Hydrology Population Geography Dam Effects Pollution Effects Erosion Effects Other Issues Volga Revival Projects

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2 Hydrology Population Geography Dam Effects Pollution Effects Erosion Effects Other Issues Volga Revival Projects

3 Length: 3,692 km Peak Discharge: 26,000 m 3 /s Mean Annual Water Discharge: 8,060 m 3 /s Drainage Basin Area: 1,380,000 km 2 Current Average annual suspended sediment discharge: t

4 61 million people (roughly half of Russia s population) live on the basin in 444 towns. Supports half of agriculture. Supplies half of inland fish stocks. 70 percent of inland waterways traffic.

5 The Volga (Russian: Волга) is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. Flows through central Russia. 11 of Russia s largest cities, including the capital Moscow, are located on the Volga drainage basin. The Russian plain is derived of Precambrian crystalline rocks and covered by a think layer of sedimentary rocks within the boundaries of the Volga catchment.

6 Climate of the upper Volga basin is moderate. Above freezing air temperature for 7 months from spring through autumn Below freezing temperature for 3 4 months in winter. Starts in the Valdai hills 225 meters above sea level, and discharges into the Caspian sea. The Volga River has over 200 tributaries, the most important ones being the Kama, the Oka, the Vetluga, and the Sura rivers.

7 Positive Effects The Volga Hydroelectric station allowed for the development of the Lower Volga Region. Dams on the Volga have improved and strengthened the economy by providing energy reserves at a time when world energy costs are rising. Flood mitigation has been essential to preserve the more than 80,000 archeological monuments, 96 historical cities and rural settlements, and UNESCO World Heritage sites within the basin. Negative Effects Disrupted human settlements, causing acute social problems associated with resettlement. Numerous settlements and fertile lands were lost. Disrupted the traditional path of Caspian fish migration to their breeding grounds. This has drastically reduced the fish population in the Volga. Of the 11 dams on the Volga, only 2 have fish ladders. Flooding from the dams have destroyed spawning grounds of the Sturgeon population.

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9 Statistics 3,000 factories dump 10 billion cubic yards of contaminated waste into the river every year. Pollution is caused by the approximately 450 oil and gas fields in the Volga River basin, producing approximately 80 million tons of oil and 40 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The total annual discharge of oil by products is up to 18,000 tons, surface active substances up to 6,000 tons, ammonia nitrogen up to 100,000 tons, phenols 90,000 tons, and zinc up to 1,000 tons.

10 70 percent of the river s pollutants including oil, nutrients, and heavy metals come from residential and agricultural sources. Combined with industrial sources, about 20 km 3 of wastewater flows into the ecosystem every year. Only 15% of treated wastewater meets national standards, yet, 85% of drinking water in the Volga basin is taken from surface water sources, including the Volga itself.

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12 Effects on Fish Species Organic material waste causes necrosis within fish species. The liver of the majority of fish species studied was the most affected organ, followed by the gonads and eyes. Noticeable mutations within species in especially highly contaminated water. Even with high contamination of water, all 88 fish species documented still cope with the Volga s current state. Tributaries are a refuge for fish species as they are have much higher water quality. Sturgeon populations have been decreased by 60% since 1980.

13 The Upper Volga region (spanning from Gorodnya to Kostoma) is suffering from soil and bank erosion caused by significant hydrological changes due to the exponential growth of urban development.

14 Two major types of landslides. Shallow slides in colluvium mostly caused by river erosion. Landslide formed in the glacial moraine deposits. Usually occur in individual rotational slides. Formation of shallow landslides in colluvium on the slopes of the Volga River Formation of rotational landslides in the glacial moraine deposits on the high slopes of the Volga River

15 The shallow slides cause landslides with an average volume of 50 m 3 of land mass. The landslides formed in the glacial moraine deposits have an average volume of land mass of about 2,000 m 3. Profile of a retrogressive, multiple rotational landslide in the moraine deposits in the village of Gorodyna

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17 Absence of the legislative and normative base for sustainable development of the Volga basin and prevention of water conflicts. Insufficient maintenance regime for reservoirs, including flood control. The lack of an effective system of environmental monitoring in the basin. Inadequate public involvement in conflict resolution in the water consumption sphere; public opinion has little impact on decision making. Absence of networking, cooperation, and other public bodies for the control of water consumption by water users or to protect the human rights of the local population in water conflict situations. Environmentally unfriendly navigation (safety, channel cleaning, sewage management on ships).

18 Facts Established in 1996 under Boris Yeltson. Goal: to solve severe problems involving environmental safety from industrial and agricultural production as well as restoration of nature. Concluded in Successes Reforestation. Riverbank Protection. Construction of a water purification facility.

19 Facts The Volga Revivals successor. Involves over 300 organizations. Makes use of European influence and research. Financed by European Union. 5 Topics of Focus 1. River and environmental rehabilitation. 2. Human Security and Vulnerability. 3. Natural Recourses and their sustainable use. 4. Connecting goods and People. 5. Institutional Coordination and Cooperation.

20 Volga Hydroelectric station: Moiseenko, T. I., et al. "Ecotoxicological assessment of water quality and ecosystem health: A case study of the Volga River." Ecotoxicology and environmental safe ty 71.3 (2008): Kashchenko, Oleg and Michelle French. "The Volga River: Russia's strained lifeline". Cabri Volga Brief 1 (2005):1. Print. Moiseenko, T. I. et al. "Ecotoxicological asessment of after effects of the Volga River water contamination." Water resources 32.4 (2005): Shubin, M. A. "A Conceptual Analysis of the Relation between Human Activities and River Quality Degradation in the Vloga Don Basin." European Water Management Online. European Water Association, Web. 20 Feb < Ruprecht Siegfried and Natalia Davydova. "The CABRI Volga Project ( ). Dec CABRI. 5 Mar < volga.org/doc/cabrivolga_ Leaflet.pdf>. On Course for Sustainable Water Resource Management. Volga Policy Roundtable CABRI. 5 Mar 2010 < ml>.

21 Mamaev, Yuri, Ivan Gratchev, and Dimitri Vankov. "A Hazard Assessment of Settlements and Historical Places in the Upper Volga River Region, Russia." Landslides. (2006): Tockner, Klement, Urs Uehlinger, and Christopher T. Robinson. Rivers of Europe. Amsterdam: Academic, Web. 25 Feb Simpson, Jerome. "Issue 2." Cabri Volga Brief. The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Dec Web. < volga.org/doc/cabrivolgabriefissue2.pdf> Simpson, Jerome. "Issues 3,4." Cabri Volga Brief. The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Mar Web. < volga.org/doc/cabrivolgabriefissue3 4.pdf>. pg=pt39&dq=volga+river+basin&ots=awvr0sxvpt&sig=tu4aka5em9gtw DpYHHu0VwdB L4#v=onepage&q=volga%20river%20basin&f=true