HYDROLOGICAL AND HYDROCHEMICAL CRITERIA FOR TYPIFICATION OF THE WATER BODIES AIMED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE IN THE SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-EASTERN PARTS OF THE ROSTOV REGION

Abstract

This paper presents materials on the development of criteria for the typification of water bodies for the purposes of commercial aquaculture on the example of model water bodies in the Rostov Region. Altogether, 24 water bodies located in the southern and south-eastern parts of the Region have been investigated. The development of criteria for the typification of water bodies has been carried out based on hydrological and hydrochemical indicators, which were scored in 4 blocks. The total score established for the main hydrological and hydrochemical parameters can be used as a criterion for a water body being suitable for the purposes of commercial aquaculture. The dependence of suitability of the water body for fish farming on its location, the average annual flow rate of rivers or the annual precipitation–evaporation ratio according to the established scores has not been revealed. However, in the zone of very arid climate, more unusable water bodies have been identified. Since, according to the conditions of water availability, almost all water bodies should be classified as the reservoirs that are insecure for fish farming, the number of water bodies not recommended or recommended with significant restrictions amounted to only 25 % of the total. This indicates a fairly high potential for fish farming even in the arid zone of the Rostov Region. A brief hydrological and hydrochemical characterization of each investigated water body can be used to develop scientifically grounded recommendations for the organization of fish farms for the purposes of commercial aquaculture.