Upper Dnieper River Basin - Environmental Protection of
Transcription
Upper Dnieper River Basin - Environmental Protection of
BELARUS UKRAINE Upper Dnieper River Basin KEY WATER ISSUES The project is funded by the European Union This project is implemented by a consortium led by Hulla & Co. Human Dynamics KG EPIRB Environmental Protection of International River Basins The Environmental Protection of International River Basins (EPIRB) project aims to improve the quality of water in transboundary river basins in the wider Black Sea region, including Belarus and Ukraine. One of the specific objectives is to improve technical capacities by developing river basin management plans (RBMPs) in selected pilot river basins, according to the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). One of the selected pilot basins is the Upper Dnieper River basin, located in eastern Belarus and northern Ukraine. 2 The Water Framework Directive and river basin management plans One of the requirements of the WFD is the achievement and preservation of good water status by managing waters in natural units — that is, in river basins. Good water status is achieved when pollution is controlled and there is sufficient flow for ecosystems to function and survive. River basin planning follows a structured approach: finding out facts, deciding on necessary actions, making a management plan, and putting the plan into practice. An important first step is to identify significant water management issues so that appropriate solutions and measures can be developed. The impacts of human activities Human activities can lead to serious problems in terms of both water quality and quantity. The most common water-related problems are pollution and the effects of physical modifications to rivers and lakes. Water pollution can arise from two types of sources: point sources, such as discharges from industrial facilities and wastewater treatment plants; and diffuse sources, such as landuse activities, including agriculture. Hydromorphological alterations include the physical modification of waterways, such as engineered modifications to the natural structure or flow of rivers in order to make particular use of them. Such modifications might include land drainage, the construction of flood defences, or the damming of rivers to provide storage for power generation. Another potential problem is excessive water abstraction, which can reduce river flow and even cause rivers and lakes to dry up. A river basin is the land that water flows across or under on its way to a river. The basin sends all the water that falls within it to a central river or estuary. 3 UPPER DNIEPER RIVER BASIN – Profile TOTAL AREA 77,336.17 km2 LOCATION 67,295.35 km2 in eastern Belarus; 10,040.82 km2 in northern Ukraine Lithuania Russian Federation Belarus CHARACTERISTICS Wide natural biodiversity and a variety of linked ecosystems, with over 90 fish species, 182 bird species and more than 2,500 plant species. WATER USE In Belarus, surface water is mostly used by industries, fisheries and agriculture, while groundwater is mostly used for drinking water supply. In Ukraine, water abstracted in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions is mainly used for industrial purposes, followed by drinking water supply and fishing. A small quantity of water is also used for irrigation. Ukraine Moldova Romania DID YOU KNOW? The Dnieper is fed by three sources: snowmelt (50%), groundwater (27%) and rainwater (23%). 4 Larger Dnieper Basin Upper Dnieper Pilot - Belarus Upper Dnieper Pilot - Ukraine 5 Water pollution is the contamination of surface waters and groundwater with harmful substances, causing a degradation in water quality. Upper Dnieper River basin – Water challenges POLLUTION FROM PARTIALLY TREATED OR UNTREATED WASTEWATER What’s causing the problem? In the Upper Dnieper basin, on the territory of Belarus, there are 163 water users (including industries) that discharge wastewater into water bodies. Over 90 percent of the wastewater in the basin is produced by 23 companies. The largest is the Minsk wastewater treatment plant, which treats wastewater from almost the whole of Minsk’s population and almost all the city’s enterprises. One of the biggest problems is inadequate cleaning due to inefficient facilities or their absence in many areas (mainly towns). The wastewater treatment plants currently operating on the territory of Ukraine were constructed 50 to 60 years ago, and the equipment in use is now out of date. The Bortnichi aeration station operated by the Kyivvodokanal public corporation has the biggest capacity and receives wastewater from Kyiv and its 13 satellite cities. So-called secondary water users, including industrial enterprises, also discharge their wastewater into the city’s sewerage systems, and this wastewater is not usually appropriately treated. In addition, coverage by sewage collection systems is low in small towns and rural areas in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions and wastewater is collected in decentralised sanitation systems such as septic tanks or pit latrines. 6 How does it affect water status? Discharges of untreated wastewater increase the content of phosphorus, nitrogen and organic compounds in the water body. This changes the composition and condition of fresh water due to the explosive growth of algae and plants in a process known as eutrophication. Oxygen is used up as the dead algae decompose, reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water and altering the survival, reproductive and competitive capacities of water organisms. The rapid growth of algae, known as algal bloom, can be harmful to fish and other aquatic animals, as it creates toxins. Even non-toxic algal blooms can affect aquatic life by blocking out sunlight and creating areas with little or no oxygen. Wastewater treatment is the removal of contaminants from wastewater to produce both a liquid suitable for disposal into the natural environment, and sludge. Biological methods may include aerated lagoons and sand filters. The simplest method is to separate solids from liquids by sedimentation. 7 POLLUTION FROM AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES What’s causing the problem? In the Upper Dnieper basin, on the territory of Belarus, there are many forms of agricultural enterprise, including branches of service industries, private farms, and processing facilities with different forms of ownership. Minsk region is the largest agricultural area in Belarus. Agricultural production here includes dairy cattle breeding, poultry farming, and the growing of grains, potatoes, flax and beets. Livestock breeding is one of the most important branches of agriculture in Belarus. Compared with EU countries such as Denmark and Poland, the livestock intensity in the Dnieper basin in Belarus is low. However, the relative inefficiency of sewage treatment plants at livestock farms, the absence of modern systems and the lack of manure processing increase the risk of contamination of water bodies. In Ukraine, agriculture is an important component of the national economy. However, there is no marked growth in this sphere. Agricultural production here is characterised by a fundamental modification of the sector’s structure, with an increase in crop Manure can be a valuable resource rather than just a waste product, but it must be managed appropriately to protect surface waters and groundwater. 8 farming compared to a decrease in animal farming. In the Kyiv region, there is a great contrast between the northern areas, which were contaminated as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and the rest of the territory. A typical feature of agricultural production in this region are suburban smallholdings or homesteads that specialise in vegetable growing and poultry keeping. How does it affect water status? Mineral and organic fertilisers and pesticides are washed from fields and livestock farms into streams and rivers, causing organic and nutrient pollution. A rise in the level of nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus) causes algae to grow faster, creating increased biological oxygen demand. This has a negative impact on water quality and fish breeding conditions. Of the total amount of fertilisers applied to the soil, only 5 to 10 percent are absorbed by plants, while 90 to 95 percent are washed away by rain or snowmelt and accumulate in rivers, lakes and groundwater, potentially affecting ecosystems. Fertilise wisely! Applying fertilisers in appropriate quantities, at the right time of the year and using the right methods, can reduce the potential for pollution. 9 Hydromorphology combines the study of the hydrological regime and morphological conditions. It deals with the quantity and dynamics of water flow, as well as the shape and boundaries of a particular water body. HYDROMORPHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS AND WATER ABSTRACTION What’s causing the problem? Hydromorphological changes in the Dnieper basin in Belarus are mainly due to hydropower plants, flood protection engineering, shipping, urban development and agricultural activities. There are 73 objects that impede river flow, including 17 channel reservoirs; 37 artificial ponds located on rivers; and 19 pumping stations. The biggest hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Belarus, and in the pilot basin, is Osipovichskaya HPP, while the greatest hydropower potential in the Dnieper basin is concentrated in the Mogilev region, directly on the Dnieper River. During the Soviet era, largescale river melioration work was carried out in the Dnieper basin, involving the straightening of riverbeds. Hydromorphological changes were made at 69 sites out of the 104 that were considered in order to straighten channels. In Ukraine, one distinctive feature of the Upper Dnieper basin is the fact that river runoff is strongly regulated via a large number of channels, agricultural soil reclamation canals, drainage systems, dams and pumping facilities. Power is generated in the Kyiv region by the Kyiv HPP and the Kyiv pumped storage power plant, the first of its type in the former USSR. The pumped storage power plant accumulates water during night hours in a specially built reservoir on the high bank. The accumulated water is released during peak hours in order to generate power. 10 How does it affect water status? Engineering infrastructure disrupts aquatic ecosystems, river flow and the migration of aquatic organisms. Channel reservoirs may have an impact both downstream (oscillation in water levels) and upstream (reduction in water velocity). The straightening of riverbeds leads to morphological alterations and, consequently, to changes in ecosystems. In Belarus, 17 channel reservoirs have caused hydrological changes at 13 river sites. In Ukraine, agricultural soil reclamation canals have resulted in the disconnection of wetlands and changes in the hydrological regime; and the Kyiv and Kaniv reservoirs have raised water levels, leading to permanent flooding in once dry areas (meadows, forests, farmland and settlements). The natural migration routes of fish and their access to habitats are often obstructed by the building of dams. The incorporation of fish migration aids in crossriver structures helps keep habitats accessible, protecting natural reproduction patterns and lifecycles and ensuring population sustainability. 11 This publication summarises a review of the pressures and impacts on the water bodies of the Upper Dnieper River basin, prepared in the framework of the EPIRB project. The full pressure-impact analysis reports are available at http://blackseariverbasins.net/en/pilot-basins/upperdnieper-river-basin EPIRB Project Regional Office in Kyiv Kyiv 01601, Ukraine Velyka Vasylkivska (former Chervonoarmiiska) Street 13/1, room 502 Tel.: +380 50 330 99 48 EPIRB Project Regional Office in Tbilisi Tbilisi 0102, Georgia 5 Marjanishvili Street, office 402 Tel.: +995 32 236 8877 Editors: Imola Koszta ● Jovanka Ignjatovic Contributors: Alexandr Stankevich ● Nataliia Zakorchevna Design and layout: Tricia Barna Copyediting and proofreading: Rachel Hideg Photographs: EPIRB partners ● iStock ● Alexandr Stankevich ● Vahagn Tonoyan ● Nataliia Zakorchevna Publisher: The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe www.blacksea-riverbasins.net The European Union is made up of 28 member states who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders. Legal notice: This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the Human Dynamics Consortium implementing the project and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. © 2015 – Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe