Water exchange between Shahany and Malyi Sasyk restored in Tuzly Estuaries National Park

The Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park has restored the natural water exchange between the Malyi Sasyk and Shagany estuaries. The work was carried out by park employees together with local residents of the village of Prymorske.

Environmentalist Ivan Rusev wrote about it on Facebook.

The strait was cleaned manually, without the use of machinery. According to the ecologist, this is an important step to preserve the region's ecosystem. The water exchange creates conditions for the migration of marine life and the passage of fish between estuaries and the sea, which is especially important in times of prolonged drought and climate change. Restoring flow will also help improve water quality, reduce siltation and restore biodiversity in the estuaries.

Due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation,the Tuzly Estuaries Park has suffered a serious environmental impact. The territory was one of the sites for the liberation of Zmeinyi Island due to the distance of 50 km to it. The consequences of the Kakhovka Reservoir disaster affected the park in particular, as debris and explosives were thrown onto the coast. Employees repeatedly noticed sea anti-ship mines and the like. In particular, there were remnants of fuel oil on the coast. Cases of death of various animal populations that washed ashore in a contaminated state have been recorded. Samples of soil, fuel oil, and residues have now been transferred to a laboratory for further study of the impact on the park's ecosystem by scientists.

At the site of the Kakhovka Reservoir in Kherson Oblast, sinkholes are appearing due to the loss of soil strength. One of the possible reasons for the appearance of such formations may be a decrease in the groundwater level after the disappearance of the Kakhovka reservoir. The cavities, which had been held by water for a long time, dry up, and the soil begins to sink, creating dangerous sinkholes.

Катерина Глушко