The objective of the project funded by the Environmental Investment Centre is to find out the reasons why an unpleasant smell is still causing trouble to the inhabitants of Pirita and Merivälja as well as the people sporting on the shore. The coastal strip of Pirita and Merivälja is a beautiful area, but in some periods it is just uncomfortable to move there. The reasons can be decay of algae accumulated on the coastal area, residual waste in the bottom sediments of the bay and discharge of untreated storm water into the sea. With the research, we aim to find out what is causing the current situation and what should be done in order to keep the coast of Tallinn clean," Pentus said. Now, KIK supported a research project of the Institute of Marine Systems of Tallinn University of Technology for determination of the reasons why a decomposing and stinking algae and plant mass is accumulating on the coastal area reaching from Russalka to Merivälja, how and why this mass forms, and how it could be mitigated or avoided. Total cost of the project is approximately 78.5 thousand euro. The work includes sediment sampling, mapping of bottom types, water sampling, measuring of waves and streams, and modelling of coastal streams and movement of sediments in the specific research area as well as in the Bay of Tallinn in general. A complex research will be performed, to a large extent with innovative equipment, and hydrodynamic model will be drafted for essential part of the coastal sea. More problematic places are the backwater areas with limited water exchange, where low water exchange and waves cause accumulation of algae. Nutrients facilitating algal bloom get into the sea with surface water, through storm water sewerages or from the bottom sediments of the bay. Basing on the research results, a plan will be developed with specific activities for the improvement of the environmental status of the bay so that it would not cause any more trouble for the population. The research will cover a sea territory with the area of over 2 km2 on a coastal strip with the length of 4 km. Initial results should be submitted to the Ministry of the Environment by the end of the current year. |
