Barring any possible major late snowstorms, this past winter has brought little snow to most parts of Finland. As a result, lake water levels are on track to be even lower next summer than they were last year.
Groundwater levels are now lower than usual, especially in Savo, North and South Karelia, Central Finland and Pirkanmaa.
The situation has been exacerbated by the early, sudden onset of spring and an underlying drought that has been continuing in Eastern Finland for a second year. The usual spring flood peak, or highest water level, has come more than a month earlier than normal this spring.
The Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) predicts that the large lakes in Eastern Finland will remain low this year.
Water management planner Saska Hovi from the Southeast Finland Economic Development Centre says that the impact will be most pronounced in and around the country's biggest lake, Saimaa.
"We estimate that the surface of Lake Saimaa will be half a metre lower than average this summer. The season will be quite dry, unless we get a lot of rain in the spring and early summer," Hovi says.
Flow out of Lake Saimaa curtailed
Precipitation levels in Eastern Finland have been well below average this past winter. In the Saimaa catchment area, melting of snow, ice and frost began about a month ago, considerably earlier than usual.
Saimaa is now about 30 centimetres below average for this time of year, and unless there is heavy rain this spring, other large eastern lakes such as Pielinen and Keitele are set to remain low.
The same goes for the country's second-biggest lake, Päijänne in Central Finland, as well as Tarjannevesi and Längelmävesi in Pirkanmaa. Altogether, Finland has nearly 188,000 lakes and ponds of more than 100 square metres.
In regulated lakes such as Saimaa and the Vuoksi River, which feeds it to Russia, authorities can control surface levels by releasing water. Due to the dry conditions, officials began cutting back on the flow out of the lake on 23 March to prevent the level from falling too low.
Other regulated bodies of water in Eastern Finland include Höytiäinen, Koitere and Jänisjoki in North Karelia, as well as Kallavesi, Sorsavesi, Onkivesi and Porovesi in North Savo.
Knock-on effects of water scarcity
Low water levels make recreational use of waterways difficult, as docks and piers may be left standing far from the waterline, with bedrock exposed.
Drought can also drain wells that households rely on for drinking water. Dry soil also reduces crop yields, increases the risk of wildfires and limits hydroelectric production, potentially pushing electricity prices up. Hydropower accounts for 10-20 percent of Finland's electricity supply, depending on river levels.
In addition, this winter's thin snow cover coupled with severe cold caused the ground to freeze deeper than usual. That typically results in worse frost heaves and other damage to roads this spring, which in turn may delay spring sowing in some areas.
