The scale of the operation is substantial, with a helicopter capable of carrying just over one ton of lime per lift. According to SVT Blekingenytt, helicopter pilot Håkan Grop described making 162 lifts in a single day, highlighting the intensive logistics involved in distributing the lime across affected areas. The acidity in these waters stems from acid rain, a human-created problem that has long plagued the region.
Andreas Jezek, a limnologist and project leader for wetlands and water restoration at Blekinge Archipelago, explained that acid rain is the root cause, as reported by SVT Blekingenytt. Over the past two decades, liming efforts have shown progress; Jezek noted that the amount of lime used has been halved during his tenure, indicating that nature is recovering. According to SVT Blekingenytt, he described how this restoration helps sensitive species like crayfish and freshwater pearl mussels survive.
So we can get sensitive species like crayfish and freshwater pearl mussels to survive.
However, specifics such as which lakes and waterways are targeted, the project's duration, and its total cost remain undisclosed. Additionally, potential environmental side effects from liming and detailed metrics on water quality improvements from past efforts have not been confirmed.
It is a human-created problem that the waters have become acidic through acid rain.
Yesterday I made 162 lifts.
On the twenty years I have worked on this, we have halved the liming, so nature is doing better now.