Document Actions
Introduction
Up one level
Field studies on surface water quality of the Dnipro Basin are being carried out as part of the Project “Formation of input (basic) data on the water quality of water bodies of the Russian Dnipro Basin”, which is implemented within the framework of the international Dnipro River rehabilitation program in compliance with the cooperation agreement sighed by the International Development Research Center (Canada), State Committee for Environmental Protection of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.
For the purpose of setting up a database to ensure consistency of decisions affecting the Dnipro Basin water protection efforts of the three neighboring countries, in May and June 2001 the Russian Federation hosted the first field survey of surface water quality, bottom sediments, zoobenthos and ichtyofauna of the Dnipro Basin watercourses.
Field studies conducted in the transboundary reaches of the Dnipro Basin in the summer of 2001 made it possible to obtain fairly accurate and integrated information about the environmental status and water quality of the major Dnipro transboundary watercourses during the summer low-water period.
The main objectives of the field studies were as follows:
1. concurrent assessment of the volume and quality of the Dnipro Basin surface water during the summer low-water period in order to determine the overall pollution loads and locate the most polluted sections of the rivers;
2. setting of top-priority surface water quality parameters (limits) applicable throughout the entire Dnipro Basin, i.e. indicators for which concentrations of pollutants exceeded the required standards during the field study period;
3. refinement of methods of tracing pollutants;
4. preliminary assessment of the current environmental status of transboundary sections of Dnipro Basin rivers in terms of their hydrochemical, hydrobiological and integral parameters;
5. assessment of zoobenthos and ichtyofauna inhabiting Dnipro Basin watercourses with a view to identifying the impact of economic activities on river biodiversity;
6. preliminary assessment of the transboundary transfer of pollutants;
7. establishment of business contacts among organizations and specialists of the countries participating in the Project in order to continue cooperation under future Dnipro Basin rehabilitation programs
The field work was characterized by the following:
1. The sampling procedure, list of examined parameters, methodological approaches to determining such parameters and sampling periods were consistent with those applied during similar Dnipro River studies conducted in Belarus and Ukraine;
2. Water flow rates were determined at monitored sampling sites concurrently with physical, chemical, hydrochemical, radiological, hydrobiological and bacteriological water quality parameters;
3. Reliance on the integrated approach in assessing the environmental state of surface water and bottom sediments (namely their hydrochemical, radiological and bacteriological parameters);
4. Field works were geared to the subsequent assessment of the transboundary transfer of pollutants.
Presently we are witnessing an alarmingly speedy destruction of the vitally important human life medium – water medium. The most glaring example is the condition of small and medium-sized rivers which are especially vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, accumulating in their catchments major pollution loads subsequently transported to large water arteries.
The adoption of environmental and economic decisions in the field of natural resources use in general and water use in particular is tightly linked to the creation of the effective information management system.
The common information system in the field of water use cannot function without international cooperation and exchange of information on transboundary water bodies in accordance with the Water Code of the Russian Federation, international conventions and agreements that are vital for the formulation of the Russian economic policy in its international aspect.
Resolution of short and long-term tasks in the field of use, protection and rehabilitation of water resources of transboundary water bodies in a concerted manner first of all depends on the collection, processing and analysis of a significant volume of information on the state of water resources, water management systems and facilities as well as on the assessment of environmental situation and water management practices in the neighboring countries.
Surface water quality in the Russian Federation is monitored by several different organizations. Under the existing legislation the responsibility for state control rests with the Ministry of Natural Resources, bodies of the Federal Agency for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring of Russia, State Committee for Environmental Protection of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Health.
