Background Eutrophication and algal blooms in lakes, rivers and estuaries constitute a major environmental challenge. This is a particular problem in Finland’s inland and coastal waters, which do not currently meet environmental standards despite increasing efforts to reduce nutrient loading in river basins. Climate change may exacerbate this situation in the future. Algal blooms significantly decrease the ecological status and recreational value of water courses, and are potentially a health risk to both humans and animals. Effective river basin management plans will be essential to tackling this problem. These plans will need to implement new cost-efficient control and adaptation measures, and improve knowledge of risk areas and conditions when algal blooms occur. Objectives The objective of the GISBLOOM project was to build capacity to ensure better integration of climate change into river basin management plans in Finland. It demonstrated an integrated model to quantify the effects of different climatechange scenarios to help tackle threats of eutrophication and algal blooms. The project sought to improve understanding of algal blooms and their responses to management measures in lakes and coastal areas, using an innovative combination of nationwide data and models for hydrology, land-use changes and nutrient loads, with the goals of formulating cost efficient programmes of management measures and generating real-time forecasts for algal blooming in river basins and lakes. The aim was to make this information available through an interactive web service. Results The GISBLOOM project built tools and capacity to ensure better integration of climate change adaptation into river basin management plans in Finland. It demonstrated an integrated model (Vesinetti ‘Waternet’) to quantify the effects of different climate change adaptation scenarios on eutrophication and algal blooms. The project also used an innovative combination of data from around Finland and an integrated WSFS-VEMALA-LAKESTATE model, which simulates hydrology, land-use changes and nutrient loads, to generate data and real-time forecasts for algal blooming in river basins and in around 48 000 Finnish lakes on a daily basis. The data used to forecast algal blooms comes from diverse sources, including MERIS satellite imagery, automatic measuring stations and field observations by the public. The model tools developed by the project informed the selection of measures for river basin management plans in eleven pilot areas. Implementation of these measures was subject to cost-benefit analyses. The demonstration of the project’s developed and introduced models and methods in the pilot areas led to the identification of feasible and cost-efficient combinations of measures for river basin management in these areas. The project developed an innovative web-based map service, Vesinetti (www.vesinetti.fi), and an interactive portal called ‘LakeWiki’ (www.jarviwiki.fi). These services have facilitated the dissemination of information and viewpoints for educational purposes and participatory river basin management. Improved understanding of algal blooms and their responses to management measures in lakes and coastal areas gained through the project will help local authorities draft future river basin management plans. Through its activities, the GISBLOOM project contributed to the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) and the Nitrates Directive. The project conducted a complete analysis of national data on hydrology, land use, nutrient loading, water quality, eutrophication and algal blooms, and an assessment of eutrophication and algal bloom scenarios as a function of climate and land use changes. The projects tools and web-based models have improved understanding of algal blooms and their responses to management measures in Finnish lakes and coastal areas. In lakes, for example, analysis provided nutrient load thresholds that could be monitored for management purposes to avoid cyanobacteria mass occurrences during summer. The models also proved to be useful tools for the ecological classification of lakes. Awareness about eutrophication and algal blooming has been raised, among the public and key stakeholder groups, as a result of the web-based tools and a range of dissemination activities. The project results were presented, for example, at a seminar for national stakeholders. Training courses and workshops were organised for experts and local people, respectively. The project has helped to facilitate the exchange of information between European projects and organisations that produce information for the implementation of Water Framework Directive programmes of measures. The improved efficiency of participatory monitoring and management of eutrophication and algal blooms will provide long-term environmental benefits. In addition, the improved understanding of casual linkages between land use and ecological status of waters will increase the motivation, preparedness and ability of the public to participate in the planning and implementation of measures to control algal blooms. Socio-economic benefits that arise from improved water quality include the creation of business opportunities, for example, for fishing tourism and industries requiring clean water. As a result of the extensive testing in several river basin pilot areas, the tools have been adopted by river basin management planners and stakeholders in public and private organisations. The Ministry of the Environment is exploring the commercialisation potential of the tools through the related consultancy service established in SYKE soon after the project ended. The tools developed by the project are readily transferred to other regions where water bodies are defined in GIS format. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).