Water Disasters

Water Disaster threatens Ukraine

In a single day, the water levels in towns and villages downstream of Ukraine's devastated Nova Kakhovka Dam surged by several meters. However, the worst consequences are yet to unfold as the floodwaters recede, leaving behind the looming threats of pollution, disease, and the potential transformation of this region into a desert. This disaster raises questions about its impact on the ongoing war and the true cost for the affected population.

The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka Dam released nearly four and a half cubic miles of water from its reservoir into the Lower Dnieper River, equivalent to the volume of Utah's Great Salt Lake. According to Ukrainian authorities in the region, the flooding submerged 77 towns and villages, covering approximately 230 square miles of land. Hundreds of people were rescued from rooftops, adding to the challenges of resettling thousands of individuals who have already endured the horrors of occupation and Russian shelling. Access to water, electricity, and food has been arduous, and now the situation is exacerbating further, while the coping mechanisms of the affected population are already strained.

Once the water levels recede, thousands of people will likely seek to return to their homes. However, the contamination caused by fuel spills and sewage poses a significant risk to groundwater sources, potentially leading to waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. The situation on the harder-hit Left Bank, under Russian occupation, is more challenging to assess, but satellite images before and after the flooding reveal a tragic tale. There are reports of people being left to fend for themselves, and dozens are believed to be missing on both sides of the river. Additionally, the flooded water has submerged minefields left by Russian occupiers when they retreated from the Right Bank of the Dnieper last year. The Halo Trust has identified 5,000 mines in the Mykolaiv region in just the past month. These mines pose an ongoing risk, as they may shift and fluctuate, further endangering the clearing efforts.

For decades, the Nova Kakhovka Dam has supplied water to surrounding farmland through a network of canals. Initially, the threat to crops was from flooding, but now the looming concern is drought. The water level in the Kakhovka Reservoir has fallen below the critical threshold, known as the Dead Zone, where water no longer flows into irrigation canals. Ukraine heavily relies on agriculture, and the dam's flooding will have a significant impact on the productive farmland in the region, both presently and in the long term. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture warns that farmlands dependent on the reservoir are at risk of drying out and turning into desert. This risk also extends to Russian-controlled Crimea, which relies heavily on water from the canal near the damaged dam.

Moreover, the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant relies on water to keep its reactors cool, even though all six reactors are currently in shutdown mode. The plant's water supply originates from an artificial lake, which is fed by the rapidly shrinking reservoir. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that there is currently no critical threat to the power station, as the lake holds enough water for several months. However, being on the front line of a war means that the loss of water or power for the pumps is always a possibility, which could result in a potential meltdown.

Ukraine has labeled this disaster the worst environmental catastrophe since Chernobyl. The affected area was home to nature reserves, rare animal species, and even a zoo, all of which have been lost. Dead fish litter the shrinking shores of the reservoir downstream, and the Black Sea's coastline now witnesses the sad sight of dead animals and remnants of people's homes. As Ukraine's long-awaited counter-offensive is underway.