Surveys, impact assessment and expert advice for planning and development projects affecting freshwater and marine ecosystems. 
Why it matters? 

Rivers, lakes, wetlands and marine areas provide important habitats, and their condition affects biodiversity, water quality and the use of water resources. Development activities, modifications to water bodies and shorelines, dredging, damming and changes in water regimes can affect aquatic species and habitats and lead to deterioration in ecological status. 

Assessing potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems at an early stage helps identify environmental risks, determine survey requirements and plan activities in ways that address nature conservation and water management requirements alongside development and infrastructure needs. 

Anni Kurisman

Our Experience  

Hendrikson DGE has extensive experience in assessing impacts on freshwater and marine ecosystems and in planning and coordinating the necessary surveys. We have contributed to environmental impact assessments for a wide range of development and infrastructure projects, assessments of water body status and aquatic environmental impacts, and water management and conservation planning. 

We work with researchers, specialist consultants and engineering firms in Estonia and internationally. Our strength lies in combining aquatic ecology expertise with the requirements of spatial planning, environmental assessment and permitting processes, ensuring that survey findings and expert assessments provide practical input for decision-making. 

Our services 

Aquatic ecosystem surveys, impact assessment and expert advice throughout the planning and development process. 

Aquatic Environmental Impact Assessment and Advisory 

  • EIA/SEA and preliminary environmental assessments. We assess potential impacts on the aquatic environment and provide advice on planning and development projects involving water bodies and marine areas. Our experience covers ports, small boat harbours and landing facilities, boat channels, coastal and riverbank protection structures, terminals, offshore wind farms, dams, bridges, and underwater cables and pipelines. 
  • Assessment of impacts on water body status. We assess potential impacts on the ecological status of water bodies, the risk of deterioration and compliance with river basin management plan objectives. 
  • Expert advice on water abstraction and discharge. We assess the potential environmental impacts of water abstraction and wastewater, stormwater and cooling water discharges. 
  • Avoidance and mitigation planning. We help develop measures to avoid and reduce impacts on aquatic ecosystems and provide ecological input into the development of appropriate project solutions. 

Aquatic Ecosystem Surveys and Water Management 

  • Water body surveys and expert assessments. We plan and coordinate surveys of aquatic species, water quality and the ecological status of water bodies, and assess the findings. 
  • Studies and impact assessments related to dams and reservoirs. We assess the impacts of damming and changes in water regimes on aquatic ecosystems and provide ecological expertise to support the planning and design of fish passes and other solutions. 
  • Advice on water body management and restoration. We assess the environmental impacts of proposed activities and provide expert advice on projects involving water body rehabilitation and the restoration of natural hydrological regimes. 
  • River basin management plans, baseline studies and conservation planning. We prepare and coordinate studies and provide expert input into water management, conservation objectives and conservation management planning. 
  • Water use permitting support. We assess environmental impacts and provide the expert input required for water use permit applications. 

Marine Environment and Spatial Planning 

  • Ecological expertise for marine spatial planning. We assess marine ecology and biodiversity considerations and provide expert input into spatial planning solutions in collaboration with Hendrikson DGE’s planning specialists. 
  • Impact assessment for marine development and infrastructure. We assess impacts on the marine environment and provide advice on projects involving ports, terminals, offshore wind farms, dredging and disposal of dredged material. 

Monitoring Planning and Evaluation 

We help design and evaluate aquatic environmental monitoring programmes at different project stages, including: 

  • pre-construction baseline surveys; 
  • environmental monitoring during construction; 
  • post-construction impact and effectiveness monitoring; 
  • evaluation of mitigation measures and fish pass performance. 

Related Services 

We also provide advice on shoreline building exclusion zones, including the environmental and nature conservation considerations relevant to reducing building restrictions and applying statutory exemptions. 

For projects involving water bodies and wetlands, we can also provide amphibian surveys and inventories where needed. 

Contact Us 

If a proposed activity could affect rivers, lakes, wetlands or the marine environment, seeking expert advice at an early stage can help identify key environmental risks and survey requirements and ensure they are taken into account during planning and design. 

Email us: dge@dge.ee