Spring Floods Come to Soomaa

In Soomaa National Park in western Estonia, the so-called fifth season has started with water levels rising about 20 centimeters every night for a couple of nights and still rising steadily, said Indrek Hein, owner of Kuusekäära farm on the Raudna River.

Over the past 12 hours, the water level had been increasing at the rate of about 1.5 centimeters per hour, Hein told ERR radio on April 6. "So it rose 20 centimeters between 8 o'clock last night and 8 o'clock this morning, and it continues to rise steadily."


According to Hein, almost his whole farm is flooded, with nary a dry spot left on the meadows. He recalled that last spring, the high water rose much faster in Soomaa, and that currently, the water level lies at about a meter lower than it did last year at the same time. "However, there is still a lot of snow left and a lot of water will be coming in from the uplands, so I believe that in a couple of days, it will be impossible to use cars for transport here," he said.

Hein said he hopes that this year, the high water will peak at 10-15 centimeters lower than it did last year. If it were not for his animals, the flooding would not have much of an effect on the life of the farmer who also organizes canoe trips as a sideline. The high water will only last for a couple of weeks, and for Hein, living in Soomaa and being free of city hassle are enough make up for the trouble.

Hein said that many birds can already be sighted in Soomaa. Among others, a pair of storks nesting nearby has returned.

Hein urged people who are planning to visit Soomaa by car to avoid driving in the same tracks on the dirt roads in the area in order to prevent deep ruts from forming. He added that in a few places, it is already possible to paddle a canoe. "The situation is changing by the hour," he said.

Source: err.ee