Typification of Kherson region by water availability for irrigation and its environmental consequences

Abstract

. The article presents the results of regional typification for the Kherson region by water availability for irrigation, taking into account the possible environmental risk as a result of the increase in irrigated area. The grouping of the territories previously differentiated by water availability into the following subtypes was performed: low rate of natural surface and groundwater water availability; sufficient rate of groundwater availability variously suitable for irrigation; high level of transit river flow availability; provided water supply of different quality from irrigation sources. Also, the territory grouping was made by the zones of ecological risk according to ecological and amelioration qualifications along with the separation of admissible ecological risk zones (potentially conditionally unstable areas with good ecological and reclamation conditions), zones of increased ecological or potentially unstable areas with the satisfactory and endangered condition), zones of sustainable ecological risk (potentially unstable areas with the unsatisfactory or very unsatisfactory land condition), zones of ecological crises development (potentially very unstable with the very unsatisfactory land condition).  It was specified that within the Kherson region predominate the areas with low natural water supply from local surface flow in combination with the zones of increased ecological risk (Kakhovka irrigation zone) or with the zones of stable ecological risk (Oleksandrivska irrigation zone, Kalanchak irrigation system). Additional surface water supply for irrigation is provided by the main canals from the Kakhovka reservoir. Further increase in irrigation areas within these typological territories, on the one hand, can be provided with available resources on the other hand, may lead to deterioration of ecological and reclamation condition of irrigated land and aggravation of water and ecological situation, first of all, rising groundwater level.