Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
account. First, such a measure includes reinforcing
the shoreline vegetation of lakes to prevent wind- and
wave-induced erosion and improving the propensity of
the land-water transition to develop a natural biodi-
versity. Secondly, excavating deeper pits within the
shallower lake parts offers a viable control measure to
isolate and bury the organic matter shifted by wind to
these pits. The burial of the nutrient-rich lake sedi-
ments will retard in-lake nutrient release rates from
the sediments. Thirdly, more exploratory work is
needed for creating artifi cial islands in small and
shallow lakes. Such an island within a lake, facing the
commonly prevailing winds, will reduce the wind fetch
factor and slow down shore-line erosion on the
leeward side of the island. Fourthly, feasibility plans
are also under way to deploy water level management,
to encourage the shoreline macrovegetation and
develop greater natural evolution of the aquatic and
semi - aquatic ecosystems.
Sustainability
of the positive effects on water
quality is central to the remedial measures. The experi-
ence gained from the failures and occasional successes
of the last two decades should make it possible to
develop more enduring strategies for a more sustaina-
ble restoration of our lake ecosystems. Lastly, the long-
term aims of water management should be to create
and maintain sustainable and healthy aquatic envi-
ronments that possess optimal properties for their
assigned functions.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank Professor Emeritus Rob Hart from
the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and Dr
Harry Hosper from the Centre for Water Management
(RWS Waterdienst, the Netherlands), for their com-
ments on a previous version of this chapter.
