TY - RPRT TI - Water activities in Laxemar-Simpevarp. Organic field inventory, nature values classification and description of production land; Vattenverksamhet i Laxemar-Simpevarp. Ekologisk faeltinventering, naturvaerdesklassificering samt beskrivning av produktionsmark AB - This report describes nature values, agricultural areas and forestry areas in Laxemar, for which there could be negative consequences due to groundwater diversion during construction and operation of a repository for spent nuclear fuel in the rock. In 2009, the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB) chose Forsmark as site for the repository. This report hence concerns the non-chosen Laxemar site. The report describes results from map studies and comprehensive field investigations, in terms of geographical delineations, descriptions of characteristics and classifications of nature values for groundwater dependent of -favoured nature objects. The nature objects are located in an investigation area, which according to numerical flow modelling could be affected by groundwater-table drawdown due to groundwater diversion. The investigation area contains a number of valuable nature habitats, but no protected areas in the form of nature reserves or Natura 2000 areas. In the investigation area 67 nature objects have been identified, geographically delineated and classified according to their nature values. Of these nature objects, 32 consist of forest objects (including moist forests), 26 consist of wetland objects, and nine consist of surface waters (streams, lakes and ponds). The nature-value classifications of objects are primarily based on habitat rareness and worth of protection on a national scale, and their importance as habitats for rare and threatened species. None of the identified nature objects is judged to be of national value (class 1). 15 nature objects (forest objects) are judged to be of regional value (class 2), 18 objects of municipal value (class 3) and 34 objects are judged to be of local value (class 4). Most of the nature objects contain nature values that are associated to factors other than the level of the groundwater table, primarily previous land uses in the form of grazing and hay cutting. There are also values associated to valuable deciduous forests and ancient deciduous trees. It is judged that most wetlands and surface waters in the investigation only have small nature values, corresponding to local value (class 4) and in some cases municipal value (class 3), such as the stream Laxemaraan and Lake Frisksjoen. The small nature values are due to that wetlands, streams and lakes of the area are affected by previous land improvement and drainage operations. Occurring species are mainly trivial, and it is judged to be limited possibilities for these habitats to contain any red-listed species that are dependent on wet conditions. The unaffected wetlands and ponds that still remain are therefore rare on a local scale, and they provide landscape variations and habitats for frogs and amphibians, insects, birds and bats. The wetlands are of two types, pool-like bogs in areas with exposed rock and tree-clad mosses in high-altitude areas, and fens and moist forests in low-lying terrain and along streams and lakes. Pool-like bogs and mosses are not sensitive to groundwater-table drawdown, since their water supply mainly originates from precipitation and snow melt. Fens and moist forests in low-lying terrain are more sensitive to drawdown of the groundwater table. The investigation area contains a number of valuable forest habitats, primarily valuable deciduous forest habitats in the southwestern part of the area. However, the area contains few and small forest habitats that are judged to be groundwater dependent or groundwater favoured. The most valuable and sensitive forest habitats (regional value, class 2) consist of objects that are classified as forest key habitats or objects with nature values by the Swedish Forestry Board, and within which there are slopes and low-lying areas. During the field investigation, no species were found that indicate any nature values associated to mobile, near-surface groundwater. Coniferous forest on semi moist and dry ground in the western and northern parts of the investigation area is affected by forestry and is judged not to be sensitive to groundwater-t able drawdown. Deciduous habitats in the southeastern parts contain many formerly open pastures, and these are neither judged to be sensitive. Slopes and low-lying terrain contain small parts with moist deciduous habitats and valuable deciduous forest that may be groundwater dependent. The investigation area does not contain any red-listed species that are judged to be explicitly dependent on moist or wet conditions. Some species (such as natterer's bat and lesser spotted woodpecker) are favoured by a mosaic of different habitats, including access to moist nature types. The investigation area contains a number of species that are protected by Swedish regulation (Species Protection Ordinance) and that are dependent on moist habitats, including moor frog, common toad, smooth newt and grass snake. AU - "Hamren, Ulrika" AU - "Collinder, Per [Ekologigruppen AB, Stockholm (Sweden)]" KW - "12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES" KW - "RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL" KW - "UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL" KW - "GROUND WATER" KW - "AGRICULTURE" KW - "FORESTRY" KW - "SPECIES DIVERSITY" DO - https://doi.org/ UR - https://www.osti.gov/etdeweb/servlets/purl/1008089 PB - CY - Sweden PY - 2010 DA - 2010-10-15 LA - Swedish J2 - [] VL - C1 - Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (Sweden) C2 - C3 - SKB-R-10-23 C4 - C5 - Also available from: http://www.skb.se/upload/publications/pdf/R-10-23webb.pdf; OSTI as DE01008089 L3 - Other Information: 35 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs. ER -