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Transboundary zone "Russia- Ukraine"
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2.2.2. Transboundary zone "Russia- Ukraine"
Geographically, this zone is located in the center of the East-European (Russian) plain and encompasses the forest, forest-steppe and steppe climatic zones.
The climate of the zone is moderately continental with average temperatures in the range of -9 - 10,3°С to -7 - 9,5°С in January (from the north to the south), and from +17 – 18°С to + 18,6 – 19,8°С in July. The average precipitation volume varies from 580 to 640 mm in the sufficiently humid northern part and from 560 to 584 mm in the moderately humid southern part.
As one moves to the south and south-west the share of the drainage basin covered by forests decreases (from 44-50% in the Kaluga and Briansk regions to 11% in the Kursk and Belgorod regions) and accordingly the share of cultivated land increases (from 30-33% in the north to 63-65% in the south).
The area is rich in mineral resources, raw materials and nonmetalliferous building materials such as brown coal, phosphorites, limestone, iron ore of the Kursk anomaly, etc.
The population density shows some variability over regions ranging from 14 people per sq. km. in the Oriol region to 476 people per sq. km. in the Kursk region. The proportion of urban population is fairly high in the Kaluga region (71%), Briansk region (68%) and Kursk region (62%). At the same time, in predominantly rural Oriol and Belgorod regions the share of the urban population is as low as 30% and 38%, respectively.
Agriculture plays an important role in the drainage basin. The major agricultural activities are crop production and meat and dairy production. The significant proportion of the sown area is under industrial crops.
Among the crops grown in the three climatic zones are potatoes, grain, cereals (buckwheat), leguminous plants (peas), sugar beet and vegetables. In 2001 the total numbers of cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry were around 1 mn, over 650 thou, over 100 thou, and over 14 mn, respectively.
The most highly industrialized regions in the drainage area are the Briansk and Kursk regions.
In the Briansk region machine-building and metal working industries account for the bulk of industrial production (31%). Other major industries include food industry (29%), building materials industry (10%) and electric power generation (8%).
The largest industrialized cities and townships of the Briansk region are located on the Desna River. These include Briansk with a population of 485 thou, Diatkovo, Zhukovka and Trubchevsk with a population of 20 to 40 thou each. These cities and towns influence the Desna River environment and predetermine the chemistry of transboundary pollution.
Water quality of the Sudost River is influenced by the towns of Pochep, Starodub and Pogar with populations ranging from 17 thou to 20 thou while water quality of the Snov River is formed by the town of Klimovo.
The annual volume of water extracted from surface water bodies located in the Desna River basin is 45 mn m3, of which 35 mn m3 are extracted by Briansk alone.
The annual volume of wastewater discharged into surface water bodies is around 90 mn m3, including over 60 mn m3 (or 70%) generated by Briansk water users.
Practically all wastewater discharged into the rivers (95%) is “contaminated” and needs to be treated.
The Kursk region is situated on the territory of the Kursk magnetic anomaly which is one of the largest iron-ore mining basins of the world. Iron ore is extracted by the Mikhailovskiy GOK situated on the Svapa River (Seim River tributary). The region has been found to possess deposits of chalk, phosphorites, foundry sand and ceramic loam. These have been explored and assessed.
Major industries include ore mining, machine building, metal working, glass industry, chemistry, consumer goods and food processing. Electric power industry is represented by the Kursk nuclear power plant.
The region’s largest cities that have an impact on surface water quality and the transboundary transfer of pollutants are located in the Seim River drainage area. Those located on the Seim River itself include Kursk with a population of 443 thou, Kurchatov (44 thou), Lgov and Rylsk (20 thou each).
Water quality of the Psiol River is influenced by the towns of Oboyan (15 thou) and Sudzha (around 10 thou).
The annual volume of water extracted from surface water bodies of the Seim River basin by Kursk region’s water users is 170 mn m3, of which 80 mn m3 (or 45%) are extracted by Kursk alone.
The annual volume of wastewater discharged into surface water bodies of the Seim River basin by the Kursk region is over 145 mn m3, of which 45% are “contaminated” or “inadequately treated” discharges that need treatment. Kursk city water users account for more than 70% of the region’s entire wastewater discharge volume.
Major populated centers of the Belgorod region, which are located on the Vorskla River, are the housing estates of Stroitel, Tomarovka, Yakovlevo and Borisovka as well as the town of Graivoron with populations ranging from 3 to 15 thou.
The Vorsklitsa River drainage basin is 100% rural with no urban populated centers. Surface water quality of the Vorsklitsa and Vorskla rivers is influenced by agricultural activities and especially by crop production (arable land consiitutes over 60% of the two rivers’ drainage area).
The consolidated indicators of economic activities and surface water consumption in the drainage areas of the Dnipro Basin transboundary rivers in the year 2000 are presented in Table 2.2.
