The Shatsk Lakes in Polissya Have Shallowed: Causes Identified
Lake Svitiaz in Volyn has noticeably receded: in some areas, the water has pulled back dozens of meters from the shoreline, and parts of the area that were previously submerged are now accessible on foot.
Bogdan Prots, Ph.D. in Biology and chairman of the board of the NGO “Danube-Carpathian Program,” explained the reasons for the drop in water levels in Lake Svitiaz and other Shatsk Lakes.
This summer, tourists have particularly noticed the significant shallowing. Photos from popular beaches show a wide strip of exposed lake bed, and vacationers have to walk longer distances through shallow water to reach deeper parts of the lake.
According to Bohdan Prots, the shallowing of the Shatsk Lakes is a complex issue. One of the main causes is climate change and a lack of precipitation.
“The shallowing of the Shatsk Lakes is a complex problem. First and foremost, it involves climate change, which is accompanied by a lack of rainfall during the spring and summer months. For example, in the first half of 2026, Volyn received significantly less rain than usual—at least 30% less,” the scientist stated.
Abnormally high temperatures were an additional factor. Due to the heat, the water in the lakes warms up faster, and the rate of evaporation increases.
Prots also drew attention to the state of groundwater, on which the water balance of the Shatsk Lakes largely depends.
“I suspect that large-scale mining operations are continuing in the Khotislavsky Quarry in Belarus. The main concern is that the quarry is cutting into the chalk layers by tens of meters, intersecting aquifers,” he noted.
The Shatsk Lakes, particularly Lake Svityaz, are of karst origin and are largely fed by groundwater. Therefore, water drainage from the quarries could potentially affect groundwater levels and aquifers on both sides of the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
Similar issues had already arisen before the start of the full-scale war, but there is currently no meaningful cross-border cooperation with Belarus.
At the same time, the researcher does not consider the situation with Svitiaz to be critical.
“It’s too early to speak of a critical water shortage, but the problem is already evident,” emphasized Bohdan Prots.
Local residents also attribute the shallowing of the lakes to the expansion of blueberry plantations. Such farms require regular irrigation, especially during heat waves.
However, there is currently no scientific data that unequivocally confirms that blueberry plantations are the cause of the shallowing of the Shatsk Lakes.
“I wouldn’t call the use of water for blueberry cultivation the main cause; that’s more of an emotional explanation. For the most part, these plantations use drip irrigation, which is much more water-efficient than other irrigation methods. Moreover, Volyn has a dense network of lakes, rivers, and ponds from which farms can draw water,” the scientist explained.
Instead, he cites water resource management as one of the key issues. To understand the real causes, constant monitoring of water levels, oversight of water use, and comprehensive research are necessary.
The lake’s future condition will depend on precipitation levels, temperature, evaporation rates, and the effectiveness of water resource management.
The scientist also recalled the consequences of the large-scale drainage of the Polissya region in the 1960s and 1970s, which significantly altered the region’s natural water balance.
“The changes resulting from drainage are irreversible. Even today, conflicts over water are arising in certain regions. Unless we change our approaches to water resource management, the problem will only worsen. We must start learning now how to restore wetlands wherever possible in order to gradually slow down the drainage processes and restore water levels in lakes and rivers,” Prots emphasized.
Despite the noticeable shallowing of Lake Svitiaz, the tourist season in the Shatsk region continues. On hot days, the beaches of Svitiaz, Pulmo, and Hryady remain packed with vacationers.
