Environmental Concerns
Transporting oil and oil-products by tankers with capacity of 5 000 tons along the Manych Ship Canal and Volga-Don Waterway could produce large petroleum spills. Spills would be difficult to localize and could negatively influence unique natural features of the Volga-Akhtuba inter-river area if transported by strong currents along the navigation channel into numerous shoals and ducts. A shipwreck of tanker spilling 5000 tons of oil near Volgograd could damage the whole lower part of the Volga, including protected areas and nature reserves. The same might happen to lower part of the Don. Such a shipwreck on the Manych Ship Canal might restrict the extent pollution between shipping locks. Locks could control flow velocity to reduce the speed of spreading oil, and contain an oil spill for removal and cleanup.
Water level of the Caspian Sea has varied within 4 m over a period of 30 years. Water levels in the Caspian Sea down to true altitude of -29 m reduce the depth of the lower Volga and restrict ship movement in this part of the Volga-Don Waterway. A shipping lock in the Manych Ship Canal near the Caspian Sea could be designed to control this water level fluctuation.
It is evident that construction of a canal in the arid zone should be preceded by fundamental studies of prospective consequences of the designed engineering and construction works for the environment. Implementation of the project is connected with considerable earth excavation when laying the canal track.
The actual environmental impact statement can be presented on design stage only. Minimization of the negative ecological impact can be provided only if separate design companies and experts co-ordinate their technical decisions. Some scientists also make assumptions that the salt waters of the Azov Sea can fall into the Canal.
According to the project concept the watershed point is in the Chograi reservoir; fresh waters along the western slope (27 m) go down to the Don and along the eastern slope (54 m) - to the Caspian Sea. Thus, the whole canal track will be filled with fresh water.
The mentioned engineering and construction measures and implementation of the project in general could extenuate the existing negative processes in the Manych-Chograi ecosystem. Thus, to foresee all the aspects of environmental safety in the arid zone of the South of Russia basic research on prognostics and modeling of climatic volatility is required.
This assessment is preliminary and must become more concrete after conducting proper comprehensive ecological and engineer researches of the area through which the canal track will be laid, after the planned engineering solution and the operating regime of the Canal.
Read more about this topic: Manych Ship Canal
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