River Vuoksi habitat restorations in the area upstream from Tainionkoski to improve trout breeding opportunities

11 April 2022, 14:29 EEST

Trout fishes under a rock

Fortum, the City of Imatra, and the Southeast Finland and Southwest Finland ELY Centres (Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) will carry out a joint habitat restoration project for trout in the River Vuoksi, upstream from the Tainionkoski hydropower plant, which is about 1.3 kilometres from Lake Saimaa. The goal of the restoration work is to improve the trout breeding opportunities in the area.

About a kilometre upstream from the Tainionkoski power plant is a small rock islet that may have once been the site of some structures related to timber rafting. The islet will be reshaped to make it shallower to enable restoration of a new area suitable for trout breeding. Additionally, the aim is to direct the water flow to the shallow area that will be created to improve the suitability for trout breeding.

The City of Imatra is the lead in the project. The restoration is based on Fortum’s habitat and flow model, on the basis of which the Southeast Finland ELY Centre drafted a restoration plan. The area to be restored is owned by Fortum and is about 1,000 m² in size.

“We see this as an important joint project, as it aims to increase the amount of habitat suitable for trout breeding. The project is a good example of how the cooperation of different actors can result in practical measures to improve habitat and, at the same time, improve biodiversity in the area,” says Fortum’s Environmental Manager Katri Hämäläinen.

Fortum is committed to several climate and environmental targets that are part of the Group target to implement significant voluntary measures promoting biodiversity. The River Vuoksi habitat restoration is one of these voluntary measures promoting biodiversity.

Further information:

Katri Hämäläinen, Environmental Manager, Fortum, tel. +358 40 162 3901

 

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