Scientific activity
Basic research lines

  • Natural development of the Beloe [White] Sea, the lake-river systems and ground waters located in North-Western Russia, study of their stability and variability with regard to climatic and anthropogenic factors.
  • Scientific assessment of the state and forecast of water ecosystems; development of measures on nature conservation and restoration.
  • Assessment of water ecological potential; development of the scientific basis for sustainable management of water resources within European North of Russia.
  • Optimization of use, conservation and restoration of water resources of Karelia.
  • Theory of lake-river and sea systems development.
  • Water resources and vital functions of population.

  • NWPI is conducting the scientific investigations in the region situated in the North-West of Russia and rich of water bodies with numerous lake-river systems (in Karelia – 60 000 lakes and 27 000 rivers, in Kola and Arkhangelsk districts – about 100 000 water bodies), ground waters resources, near the largest European lakes, Ladoga and Onega, and the Beloe [White] Sea.

    Main achievements for the last ten years

  • Typical features of water systems of different types in Russian North, their tolerance to the impact of climatic and anthropogenic factors have been studied.
  • The investigations of the Beloe [White] Sea and its catchment area as the socio-ecologo-economic system were conducted and the scenarios of its development under the climatic and anthropogenic factors have been formulated.
  • Water resources of Russian North were estimated; the GIS “Water bodies of Republic of Karelia” has been developed and the catalogue “Karelian lakes and rivers and hydrotechnical constructions” was published.
  • Main features of acidification and eutrophication of lakes in Northwestern Russia, including Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga were defined. The theory of acidic-alkali balance of surface waters in humic zone useful for anthropogenic acidification assessment of the water bodies.
  • Eastern Fennoscandia climate changes in terms of intra- and inter-century variability were formulated.
  • The methods of the water balance transformation in the taiga zone under climatic and anthropogenic factors
    assessment were developed.


  • Scientific potential of NWPI

  • 80 employees, including 34 PhDs and 6 Dr.S., technical personnel and crew of R/V “Ecolog”.
  • The laboratories of hydrophysics, hydrobiology and hydrochemistry with modern analytical equipment, current and temperature measurement devices, multi-parameter sondes, etc.
  • Scientific-research vessel “Ecolog” of river-sea class with two laboratories, flowing water system, wide nautical capacities, modern navigation equipment
  • Field base on Lake Vendyurskoe
  • Intranet/Internet capacities, licensed software (ArcViewGIS, MapInfo, ERDAS, IDRISI, etc.), internet site.
  • Accreditation of Science and Technologies Ministry
  • Accreditation of Gosstandard and license for water monitoring (Laboratory of hydrochemistry and hydrogeology)
  • License on educational activities, doctoral studentship
  • Research-Educational Center “Karelian water bodies and methods of their investigation””


  • International co-operation

  • NWPI has a long-term co-operation with universities in Bergen (Norway); Lund and Uppsala (Sweden); Helsinki, Joensuu, Tampere, Oulu and Kuopio (Finland); Ministry of Environment, Finland, with its regional centers in Helsinki, Joensuu, Kajanu, Kuopio, Tampere.
  • NWPI also has strong links with scientific institutions in Canada, USA, Switzerland, Germany.
  • NWPI is a co-founder of Nansen International Environmental and Remote Sensing Centre- NIERSC.
  • In last ten years, NWPI took part in many national and international projects, including those under TACIS, INTERREG, INTAS and INCO-COPERNICUS initiatives.

  • Last modified: November 6, 2023