Agricultural drainage in Lithuania: a review of practices and environmental effects

In Lithuania, artificial drainage is a common agricultural practice. The country remains one of the most extensively drained in the world. The total drained land area occupies 47% of the country's land area and 86% of the agricultural land area, of which 87% is tile-drained. Although the introduction of drainage has improved the quality of agricultural land, the benefits of drainage are associated with many changes in the local environment. Therefore, a review is presented of the results from various investigations and research studies conducted in Lithuania which have reported the historical and economic aspects of the development of agricultural drainage as well as its environmental effects on landscape structure, local hydrology and nutrient losses in the soil. Temporal changes in drainage run-off since the 1970s are also discussed. Furthermore, positive bidirectional effects of natural processes in and around open drain ditches on both environment and practice are highlighted which show the possibility of fostering them intentionally.