Expediency of the reconstruction of drainage systems

Abstract

In Lithuania, originally wet and swampy lands cover about 3.5 million hectares. By 2011 2.98 million hectares of wet and waterlogged lands, of which 2.58 million ha are agricultural lands, were drained in Lithuania. Lately, because of social, demographic and economic reasons, significant areas of drained lands were no longer used in agricultural production, they became neglected and drainage systems became unsupervised. Around 7% of drained areas in Lithuania are of poor reclamation condition because of defective drainage systems. The major investment is necessary for their reconstruction therefore it is so important to define the expediency of restoration. Areas, where it is appropriate / inappropriate to restore drainage systems (depending on the economic benefits derived from agricultural production and rural development strategies), are set out in the paper.