Transcarpathia Will Develop a Plan to Combat Water Shortages
In Transcarpathia, officials have begun developing a plan to address the water shortage, which is becoming increasingly severe in the region. One of the proposed solutions is to store water during periods when rivers are full so that it can be used during droughts.
According to Horvat, the problem of shrinking water bodies in Transcarpathia is worsening. In springs fed by surface water, the water is disappearing or there is very little left, and lakes and riverbeds are drying up.
“According to data from our hydrometeorological center and water management authorities, water levels in some of the region’s rivers have approached critically low marks, which were last recorded in 1945. Rivers such as the Uzh, Latorica, Teresva, and Rika are currently heading toward low water levels,” said Horvat.
Representatives from the basin water resources management agency, the Hydrometeorological Center, the State Environmental Inspection, and the Fisheries Inspection have been involved in the search for solutions.
“This is a growing problem that worsens every year, and it will not be resolved in just one or two years. Our task is to take proactive measures. By the next commission meeting, experts must submit a clear action plan and specific measures to prevent rivers from drying up,” noted Horvat.
One of the key approaches being considered is water storage. Specifically, this involves the construction of sluice gates or the creation of other systems that will allow water to be stored during floods and used during periods of drought.
Another area of focus is the transition to artesian wells to provide the population with drinking water.
“This involves water storage: the construction of sluice gates or the creation of systems that will allow water to be stored during floods and used during periods of drought. Also, switching to artesian wells to provide drinking water. The first step is to limit water withdrawal from open sources for drinking purposes and switch to underground wells as much as possible,” said the deputy.
According to him, water utilities in Transcarpathia are already supplied with artesian water by nearly 56%.
At the same time, Transcarpathia has no plans to restrict farmers’ use of river water for irrigation systems.
The region also plans to study the experience of neighboring Romania and Hungary, which faced similar water shortages this year.
Once experts present and discuss a plan of specific measures, the regional council will decide on the next steps.
According to Horvat, the next step will be to seek funding sources to implement the proposed projects.
Thus, Transcarpathia plans to shift from reacting to the consequences of water scarcity to systematically preparing the region for droughts and water shortages.
This was reported to Ukrinform by Georgiy Horvat, a deputy of the Transcarpathian Regional Council, following a meeting of the Standing Committee on Ecology and Agriculture dedicated to the issue of water scarcity.
This summer in Transcarpathia, river water levels in the lowland part of the region dropped to 25% of normal. This applies, in particular, to the Latorica, Uzh, and Tisa rivers, according to Natalia Platonova, head of the meteorological research department at the Transcarpathian Center for Hydrometeorology.
As a reminder, due to the arrival of an abnormal heat wave, Ukraine may face a significant increase in electricity consumption as early as next week. According to forecasts, the load on the power grid could increase by approximately 1 gigawatt, creating the risk of a return to hourly power outage schedules.
The June heatwave in Europe led to significant losses in agriculture. The cost of the destroyed grain crops is estimated at more than 2 billion euros, with farmers in France and Hungary being the hardest hit.
