THE FIFTH SEASON

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The landscape of Soomaa National Park is defined by beautiful rivers winding

through vast wetlands. Every spring, these rivers overflow, creating a flood

period locally known as the "fifth season". The floodwaters peak near the

village of Riisa, where the waters of the Lemmjõgi, Tõramaa, Raudna, and

Halliste rivers merge between bog plateaus. During the highest water levels,

floodplains and riparian forests can be covered by a water surface of up to

175 km². Soomaa’s floods are unique in all of Northern Europe.

(Ader, Tartes, 2010 "Estonian Nature Conservation")

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Six rivers shape the landscape of Soomaa National Park: Halliste, Kõpu,

Lemmjõgi, Navesti, Raudna, and Tõramaa. 

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When meltwater and rainwater from the Sakala Upland flow down, the rivers of Soomaa cannot accommodate it all at once and as a result, these slow-moving rivers spill over their banks. At times, spring floodwaters rise by nearly a meter per day, continuing for three to four days in a row. Floods can last from a few days to several weeks. High water covers riverside meadows, forests, roads, and sometimes even household yards and enters homes. The Riisa flood area can expand up to 8 kilometers in width. While floods can occur in any season, the springtime floods are most extensive. The highest recorded flood in Soomaa was in 1931, when the water level reached 553 cm above the zero level of the Riisa hydrometric station. More recent major floods occurred in 2010 (494 cm) and 2011 (482 cm).

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During these years, water entered the rooms of the Soomaa Holiday Village.

In the courtyard, water levels varied between 0.5 to 1 meter, and access was

only possible with waders, a canoe, or a boat, starting from the Riisa bridge.

Therefore, when constructing or renovating buildings, potential floods are

taken into account. For instance, buildings are placed on higher foundations,

lower rooms have waterproof stone floors, and electrical outlets are installed

at elevated heights.