1.1.1.WATER RESOURCES Rivers and lakes have long been used as waterways, although, with the exception of the Nemunas River in the south of the country, they are not very suitable for navigation. Within the country, there are 722 rivers over 10km long and 21 of them are more than 100km long. Most of the rivers flow across the middle lowland and the western part of the Zemaiciai upland. Six major river basins can be distinguished in Lithuania: -The Nemunas basin. It is by far the largest river basin in the country, covering 65.9 per cent of the country. The Nemunas River rises in Belarus and enters Lithuania in the south. It flows first north and then turns to the west. It becomes the border between Lithuania and the Russian Federation before flowing into the Baltic Sea. Its major tributaries are the Neris River, rising in Belarus, and the Sesupe River, rising in Poland. -The Lielupe basin. It covers 16.4 per cent of the country. Several rivers, such as the Svete, Musa and Memele, rise in the north of Lithuania. They flow into Latvia and become the Lielupe River after their confluence. -The Venta basin. It covers 9.1 per cent of the country. The Venta River rises in the northwest of Lithuania and flows into Latvia. -The group of coastal basins. They cover 4.4 per cent of the country. -The Daugava basin. It covers 4.1 per cent of the country in the northeast. The Daugava River itself does not flow in Lithuania. Some tributaries, rising in Lithuania, flow northeast into Latvia, where they flow into the Daugava River. -The Pregel basin. It covers less than 0.1 per cent of the country in the southwest. It drains west into the Russian Federation. The total internal renewable surface water resources (IRSWR) are estimated at 15.36km3/year; and incoming surface water resources at 9.34km3/year. The outflow into the Russian Federation is estimated at 0.85km3/year; the outflow into Latvia at 4.01km3/year. The internal renewable groundwater resources are estimated at 1.2km3/year. It is considered that most of the flow is drained out by the river system and does not contribute to the total renewable water resources. However, that part of the groundwater which is withdrawn through wells can be added to the surface flow to make up the total IRWR. The overlap has been estimated at 1km3/year.

1.1.2.WATER USE In 1995, the total water withdrawal for agricultural, domestic and industrial purposes was 253.6 million m3, of which only 3.2 per cent was for agricultural purposes. Livestock watering in rural settlements with a centralized water supply is included in domestic water withdrawal. In addition, the nuclear power station used 4,099.2 million m3 of water for cooling; while 115.7 million m3 was considered necessary for fisheries and 1 million m3 for other non-consumptive uses. The total quantity of produced wastewater in 1995 was 303.8 million m3, compared with 446.1 million m3 in 1990. This fall was mainly the result of reduced industrial production. Of this quantity, 77.9 million m3, or 26 per cent (22 per cent in 1990), was treated to reach the quality standards; 171.8 million m3, or 56 per cent, was inadequately treated; and 54.1 million m3, or 18 per cent, was not treated at all. In 1995, 4.8 million m3 of wastewater, partly treated in accumulating reservoirs, was re-used for irrigation compared with 44.3 million m3 in 1990. The remaining wastewater, both treated and untreated, was not re-used directly but discharged to the rivers. In recent years, many farmers have no longer been able to afford fertilizers and pesticides. This has led to a significant decrease in their use and their leaching from the soil surface, resulting in a reduction in groundwater pollution. In 1990, the total groundwater abstraction from some 12,000 tube-wells was 497.2 million m3. In 1995, it fell to 205.2 million m3 due to reduced industrial consumption and a decrease in domestic water withdrawal. As a result of the increased price of water for domestic purposes, many water consumers have installed water meters and started saving water. This downward trend is expected to be reversed in the near future, when an expected industrial recovery and a rise in living standards should lead to an increase in industrial and domestic water withdrawal.

(Water Risk Filter)