Lake Load Response (LLR) – mallityökalu vesialueiden hoidon suunnittelun apuvälineenä

For eutrophic lakes, achieving good water quality usually requires a reduction in external loading. The Lake Load Response (LLR) tool, based on the LakeState (LS) model, can be used to predict the necessary loading reduction, which can be utilized when making decisions on the management of the lake. The best predictions are made when the input values of the incoming loading, water outflow and in-lake total phosphorus, total nitrogen and chlorophyll a concentrations are as accurate as possible. Accurate loading data is often hard to collect because of the lack of resources for observations. However, LLR-runs made for the lake Lehesjärvi-Vähäjärvi in Jyväskylä showed that examining the needed loading reduction as percentages and not as absolute values gives good predictions even with large uncertainties in the loading data. This result does not obviate the importance of accurate data, but makes it possible to utilize the model when making management plans for less-studied lakes.