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OPTAIN: Dotnuvélè River Basin [Lithuania]

Last update
2025
Dotnuvėlė river basin covers 192.7 km2. Four reservoirs are situated in the area: near Mantviliškis, Akademija, Dotnuva and near Kėdainiai. The Dotnuvėlė basin is in the Central Lowlands of Lithuania, which is rich in moist soils. Agricultural areas account for 69.2%, forests and other natural areas for 24.5%, artificial surfaces - 5.8%, and water bodies make up only 0.5%. State river monitoring is carried out for this river. The ecological status of the Dotnuvėlė river corresponds to poor (upstream) and medium (downstream) classes.

The OPTAIN project will support the case study team with identifying and developing efficient land management strategies and small technical solutions to improve the soils’ infiltration and water holding capacities as well as its capacity to filter, buffer and transform pollutants.
55.519442
23.800036
Project
OPTAIN
National Id
LT_01
Installation date
2015
Implementation Status
Completed
Contact
Klaipeda University-Natalja Čerkasova, natalja.cerkasova@ku.lt

Location of the project
Dotnuva
NUTS Code
LT02 - Lietuvos Vidurio ir Vakarų regionas
OPTAIN's measures
Wetland in the Stabė River
Involved Partners
Authority type Authority name Role Comments
Architects/Engineers
UAB "Aplinkos inžinierių grupė"
Determination of design details of the measure
Under supervision of Environmental Protection Agency at the Ministry of Environment
Other
Environmental Protection Agency at the Ministry of Environment
Implementation
Architects/Engineers
UAB "Aplinkos inžinierių grupė"
Monitoring
The project team UAB "Aplinkos inžinierių grupė" is responsible for maintenance during the project period. Afterward, local farmers or community members will take over.

Climate

Climate zone
cool temperate moist
Annual Averages:
Precipitation
615
Temperature
9°C
Evapotranspiration
396 mm/yar
Runoff
0.72 m3/s (154 mm)

Geography

Slope range
Flat (0 -2%)
Soil type
Gleysol
Vegetation class
Cultivated cropland, grass turf, forests

Water quality

Water bodies: Ecological Status
Poor/moderate
Water bodies: Chemical Status
Unknown
Site Information Summary

The area spans an elevation range of 22–124 meters and covers a catchment of 192.7 km². It lies in a cool temperate moist climate zone, with an average annual rainfall of 615 mm and an average temperature of 9 °C. The terrain is mostly flat (0–2% slope). Water bodies in the area have poor to moderate ecological status. The predominant vegetation class in the Dotnuvelė River basin is cultivated cropland with interspersed grass turf and patches of mixed deciduous forest. 

Scale of the project

Project scale
Micro
Project scale specification
In the lower part of the river Stabė, 1.8 km from its mouth, a wetland of 2.38 ha has been installed.
Performance timescale
1 - 4 years
Lifespan
2015-unknown

Size of the project

Project area
192.7 km²
Area specifications
urban, rural, wetlands, agricultural, forests
Size
2.38
Size unit
ha

Principles

Design capacity
The wetland has four main sections. The deepest part covers 0.21 ha and is up to 2.0 m deep. Sediments are deposited here.
Design land use change
Land use change type Comment

Wetland constructed by artificially flooding the valley, incorporating structural elements such as corrugated metal plating at the inlet and outlet of the wetland to protect the stream banks.
Design and implementation summary

There are no funds form CAP for this measures. It may be funding upon application from diverse programmes, from Ministry of Agriculture or Ministry of Environment, NGO's or Environment Protection Agency.

Details of the costs

Costs operation maintenance information
Since the wetland was established form the project funds, the project team UAB "Aplinkos inžinierių grupė" is responsible for the maintenance of the wetland until the end of the project. After the end of the contract - the successor or authorized person of its results, local farmers or members of rural communities will be responsible for the maintenance of wetland. Land user has no maintenance costs and had no establishment costs. The implementation of the project is therefore considered to be positive in terms of cost efficiency.
Administrative costs
5000 EUR
Administrative annual cost information
Since the wetland was established form the project funds, the project team UAB "Aplinkos inžinierių grupė" is responsible for the maintenance of the wetland until the end of the project. After the end of the contract - the successor or authorized person of its results, local farmers or members of rural communities will be responsible for the maintenance of wetland.
Total cost
Total costs for establishment: 89 591 €
Financing authorities
Authority name Type of funding Financing share Comments
European Environment Agency
Other
100%
EEA grant

Policy and general governance summary

The artificial wetland implemented in the Dotnuvelė River basin is part of a catchment-based and project-based initiative aimed at reducing nutrient pollution, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, from agricultural runoff. The primary policy objective is to improve water quality in line with the EU Water Framework Directive. The measure aligns with broader agriculture and environmental policy goals, focusing on water management and protection. It also contributes to several other European directives and strategies, including the Nitrates Directive, EU Biodiversity Strategy and Habitats Directive, Floods Directive, and the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Land ownership
The land is owned by the family farm. All the agreements were prepared with the supervision of the Enviromnetal Protection Agency. The project for the cuntructed wetland was prepared by the private company.
Wider plan type
Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments
Catchment-based
Water
EU Water Framework Directive
The artificial wetland in the Dotnuvelė River basin is part of a catchment-scale effort to reduce nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff and improve water quality in alignment with the EU Water Framework Directive.
Policy target
Target purpose
Pollutants Removal
Target Remarks
Reduce nutrient pollution (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus) from agricultural runoff in alignment with EU Water Framework Directive.
Policy impact
Impact directive Relevant impact
Community involvment
No
Policy pressure
Pressure directive Relevant pressure
Requirement directive
Requirement directive Specification
Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC
Nitrate Directive (NiD) 91/676/EEC
The Birds and Habitat Directives
Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC
Floods Directive-mitigating Flood Risk
Contractual arrangements
0
Design contractual arrangement
Arrangement type Responsibility Role Name Comments
Design consultation activity
Activity stage Name Key issues Comments
Policy area
Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments
Primary
Water Framework Directive
Reduce nutrient pollution (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus) from agricultural runoff in alignment
Primary
Water Framework Directive
Water management and protection
Primary
Environmental Policy
Environmental protection
Primary
Nutrient Directive

Monitoring system

Monitoring requirements
The land user incurs no maintenance or setup costs, making the project cost-efficient.
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes, reports
Monitoring downstream station
The wetland was designed to retain nutrients in the spring and reduce their concentrations downstream. Through an ongoing research programme, the impact of the wetland has been monitored from the start. In the first year, vegetation had not become established so there were no impacts. However in 2020 and 2021 there were very positive results in terms of nutrient capture.
Monitoring and Maintenance Summary

Wetland maintenance varies annually. Activities like sediment removal, plant trimming, or replanting (especially post-winter) are done as needed. The project team UAB "Aplinkos inžinierių grupė" is responsible for maintenance during the project period. Afterward, local farmers or community members will take over. The land user incurs no maintenance or setup costs, making the project cost-efficient. Formal monitoring is conducted through reports.

Success factor(s)
Success factor type Success factor role Comments Order
Attitude of relevant stakeholders
main factor
<p>Stakeholder engagement&nbsp;</p>
Other
main factor
<p>Tailored design</p>
Available support tools
main factor
<p>External funding and support&nbsp;</p>
Barrier
Barrier type Barrier role Comments Order
Attitude of relevant stakeholders
main barrier
Land availability and willingness
Lacking financing sources
main barrier
Lack of long-term funding
Expected maintenance needs
main barrier
uncertain responsibility post-project
Driver
Driver type Driver role Comments Order
Balancing different objectives
main driver
Nutrient pollution reduction needs, water quality improvement goals
Overall impact
The project has had the following impacts: - Irrigation water quality: increased - Plant diversity: increased - Habitat diversity: increased - Reliable and stable stream flows in dry seasons: increased
Lessons learned Summary

The successful implementation of the wetland measure was driven by strong external funding, stakeholder engagement, and a tailored design adapted to local conditions. These factors enabled cost-effective and efficient execution. However, challenges such as land availability, lack of long-term funding, and unclear responsibilities post-project present risks to long-term sustainability. The project was initiated primarily to address nutrient pollution and improve water quality in the catchment.