Opinion: there will be no abundant spring flooding on the Dniester. Photo by Ilya Trombitsky
As Ilya Trombitsky, director of the NGO Eco-TIRAS, noted in a commentary for Logos Press, it can be assumed that the snow reserves of the Carpathians have largely dried up and it is unlikely that the Dniester reservoir will be filled completely (about 121 meters) by mid-April. At the moment, the water level in the reservoir is close to 115 meters. Under favorable circumstances, it will rise to 117-118 meters by mid-April. That is, the prospect of an abundant flood is almost certainly excluded.
In general, the situation with the Dniester’s water regime is average, in the sense that it has been worse. However, it is not fully capable of satisfying the normal functioning of the river ecosystem and providing eco-services, in particular, natural water purification. On the other hand, the Dniester’s water resources are likely to be sufficient for both domestic water supply to the country’s population and irrigation.
Where did the oil slicks on the Dniester water come from?
Much will still depend on the mode of operation of the Ukrainian hydropower industry. In the situation of an increasingly aggravated and now multi-level energy crisis, this policy will hardly be too careful with respect to the water regime of the Dniester.
The situation is also worrying in light of the recent bombing of the hydroelectric power station. Few details are available about this incident. It appears that the dam and related infrastructure were not seriously damaged. However, some experts believe that the oil slicks on the water may be a consequence of this attack.
Moreover, the Moldovan authorities have not yet said a word about the causes of this problem, which suggests the dosing of information. Moreover, details have surprisingly surfaced about the alleged spill of 1.5 tons of oil products.
