Mälaren’s Water Conservation Association (MVVF) was formed in 1998 with the main task of measuring the water quality of Lake Mälaren, but the history of monitoring Mälaren goes back much further. Extensive investigations began in Mälaren as early as 1964!
Investigations of Mälaren was initiated by the Natural Resources Committee, which was part of the National Natural Science Research Council in Sweden. The reason was the lake’s central location as a source of raw water, recipient and recreation area in combination with the declined lake water quality with large algal blooms in the summer.
The survey program was seen as the beginning of in-depth studies of Sweden’s larger lakes. The purpose was to clarify scientific questions, analyze causal relationships, describe practical water conservation issues and educate expertise in the water area. In the beginning, the tributaries and Hjälmaren also were included.
Today Mälaren’s Water Conservation Association collaborates with The Swedish Agricultural University in our focus on Lake Mälaren, with annual reports describing its status. The report from 2023 includes time series analyzes for parameters that have been measured since environmental monitoring in Lake Mälaren began in 1964.
Annual publications of measurements back to the year 2000 (abstracts in English)
Development of the situation of lake Mälaren between 1965–2011 (in Swedish)
Commissioning authority of the survey program
When the environmental monitoring in Mälaren started, there was no Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, which was formed in 1967 and then became the commissioning authority for the project. Mälaren’s Water Conservation Association was formed in 1998, and at this time the program also was included in national environmental monitoring as the sub-program Large lakes comprising the three regional water conservation associations for Mälaren, Vättern and Vänern.
Since 2011, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s aquatic parts have been moved to the then newly formed Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Since then, it accounts for part of the funds for the program, while the remaining part comes from the MVVF’s membership fees.