies and land cover using the remote sensing imagery (e.g. Sentinel-2 ) dataflow;
- Preparation of a set of applications (library of tools) for processing of remote sensing data;
- Preparation of the user manual and hands-on training for relevant EPA staff, providing examples and guidance for the proficient application of library of tools in order to generate reliable environmental assessment results;
- Study visits to respective institutions of the selected EU and/or EEA countries to exchange experience in the application of remote sensing methods for practical uses in the area of water status assessment and land use detection
The expected outcome of the project will be increased capacity to assess and predict environmental status of marine and inland waters by means of increased coverage and data accuracy of effectively monitored surface water bodies and land use changes.
Competent state authorities will be able to detect potential water quality problems in most of non-river water bodies in Lithuania and to relate the land use change data with that of water quality, e.g:
- periodic data of land use changes and crop harvesting;
- periodic screening and detection of potentially problematic lakes in terms of water quality;
- periodic surveillance of eutrophication in selected critically important water bodies.
Summary of project results
This project was an important part of the Lithuanian government''s efforts to improve the ecological health of the country''s water resources, both inland and marine, in line with EU directives such as the Marine Strategic Framework Directive and the Water Framework Directive.
The project helped Lithuanian environmental authorities assess the condition of lakes and reservoirs, both spatially and over time. It also provided them with tools to track yearly changes in land use. Additionally, the project developed a wider range of tools and methods for processing remote data.
The main goal of the project was to create a remote data processing system to enhance the mapping and monitoring of the ecological status of both marine and inland waters. The project included the following activities:
Activity 1: Creation of the remote data processing system.Activity 2: Study visits to institutions in selected EU and/or EEA countries to exchange knowledge on the use of remote sensing methods for assessing water status and detecting land use changes.
Project activities:
- A remote data processing system was developed to map and monitor the ecological status of marine and inland waters.
- As a result of the project, 83.78% of all lakes and reservoirs listed in the Cadastre of Rivers, Lakes and Reservoirs will be monitored annually.
The main deliverable of the project is a satellite-based remote sensing system (referred to as "the System") that can identify potentially problematic water bodies and, to some extent, suggest possible causes of these issues. Problematic water bodies can now be preliminarily identified by analyzing chlorophyll-a concentrations, which are derived from the System. Additionally, land use data extracted from the System can provide insights into potential root causes of environmental problems.
The key benefit of the System is the ability to quickly (within 1-2 days after satellite images are available) receive information about the state of most water bodies in the State Cadastre, with little to no cost. This system allows for extensive temporal coverage, providing an average of 35 data samples per lake per year. In contrast, state monitoring usually examines each lake only four times a year. Over six years, state monitoring covers only 361 lakes, producing a maximum of 1,444 samples annually, but realistically fewer. Meanwhile, the System produced 121,240 samples in 2023 and 116,794 samples in 2024, allowing for broader temporal and spatial coverage. This means that the System can help prioritize lakes that may need further investigation to confirm or rule out environmental issues and identify the causes.
The main impact of the System is that the Lithuanian Environmental Protection Agency (LEPA) now has an additional and more efficient tool to conduct pressure-impact analyses.
LEPA is the main beneficiary of the project, using the System as a supplementary tool for pressure-impact analysis, which is part of its mandate. The Ministry of Environment indirectly benefits from the results, as LEPA reports any detected issues, which can then inform policies and measures to improve water quality. Municipalities will also benefit, as they will be alerted to potential problems in their areas, which can then be included in local monitoring programs. Environmental control agencies may also investigate issues in specific lakes identified by the System. In the future, the public may benefit by using the System’s data to select safe, clean water bodies for bathing. Additionally, some national scientific institutions have shown interest in the System’s results. Lastly, the project’s international collaboration will help exchange knowledge and support the development of similar systems and methodologies at the EU level.