{"id":2043,"date":"2025-11-30T20:53:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T17:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/?p=2043"},"modified":"2026-02-24T18:52:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T15:52:15","slug":"forced-river-diversions-in-russia-opinions-and-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/2025\/11\/30\/forced-river-diversions-in-russia-opinions-and-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Forced River Diversions in Russia: Opinions and Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The Russian Academy of Sciences will explore the feasibility of constructing a water pipeline from the Ob River to Uzbekistan\u2014a similar project to the Soviet-era &#8220;diversion&#8221; of Siberian rivers to Central Asia, but using plastic pipes. It has also been announced when the RAS will consider the project to divert Siberian rivers to Donbas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">The project to divert part of the Ob River&#8217;s flow to Asia is impractical from an environmental standpoint and unfeasible for political reasons. However, an analysis of the region&#8217;s water situation would be very useful and could potentially yield local solutions, according to Vladimir Kirillov, head of the aquatic ecology laboratory at the Institute of Water and Environmental Problems of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The Russian Academy of Sciences will explore the feasibility of a project to build water pipelines from the Ob River to Uzbekistan\u2014analogous to the Soviet project to divert Siberian rivers to Central Asia, but using plastic pipes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;This is currently unrealistic for political reasons. I&#8217;m a realist, and I know for certain that the countries involved in this region won&#8217;t reach an agreement today&#8230; Of course, it would be great if the countries of Central Asia and Russia could jointly conduct a detailed study of the Ob River drainage system and the potential of its part for such projects. But as of now, my prediction is simple: such a project will not be realized,&#8221; the scientist told RIA Novosti.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3872\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob011225.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob011225.jpg 875w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob011225-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob011225-768x514.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"875\" height=\"586\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">The Ob River. territorus.ru<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">From an environmental standpoint, he said, the project&#8217;s implementation is also impractical, and if we&#8217;re talking about the rivers of Central Asia, the Amu Darya, Syr Darya, and others, we need to begin with an analysis of the current situation and the feasibility of the current water management system within these river basins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;In Central Asia, there&#8217;s a fine word, &#8216;water divider&#8217;&#8230; Currently, such a position for the Amu Darya basin, for example, is impossible because the basin is international, interstate. Therefore, for political reasons, the situation is intractable and unfeasible,&#8221; Kirillov said, noting the construction of the Kokaral Dam to restore part of the Aral Sea as a successful local solution to the water problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The scientist believes that it would indeed be useful to analyze this global project from a scientific perspective, and perhaps, on this basis, certain useful local solutions could be found, not for the Ob basin as a whole, but for its individual parts.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;In terms of environmental feasibility and political intractability, this project has no future if implemented in a scenario where &#8216;we&#8217;ll just take some of the Ob River&#8217;s flow and send it&#8230;&#8217; That&#8217;s unrealistic. Local issues need to be addressed, and overall research needs to be conducted, but at the moment, revisiting this project is purely a matter of political expediency,&#8221; Kirillov added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">The topic of diverting water from the Ob River to the Aral Sea is being actively discussed in Russian scientific circles. According to water and climate experts interviewed by Kun.uz, \u200b\u200bthis is an extremely costly initiative with profound geopolitical implications.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"auto\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u00a0<\/span>No one in the world has ever attempted to divert water over a distance of 2,100 kilometers, and it carries a significant risk. Experts urge caution against overenthusiasm in the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">At a recent meeting, several members of the Russian Academy of Sciences proposed an initiative to redirect the Ob River&#8217;s waters toward the dried-up Aral Sea, located on the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Furthermore, there is a project to divert water from the Pechora and Northern Dvina rivers to the Volga River basin and further to the Azov region. According to the experts, this should optimize the water balance in Russia and Central Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to the project&#8217;s proponents, the cost of the project could exceed $100 billion and be implemented in seven stages through the construction of a multi-stage pipeline. However, scientific justification is required, and the scientists intend to request funding from Russia for this project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to water and climate expert Nazim Khasanov, who spoke to Kun.uz, \u200b\u200bthis project should not be approached with great enthusiasm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;I&#8217;m against either rejecting this project entirely or enthusiastically embracing it. Our government should keep it on hold as much as possible,&#8221; the expert says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3873\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112251.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112251.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112251-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112251-768x432.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">The Ob River. moya-planeta.ru<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Climatologist Erkin Abdulakhatov believes that this initiative is a myth, an impossible task.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;This project, which involves enormous financial resources and transporting such a volume of water over a distance of 2,100 kilometers from one region to another, has never been undertaken before,&#8221; Abdulakhatov notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">It should also be noted that the diversion of the Ob River&#8217;s water will not improve the Aral Sea&#8217;s situation. Only 5 cubic kilometers of water will be supplied, a very small amount compared to Uzbekistan&#8217;s needs, which would also not be enough to fill the Aral Sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to sociologist Makhmud Yuldashev, geopolitics lies at the heart of such projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;This is no joke. The expenses are huge, and behind them lies high-stakes politics. Russia is losing influence in Central Asia, and when its other leverage runs out, it starts dreaming up projects like this. This cannot be accepted,&#8221; Yuldashev said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Even if the project is implemented, its real potential is quite limited. Before reaching the Aral Sea, the water passes through areas with high water demand. According to sources, Russia may be seeking to shift the cost of its own needs onto others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Nazim Khasanov added that Central Asia&#8217;s elevated location makes it impossible to transport water from the river to the Aral Sea along a level route. Therefore, technology for lifting the water to a certain height will be required. This also means additional costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;We shouldn&#8217;t categorically reject this project; it could be studied by a separate commission. However, due to the region&#8217;s geographic location, the problem of water level rises. This creates costs,&#8221; he noted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to climatologist Abdulakhatov, the Aral Sea is not expected to refill in the next 20\u201330 years. Instead, it would be more appropriate to continue the policy of reforestation of the desiccated area.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">The diversion of Siberian rivers to Central Asian countries will lead to significant climate change and permafrost degradation in Russia&#8217;s Arctic zone, according to Alexander Vorotnikov, coordinator of the expert council of the Arctic Development Project Office and associate professor at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, who spoke to TASS.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The Russian Academy of Sciences&#8217; Department of Earth Sciences will propose to the Ministry of Education and Science to develop the scientific component of a project to divert water from the Siberian Ob River to Uzbekistan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;Given modern technologies, the project is entirely feasible. However, given the environmental risks and the current economic and geopolitical situation, it is not very feasible. For example, the areas adjacent to these rivers will dry out, which will dramatically reduce greenhouse gas absorption. This will contribute to climate change, leading to warming. Warming in this region will exacerbate permafrost degradation and, accordingly, will require additional resources to monitor and mitigate its consequences. There are other serious risks as well,&#8221; the expert believes. He adds that the project will require a huge amount of electricity to manufacture the pipes for pumping water, which will also impact the climate and lead to economic costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3874\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112252.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112252.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112252-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ob0112252-768x513.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"668\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">The Ob River. ultracity.pro<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Vorotnikov emphasized that maintaining the full flow of Siberian rivers is strategically important for Russia&#8217;s economy and the development of transport logistics. &#8220;This is necessary for creating full-fledged transport routes with the Northern Sea Route, developing traffic in both directions. This applies both to the delivery of goods to the NSR and to their export within Russia, as well as to exports to China and Mongolia,&#8221; he added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The expert also noted that diverting some of the northern rivers&#8217; flow to less abundant regions in southern Russia and the Volga region would be more pressing. &#8220;Russia itself will need these water resources. We will need this water. It&#8217;s our strategic reserve, and we must use it wisely,&#8221; Vorotnikov concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">The date for the Russian Academy of Sciences&#8217; review of the Siberian river diversion project to Donbas has been announced. The project to transport water from the Pechora and Northern Dvina rivers to the Donbas region will be discussed on December 2 at a meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences&#8217; Earth Sciences Division.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<span dir=\"auto\">According to Viktor Danilov-Danilyan, scientific director of the Russian Academy of Sciences&#8217; Institute of Water Problems and a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the construction of the pipeline system could take five to seven years, he told TASS.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Danilov-Danilyan noted that a preliminary review of the issue took place on October 22, 2025, at a meeting of the RAS Scientific Council for Land Water Resources. He expressed confidence in the positive outcome of the discussions at the Earth Sciences Department, of which he is a member, and his readiness to convince his colleagues of the need for a serious approach to the project. If the department approves, the issue could be brought before the RAS Presidium.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3875\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sibir011225.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sibir011225.jpg 960w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sibir011225-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sibir011225-768x509.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"636\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">Siberian river. vpoxod.ru<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to the scientist, new technologies for pumping water using polymer or composite pipes are currently being developed. The pipeline is expected to run from the Pechora and Northern Dvina rivers, which flow into the Arctic Ocean, through the Kama and Volga rivers, and then through the Volga-Don Canal 2 towards the Azov region. Gazprom gas generators are planned to be used for pumping water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The scientist emphasized that the proposed technology, unlike previous ones, ensures virtually no filtration. He also noted that capturing some of the warm water from rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean could help slow its warming and facilitate ecosystem adaptation. Danilov-Danilyan noted the worsening water crisis, especially in new regions like the Donetsk People&#8217;s Republic, where water supplies are limited.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The corresponding member also mentioned a project, dating back to Soviet times, to transfer water from the lower reaches of the Ob River to the Aral Sea region of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which is currently not considered a priority. The scientist believes that the Russian water transfer project must first be implemented before embarking on international projects, which could be fraught with difficulties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">Scientist Danilov-Danilyan: water extraction from northern rivers to the south of Russia will be beneficial<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Extracting water from northern Russian rivers to supply the country&#8217;s southern regions will be beneficial for the northern ecosystems, according to Viktor Danilov-Danilyan, scientific director of the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The scientist told RIA Novosti that he had proposed a project to divert water from the Pechora and Northern Dvina rivers to the Donbas to ensure its water supply. This initiative was discussed in October at the Russian Academy of Sciences&#8217; &#8220;Water Resources of the Land&#8221; scientific council, the agency&#8217;s source noted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">As a result of climate change, precipitation in the south is decreasing, while in the north, on the contrary, it is increasing, Danilov-Danilyan emphasized.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;Therefore, in order to soften the transition process for northern river and marine ecosystems where northern rivers flow, taking water from there is even beneficial, ecologically beneficial,&#8221; said Danilov-Danilyan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3876\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/lena011225.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/lena011225.jpg 960w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/lena011225-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/lena011225-768x509.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"636\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">The Lena River. Fetosibir.ru<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The problem of sufficient water supply exists in the steppe zone of the European part of Russia, the scientist noted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not just Donbas. It&#8217;s Stavropol and Krasnodar Krais, Kalmykia, Dagestan, the Astrakhan Region, the Orenburg Region, the Rostov Region, and the Volgograd Region, and, of course, new regions&#8230; Water shortages have worsened everywhere,&#8221; Danilov-Danilyan said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to him, new technologies have emerged \u201cwhich force us to return to this issue under new conditions and on a new technological basis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Danilov-Danilyan noted that the necessary research must be conducted to confirm the feasibility of the proposed initiative. Regarding the project to divert water from the Pechora and Northern Dvina Rivers to the Volga Basin, he expects the research results to be positive.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"tds-message-box box-info \" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\"><div class=\"tds-message-box box-info \">Meanwhile<\/div><\/span><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">The receding Caspian Sea level has caused significant changes to the coastline in three Russian regions.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0In the Astrakhan Region, the Volga Delta has changed, with new islands forming. In Kalmykia, several islands have become peninsulas. In Dagestan, the seashore has retreated several kilometers, and the Agrakhan Bay has almost disappeared, the Volga-Caspian branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution VNIRO (CaspNIRKh) told TASS.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">A decline in the Caspian Sea level has been observed since the mid-1990s, and since 2020, it has dropped by almost 0.8 meters. This decline occurred against a backdrop of reduced annual flow from the Volga River, the main source of water for the sea. In the Astrakhan Region and the adjacent Caspian Sea basin, the decline in the Caspian Sea level has caused significant geomorphological changes in the Volga Delta\u2014significant sea retreat, the formation of new delta sections, the formation of new streams on newly formed land, the formation of microdeltas, and the emergence of new islands and shoals. For the western substeppe ilmens (a system of lakes in the Volga Delta where fish spawn, among other things), flooding conditions are worsening, and for the Volga Delta, floodwater runoff into the sea is accelerating in the spring and early summer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3877\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/kaspii011225.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/kaspii011225.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/kaspii011225-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/kaspii011225-768x576.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">The decline in the Caspian Sea level. cabar.asia<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">In neighboring Kalmykia, the seabed has moved 10 kilometers or more into the sea, and several islands off the Kalmyk coast have already become peninsulas. For example, while the village of Lagan was located on an island 150 years ago, it is now located deep inland, and the Lagan shipping canal has become significantly shallower. In northern Dagestan, due to the shallowing of the Caspian Sea in Kizlyar Bay, the actual seashore has retreated by several kilometers, and Agrakhan Bay has almost disappeared except for its northern section.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to scientists, the receding Caspian Sea level is leading to a reduction in its area, particularly in its shallowest and most productive northern part. This, in turn, is leading to changes in aquatic animal communities, altering habitats and food sources, as well as spawning and feeding grounds for aquatic biological resources.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The Caspian Sea is the largest landlocked body of water on Earth. Over 130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, including the largest ones: the Volga, Ural, Terek, Sulak, and Samur. Five countries share the Caspian Sea&#8217;s coastline: Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Last year, the Volga&#8217;s annual runoff increased slightly to 232 cubic kilometers, slowing the rate of Caspian Sea level decline. Scientists believe that sustained sea level rise is possible with a stable annual runoff of approximately 270 cubic kilometers, as was the case from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">Low water levels on the Volga River could lead to tragic consequences. Abnormally low water levels in the Volga River in the Yaroslavl region could lead to intense blooms of toxic cyanobacteria, raising the risk of fish kills and disrupting water supplies to major cities.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"auto\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u00a0<\/span>This was reported to TASS by the Department of Ecology and Zoology at P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">In April 2025, Rosvodresursy changed the operating mode of the Rybinsk Hydroelectric Power Plant. From April 3 to 10, discharges were reduced to a minimum\u2014the hydroelectric power plant operated with an average discharge rate of up to 50 cubic meters per second. These discharges meant that the Rybinsk Hydroelectric Power Plant was shut down almost entirely. Prior to this, the upstream Uglich Hydroelectric Power Plant was completely shut down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The measure was taken to conserve water resources and maximize the filling of the Rybinsk Reservoir. According to Roshydromet&#8217;s forecast, water inflow into the Upper Volga reservoirs was expected to be at its lowest in the second quarter. The water stored in the Rybinsk Reservoir is urgently needed to ensure navigation, water supply, and the operation of the Nizhny Novgorod Hydroelectric Power Plant downstream.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Even if current levels of pollutant influx remain unchanged during warm summers with little precipitation, the shallowing and reduction of water volume in the reservoirs will inevitably lead to increased phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and stimulate the growth of toxic cyanobacteria. The consequences of toxic cyanobacterial hyperblooms in the Volga reservoirs could be catastrophic, ranging from the death of fish and aquatic life to problems with the drinking water supply for large cities located on the reservoirs&#8217; shores.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3878\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/volga011225.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/volga011225.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/volga011225-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/volga011225-768x510.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"664\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">Low water on the Volga. vlg.aif.ru<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">A water bloom is a biological phenomenon characterized by the mass proliferation of toxic cyanobacteria and microalgae, which pose a health hazard due to the pollution of water bodies with phosphorus and nitrogen compounds. Due to low water levels, the bloom can continue until September.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Scientists have noted that cyanobacterial toxins can enter tap water and cause poisoning. The most common are hepatotoxins, which cause liver damage, while less common are neurotoxins, which affect the nervous system. Other groups of cyanotoxins can cause skin irritation, dermatitis, and allergic reactions when swimming or relaxing in blooming waters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">Problems for fish and aquatic life may arise not only from blooms and subsequent fish kills. Damage to the fish population will primarily result from the inability to spawn, as the shallow, vegetation-filled waters where phytophilous fish species lay their eggs have become shallow. If water from the northern tributaries fails, or spring rainfall is insufficient, this year&#8217;s generation will be very small.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">Scientists from Southern Federal University have identified negative changes in the natural environment of southern Russia over the past 60 years. According to their data, due to global warming, desert and semi-desert bioclimatic zones are expanding at a rate of 550 km2 per year, encompassing ever-increasing territory in the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions, and the republics of Kalmykia and Dagestan.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0The findings were published in the International Journal of Biometeorology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The climate of southern Russia is extremely variable, but warming has increased aridity across much of the region over the past 60 years. Scientists from Southern Federal University (SFedU) studied weather station data and, using geoinformation technologies and statistical analysis, determined the rate and extent of climate change in southern Russia from 1961 to 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The study&#8217;s results significantly expanded our understanding of climate change in southern Russia, noted Vasily Gudko, senior researcher at the SFedU Intelligent Agroecosystems research laboratory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;We found that the region experienced a significant temperature increase between 1961 and 2020. According to our calculations, the average annual air temperature across all weather stations increased at an average rate of 0.31\u00b0C per decade. This is a significant increase. Regarding annual precipitation, there were no significant changes over the same period,&#8221; he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3879\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/astrahan011225.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/astrahan011225.jpg 700w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/astrahan011225-300x225.jpg 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"525\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">Desert of the Astrakhan region. gendilaniya.ru<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">SFedU researchers also found that, due to warming in the bioclimatic zones of deserts and semi-deserts, the area expanded significantly from east to west between 2010 and 2020, encompassing virtually the entire Astrakhan region, most of Kalmykia, and parts of the Volgograd region and Dagestan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;The expansion rate averaged approximately 5,500 km2 per decade, or 550 km2 per year, with the total area of \u200b\u200bthe study region being 591,000 km2. Furthermore, we calculated how the area of \u200b\u200bthe semi-desert and desert zones changes depending on changes in average annual air temperature,&#8221; noted Vasily Gudko.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">According to the scientists, the results of the study will help reduce the risks of socio-economic and environmental problems associated with desertification and develop approaches for the rational use of water and land resources.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">&#8220;Desertification is a large and complex problem, and we hope that our research will be a step towards solving it,&#8221; Gudko emphasized.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The researchers reported that this comprehensive analysis, which included studying trends in climate variables, shifts in bioclimatic humidification zones, and the dependence of the areas of various bioclimatic zones on fluctuations in climate indicators, was conducted for the first time in southern Russia. In the future, they plan to study possible shifts in humidification zones depending on various climate scenarios.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The study was conducted under the Priority 2030 program (the Science and Universities national project) as part of the SFedU strategic project Soil Resource Management Systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><span dir=\"auto\">In various regions of Russia, Rosprirodnadzor continues to seek compensation for environmental damage caused by businesses and government agencies. Court rulings confirm that environmental damage must be fully compensated, regardless of the offender&#8217;s status.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">In the Kaliningrad Region, the Service successfully overturned earlier decisions denying damages to Baltptitseprom, a poultry trading company. In 2021, inspectors from the Northwestern Directorate recorded the discharge of untreated wastewater into the Graevka River. Samples revealed elevated levels of ammonium, nitrates, phosphates, iron, and fats\u2014substances prohibited for discharge. Damages were estimated at 250 million rubles. The company did not voluntarily pay the damages. The courts initially dismissed the claim, but following a cassation appeal, the case was remanded for a new trial.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">The Lipetsk Regional Arbitration Court examined another case: soil contamination near the city of Yelets. In October 2023, inspectors from the Central Black Earth Department discovered construction and renovation waste in the Lava tract, covering over 4,300 square meters of soil. The city administration was sent a demand for voluntary compensation, but it was not fulfilled. The court upheld Rosprirodnadzor&#8217;s position and ordered the administration to pay 3.05 million rubles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3880\" src=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/reka241125.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/reka241125.jpg 750w, https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/reka241125-300x172.jpg 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"430\" \/><br \/>\n<em><span dir=\"auto\">press service of Rosprirodnadzor<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">In the Astrakhan Region, specialists from the Lower Volga Directorate investigated media reports of an alleged oil spill near the village of Prikaspiysky. On-site investigation revealed that the spill was not oil pollution, but a sewer pipeline rupture. The soil was contaminated with wastewater over an area of \u200b\u200b311 square meters. Laboratory tests confirmed that concentrations exceeded permissible limits. Damage was estimated at 1.87 million rubles. The municipal institution &#8220;Unified Dispatch Service of the Narimanov District,&#8221; which operates the wastewater disposal system, was found liable. A demand for voluntary compensation has been sent to it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">In the same region, the Central Black Earth Department secured debt collection from the Lipetsk Municipal District Vodokanal. In its 2022 declaration, the company understated its environmental impact fee. This is a mandatory environmental payment required of all economic entities. The total debt exceeded 2.4 million rubles. Rosprirodnadzor&#8217;s claim was upheld, but the appellate court dismissed the company&#8217;s appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span dir=\"auto\">In Krasnodar Krai, inspectors from the Black Sea-Azov Department discovered wastewater discharges from abandoned sewer systems into the Asha River, which flows into the Black Sea. Tests showed pollutant concentrations exceeding permissible limits. The Sochi city administration, to which Rosprirodnadzor filed a claim, was appointed responsible for compensating the damage. The damage amounted to 83.9 million rubles. The administration did not pay the money voluntarily. A court ordered full compensation for the environmental damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/go\/6\"  class=\"su-button su-button-style-flat su-button-wide\" style=\"color:#FFFFFF;background-color:#af170f;border-color:#8c130c;border-radius:5px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color:#FFFFFF;padding:7px 22px;font-size:17px;line-height:26px;border-color:#c75d57;border-radius:5px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px;text-shadow:none;-moz-text-shadow:none;-webkit-text-shadow:none\"><i class=\"sui sui-heart\" style=\"font-size:17px;color:#FFFFFF\"><\/i> Comment on Facebook* The owner of the Meta company is recognized as extremist in Russia and is banned.<\/span><\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Russian Academy of Sciences will explore the feasibility of constructing a water pipeline from the Ob River to Uzbekistan\u2014a similar project to the Soviet-era &#8220;diversion&#8221; of Siberian rivers to Central Asia, but using plastic pipes. It has also been announced when the RAS will consider the project to divert Siberian rivers to Donbas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2044,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,539],"tags":[949,948,950,947,497],"class_list":{"0":"post-2043","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-hydrosphere","9":"tag-aral-sea","10":"tag-donbass","11":"tag-ob","12":"tag-river","13":"tag-siberia"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2043"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2224,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043\/revisions\/2224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planeta21vek.ru\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}