Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Ditch network maintenance in peat-dominated boreal forests: Review and analysis of water quality management options

  • Review
  • Published:
Ambio Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of different water management options to mitigate sediment and nutrient exports from ditch network maintenance (DNM) areas in boreal peatland forests. Available literature was reviewed, past data reanalyzed, effects of drainage intensity modeled, and major research gaps identified. The results indicate that excess downstream loads may be difficult to prevent. Water protection structures constructed to capture eroded matter are either inefficient (sedimentation ponds) or difficult to apply (wetland buffers). It may be more efficient to decrease erosion, either by limiting peak water velocity (dam structures) or by adjusting ditch depth and spacing to enable satisfactory drainage without exposing the mineral soil below peat. Future research should be directed towards the effects of ditch breaks and adjusted ditch depth and spacing in managing water quality in DNM areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahti, E. 1987. Water balance of drained peatlands on the basis of water table simulation during the snowless period. Communicationes Instituti Forestalis Fenniae 141.

  • Armstrong, A., J. Holden, P. Kay, B. Francis, M. Foulger, S. Gledhill, A.T. McDonald, and A. Walker. 2010. The impact of peatland drain-blocking on dissolved organic carbon loss and discolouration of water; results from a national survey. Journal of Hydrology 381: 112–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.11.031.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Åström, M., E.-K. Aaltonen, and J. Koivusaari. 2004. Changes in leaching patterns of nitrogen and phosphorus after artificial drainage of a boreal forest—A paired catchment study in Lappajärvi, western Finland. Boreal Environment Research 10: 67–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carling, P.A., M.S. Glaister, and T.P. Flintham. 1997. The erodibility of upland soils and the design of preafforestation drainage networks in the United Kingdom. Hydrological Processes 11: 1963–1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carling, P.A., B.J. Irvine, A. Hill, and M. Wood. 2001. Reducing sediment inputs to Scottish streams: A review of the efficiency of soil conservation practices in upland forestry. The Science of the Total Environment 265: 209–227.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ecke, F. 2009. Drainage ditching at the catchment scale affects water quality and macrophyte occurrence in Swedish lakes. Freshwater Biology 59: 119–126. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2008.02097.x.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eggelsmann, R.A.L., G. Heathwaite, E. Grosse-Brauckmann, W. Kuster, M.Schuch Naucke, and V. Schweickle. 1993. Physical processes and properties of mires. In Mires: Process, exploitation and conservation, ed. A.L. Heathwaite, and K.H. Gottlich, 171–262. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnish Statistical Yearbook of Forestry. 2014. Suomen virallinen tilasto: Maa-, metsä- ja kalatalous.

  • Finér, L., T. Mattsson, S. Joensuu, H. Koivusalo, A. Laurén, T. Makkonen, M. Nieminen, S. Tattari, et al. 2010. A method for calculating nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment load from forested catchments. Suomen ympäristö 10/2010 (in Finnish).

  • Froster, A. 2016. The fight about the ditch. Hav & Vatten 4: 10–19. ISSN 2002-0252. https://issuu.com/havochvatten/docs/hav1604_e (in Swedish).

  • Haahti, K., M. Nieminen, L. Finér, H. Marttila, T. Kokkonen, A. Leinonen, and H. Koivusalo. 2017. Model-based evaluation of sediment control in a drained peatland forest after ditch network maintenance. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 48: 130–140.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haahti, K., H. Marttila, L. Warsta, T. Kokkonen, L. Finér, and H. Koivusalo. 2016. Modeling sediment transport after ditch network maintenance of a forested peatland. Water Resources Research 52: 9001–9019. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hånell, B. 1988. Postdrainage forest productivity of peatlands in Sweden. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 18: 1443–1456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hånell, B. 2007. Data based on the National Swedish Forest Inventory and presented by Björn Hånell at a conference 14 November 2007 at the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, KSLA.

  • Hansen, K., V. Kronnäs, T. Zetterberg, M. Zetterberg, F. Moldan, P. Petterson, and J. Munthe. 2013. The effects of ditch cleaning on runoff, water chemistry and botany fauna in forest ecosystems. Rapport. IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet AB (in Swedish).

  • Hjulstrom, F. 1935. Studies of morphological activity of rivers as illustrated by the river Fyris. Bulletin of the Geological Institute University of Uppsala 25: 221–527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hökkä, H., H. Hyttinen, H. Marttila, J. Jämsen, and B. Klöve. 2011. The effect of the PRC method on volume growth of tree stands in ditch maintenance areas. Silva Fennica 45: 331–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holden, J., M. Gascoign, and N.R. Bosanko. 2007. Erosion and natural revegetation associated with surface land drains in upland peatlands. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 32: 1547–1557. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hynninen, A., S. Sarkkola, A. Laurén, H. Koivusalo, and M. Nieminen. 2011. Capacity of riparian buffer areas to reduce ammonium export originating from ditch network maintenance areas in peatlands drained for forestry. Boreal Environment Research 16: 430–444.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joensuu, S., E. Ahti, and M. Vuollekoski. 1999. The effects of peatland forest ditch maintenance on suspended solids in runoff. Boreal Environment Research 4: 343–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joensuu, S., E. Ahti, and M. Vuollekoski. 2002. Effects of ditch network maintenance on the chemistry of run-off water from peatland forests. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 17: 238–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaila, A., A. Laurén, S. Sarkkola, H. Koivusalo, L. Ukonmaanaho, L. Xiao, Z. Asam, C. O´Driscoll, et al. 2015. The effect of clear-felling and harvest residue removal on nitrogen and phosphorus export from drained Norway spruce mires in southern Finland. Boreal Environment Research 20: 693–706.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaila, A., S. Sarkkola, A. Laurén, L. Ukonmaanaho, H. Koivusalo, L. Xiao, C. O’Driscoll, Z. Asam, et al. 2014. Phosphorus export from drained Scots pine mires after clear-felling and bioenergy harvesting. Forest Ecology and Management 325: 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.03.025.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kløve, B. 1998. Erosion and sediment delivery from peat mines. Soil & Tillage Research 45: 199–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koivusalo, H., E. Ahti, A. Laurén, T. Kokkonen, T. Karvonen, R. Nevalainen, and L. Finér. 2008. Impacts of ditch cleaning on hydrological processes in a drained peatland forest. Hydrology and Earth System Science 12: 1211–1227. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-12-1211-2008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koskinen, M., T. Sallantaus, and H. Vasander. 2011. Post-restoration development of organic carbon and nutrient leaching from two ecohydrologically different peatland sites. Ecological Engineering 37: 1008–1016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.06.036.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koskinen, M., T. Tahvanainen, S. Sarkkola, M.W. Menberu, A. Laurén, T. Sallantaus, H. Marttila, A.-K. Ronkanen, et al. 2017. Restoration of fertile peatlands poses a risk for high exports of dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The Science of the Total Environment 586: 858–869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.065.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Laiho, R., S. Tuominen, S. Kojola, T. Penttilä, M. Saarinen, and A. Ihalainen. 2016. Forestry-drained peatlands of low productivity in Finland. Metsätieteen aikakauskirja 2: 73–93 (In Finnish).

    Google Scholar 

  • Liljaniemi, P., K.-M. Vuori, T. Tossavainen, J. Kotanen, M. Haapanen, A. Lepistö, and K. Kenttämies. 2003. Effectiveness of constructed overland flow areas in decreasing diffuse pollution from forest drainages. Environmental Management 32: 602–613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-2927-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marttila, H., and B. Kløve. 2010a. Dynamics of erosion and suspended sediment transport from drained peatland forestry. Journal of Hydrology 388: 414–425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.05.026.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marttila, H., and B. Kløve. 2010b. Managing runoff, water quality and erosion in peatland forestry by peak runoff control. Ecological Engineering 36: 900–911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.04.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marttila, H., and B. Kløve. 2015. Spatial and temporal variation in particle size and particulate organic matter content in suspended particulate matter from peatland-dominated catchments in Finland. Hydrological Processes 29: 1069–1079. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10221.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marttila, H., K.-M. Vuori, H. Hökkä, J. Jämsen, and B. Kløve. 2010. Framework for designing and applying peak runoff control structures for peatland forestry conditions. Forest Ecology and Management 260: 1262–1273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2010.06.032.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania Department of Forest. 2003. The chronicle of Lithuanian forests XX century. Vilnius 2003: 631.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen, M. 2003. Effects of clear-cutting and site preparation on water quality from a drained Scots pine mire in southern Finland. Boreal Environment Research 8: 53–59.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen, M., E. Ahti, H. Nousiainen, S. Joensuu, and M. Vuollekoski. 2005a. Capacity of riparian buffer zones to reduce sediment concentrations in discharge from peatlands drained for forestry. Silva Fennica 39: 331–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen, M., E. Ahti, H. Nousiainen, S. Joensuu, and M. Vuollekoski. 2005b. Does the use of riparian buffer zones in forest drainage sites to reduce the transport of solids simultaneously increase the export of solutes? Boreal Environment Research 10: 191–201.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen, M., E. Ahti, H. Koivusalo, T. Mattsson, S. Sarkkola, and A. Laurén. 2010. Export of suspended solids and dissolved elements from peatland areas after ditch network maintenance in south-central Finland. Silva Fennica 44: 39–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen, M., A. Kaila, M. Koskinen, S. Sarkkola, H. Fritze, E.-S. Tuittila, H. Nousiainen, H. Koivusalo, A. Laurén, H. Ilvesniemi, et al. 2015a. Natural and restored wetland buffers in reducing sediment and nutrient export from forested catchment: Finnish experiences. In The role of natural and constructed wetlands in nutrient cycling and retention on the landscape, ed. J. Vymazal, 57–72. Cham: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieminen, M., M. Koskinen, S. Sarkkola, A. Laurén, A. Kaila, O. Kiikkilä, T.M. Nieminen, and L. Ukonmaanaho. 2015b. Dissolved organic carbon export from harvested peatland forests with differing site characteristics. Water, Air, and Soil pollution 226: 181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-015-2444-0.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paavilainen, E., and J. Päivänen. 1995. Peatland forestry. Ecology and Principles. Berlin: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Päivänen, J., and B. Hånell 2012. Peatland ecology and forestry—A Sound Approach, Vol. 3. University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences Publications.

  • Piirainen, S., L. Finér, E. Andersson, K. Armolaitis, O. Belova, D. Čiuldiené, M. Futter, W. Gil, Z. Glazko, T. Hiltunen, et al. 2017. Forest drainage and water protection in the Baltic Sea Region countries—Current knowledge, methods and needs for development.

  • Postila, H., J. Saukkoriipi, K. Heikkinen, S.M. Karjalainen, H. Marttila, and B. Kløve. 2014. Can treatment wetlands be constructed on drained peatlands for efficient purification of peat extraction runoff? Geoderma 228–229: 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.12.008.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Postila, H., A.-K. Ronkanen, and B. Kløve. 2015. Wintertime purification efficiency of constructed wetlands treating runoff from peat extraction in a cold climate. Ecological Engineering 85: 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.09.066.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prévost, M., A.P. Plamondon, and P. Belleau. 1999. Effects of drainage of a forested peatland on water quality and quantity. Journal of Hydrology 214: 130–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(98)00281-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramchunder, S.J., L.E. Brown, and J. Holden. 2009. Environmental effects of drainage, drain-blocking and prescribed vegetation burning in UK upland peatlands. Progress in Physical Geography 33: 49–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133309105245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sallantaus, T., H. Vasander, and J. Laine. 1998. Prevention of detrimental impacts of forestry operations on water bodies using buffer zones created from drained peatlands. Suo 49: 125–133 (in Finnish).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkkola, S., H. Hökkä, H. Koivusalo, M. Nieminen, E. Ahti, J. Päivänen, and J. Laine. 2010. Role of tree stand evapotranspiration in maintaining satisfactory drainage conditions in drained peatlands. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 40: 1485–1496. https://doi.org/10.1139/X10-084.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkkola, S., H. Hökkä, E. Ahti, M. Nieminen, and H. Koivusalo. 2012. Depth of water table prior to ditch network maintenance is a key factor for tree growth response. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2012.689004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sikström, U., and H. Hökkä. 2016. Interactions between soil water conditions and forest stands in boreal forests with implications for ditch network maintenance. Silva Fennica. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silvan, N., T. Sallataus, H. Vasander, and J. Laine. 2005. Hydraulic nutrient transport in a restored peatland buffer. Boreal Environment Research 10: 203–210.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stenberg, L., T. Tuukkanen, L. Finér, H. Marttila, S. Piirainen, B. Kløve, and H. Koivusalo. 2015. Ditch erosion processes and sediment transport in a drained peatland forest. Ecological Engineering 75: 421–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.11.046.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stenberg, L., T. Tuukkanen, L. Finér, H. Marttila, S. Piirainen, B. Kløve, and H. Koivusalo. 2016. Evaluation of erosion and surface roughness in peatland forest ditches using pin meter measurements and terrestrial laser scanning. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 41: 1299–1311. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuukkanen, T., B. Kløve, and H. Marttila. 2014. Effect of soil properties on peat erosion and suspended sediment delivery in drained peatlands. Water Resources Research 50: 3523–3535. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR015206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuukkanen, T., L. Stenberg, L. Finér, H. Marttila, S. Piirainen, H. Koivusalo, and B. Kløve. 2016. Erosion mechanisms and sediment sources in a peatland forest after ditch cleaning. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 41: 1841–1853. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3951.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Väänänen, R., M. Nieminen, M. Vuollekoski, H. Nousiainen, T. Sallantaus, E.-S. Tuittila, and H. Ilvesniemi. 2008. Retention of phosphorus in peatland buffer zones at six forested catchments in southern Finland. Silva Fennica 42: 211–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasander, H., E.-S. Tuittila, E. Lode, L. Lundin, M. Ilomets, T. Sallantaus, R. Heikkilä, M.-L. Pitkänen, et al. 2003. Status and restoration of peatlands in northern Europe. Wetland Ecology and Management 11: 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022061622602.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vikman, A., S. Sarkkola, H. Koivusalo, T. Sallantaus, J. Laine, N. Silvan, H. Nousiainen, and M. Nieminen. 2010. Nitrogen retention by peatland buffer areas at six forested catchments in southern and central Finland. Hydrobiologia 641: 171–183. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-0079-0.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wynn, T., and S. Mostaghimi. 2006. The effects of vegetation and soil type on streambank erosion, southwestern Virginia, USA. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2006.tb03824.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, 00790, Helsinki, Finland

    Mika Nieminen & Sakari Sarkkola

  2. Natural Resources Institute Finland, Joensuu, Yliopistokatu 6, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Sirpa Piirainen, Ari Laurén & Leena Finér

  3. The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden (Skogforsk), Uppsala Science Park, 75183, Uppsala, Sweden

    Ulf Sikström

  4. Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7050, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Stefan Löfgren

  5. Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, 90014, Oulu, Finland

    Hannu Marttila

Authors
  1. Mika Nieminen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sirpa Piirainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ulf Sikström
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stefan Löfgren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hannu Marttila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sakari Sarkkola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ari Laurén
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Leena Finér
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mika Nieminen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nieminen, M., Piirainen, S., Sikström, U. et al. Ditch network maintenance in peat-dominated boreal forests: Review and analysis of water quality management options. Ambio 47, 535–545 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1047-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1047-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation