| Insight


Classify hazards informing the development and application of a plausible risk assessment approach across species, habitats and river basin scales. Identify potential issues of concern that warrant further assessment beyond the timescales of this project.


The report’s key findings found that around 83,000 hectares of land, an area the size of Kyiv, was flooded downstream of the dam. The discharge of water was 30,000 m3/sec immediately after the breach, compared to a daily average of 2,600m3/sec. As the Kakhovka Reservoir was almost completely emptied, thousands of fish were washed out or stranded. This included an estimated 28,000 crucian carp, totalling 95,000 tonnes with an estimated commercial value of US $108 million. Such flooding in June was also highly likely to have disrupted the life cycles of many freshwater and terrestrial species, including the Dnipro sturgeon and the downstream hatcheries established to support its conservation, as well as other migratory aquatic species. For terrestrial species, direct loss or damage of nests and offspring will have occurred, affecting birds nesting on the ground, (eg little gull, little bustard) or in emergent vegetation. These breeds in the affected area are European Red-listed species, classified as “near threatened” or “vulnerable”. There were more than 1000 potential sources of pollution from flooded sites, including wastewater treatment works, petrol stations, landfills and industrial sites. Historical pollutants contained within reservoir bed sediments – potentially including mine waste and radioactive substances – along with sediment containing pollutants from the sources above would have been dispersed across the aforementioned habitats and into the coastal ecosystems of the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve. This reserve is home to bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise, Pontic or Black Sea shad, otters, the Stepp polecat, and the critically endangered slender-billed curlew, numbers of which globally are thought to be less than 50 individuals. The Dnipro delta is also important as a staging post for migratory and breeding birds including the near threatened, red-breasted goose. As UKCEH and HR Wallingford acknowledge, the impacts of the dam breach on many of these species is difficult to determine without on-the-ground surveillance. Emma Brown, Technical Director at HR Wallingford, added: “I am very proud of the work we’ve done


with UKCEH to assess the environmental impacts of the Kakhovka Dam breach. Combining our expertise in dam breach modelling, hydrology and earth observation with UKCEH’s expert biodiversity knowledge enabled the team to produce a detailed report in just 16 days, which I hope will be instrumental in helping with recovery efforts in the region.” The report, which informed a wider report by the UN Environment Programme, also identified potential long-term effects on the environment, human health and economies. It said the flooding would have worsened water infrastructure and quality, affecting drinking water supply and irrigation for agriculture. The authors made several recommendations for


future action including an assessment of the sources of radioactive and munitions waste, and their movement down the Dnipro River to the Black Sea. This would support clean-up efforts, reduce the risks to human health associated with eating contaminated fish, shellfish and crops and safeguard a key global grain shipping route if there are unexploded arms in the area. “This significant work undertaken in a timely way using cutting-edge technologies highlights the


Above: Lake Kakhovka modelled maximum flood depth


Below left: Aerial view of flooding in the city of Kherson following the breach of Kakhovka Dam during the Russian-Ukrainian war


Below: The dried up Kakhovka Reservoir due to breaching of Kakhovka Dam on 6 June 2023


www.waterpowermagazine.com | Yearbook 2024 | 5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212  |  Page 213  |  Page 214  |  Page 215  |  Page 216  |  Page 217  |  Page 218  |  Page 219  |  Page 220  |  Page 221  |  Page 222  |  Page 223  |  Page 224  |  Page 225  |  Page 226  |  Page 227  |  Page 228  |  Page 229  |  Page 230