The hydropower constructions affect the biodiversity of the rivers of the Black Sea Basin and local microclimate. Consequently, the volume of water in rivers declines, the temperature changes and the frequency of precipitation modifies, Elena Zubkov, manager of the HydroEcoNex project “Creating a system of innovative transboundary monitoring of the transformations of the Black Sea river ecosystems under the impact of hydropower development and climate change”, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, the Institute of Zoology, stated in a news conference at IPN
“The Carpathian area of the Nistru is a natural reserve that, if it is destroyed, cannot be restored. If hydropower plants are built in that place, the impact on the people there will be dramatic. The economic potential supported by tourism in the area will be lost,” stated Elena Zubkov.
According to the expert, the situation of the Nistru on Moldova’s territory started to worsen in 1954, when the Dubăsari hydroelectric plant was built. However, the big problems appeared at the start of the 1990s, when Ukraine decided to set up two-three more turbines at the Naslavcea barrage, which was constructed with the aim of keeping the Nistru, so as to obtain more electric power and the “buffer lake” lost its initial ecological functions. Later Ukraine decided to resume the construction of the Complex of the Pumped Storage Power Station that was stopped in the Soviet period. One more accumulation lake at the given station was already constructed and three turbines work there.
“Initially, Ukraine said there will be installed two-three turbines, but the fourth turbine is now being set up. Two turbines work on a permanent basis, including for generating electricity that is cheaper. The water is practically streamed between the “buffer lake” and the new accumulation lake for hundreds of times as the flow capacity of a turbine is of 260-280 cubic meters per second and this is almost equal to the flow capacity in Naslavcea,” said Elena Zubkov.
The HydroEcoNex project “Creating a system of innovative transboundary monitoring of the transformations of the Black Sea river ecosystems under the impact of hydropower development and climate change” will monitor the impact of hydropower plants and of climate change on the ecosystems of the Prut and Nistru Rivers. Experts from Moldova, Romania and Ukraine will work out a common system of indicators that are now not included in the existing regulations for assessing ecosystems. The obtained results and the formulated recommendations for improving the situation will be published on an online platform that will be accessible to everyone throughout the project implementation period.
The 30-month project will be implemented by the Institute of Zoology in partnership with the Eco-Tiras International Association of River Keepers, the Lower Danube University of Galați, the Ukrainian Scientific Center of Ecology of the Sea and the Hydrometeorological Center of the Black and Azov Seas. This has a budget of about €900,000 and is financed by the European Union through the European Neighborhood Instrument within the Joint Operational Program “Black Sea Basin 2014-2020”.
