Nistru River facing ecologic disaster

Scientists are worried about the situation the Nistru River’s basin and demand the authorities to intervene to prevent an ecological disaster. Academicians warn that in the near future all the lands irrigated with water from the river will have a high level of salinity, which will be a big blow to vegetable farmers and especially to people’s health, Info-Prim Neo reports. Scientific researcher of the Moldovan Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Zoology Elena Zubcov told Info-Prim Neo that the problem of the Nistru River is a major one caused not only by pollution, but also by the hydropower plant at Dnestrovsk, which caused radical changes. In the north of Moldova, in Otaci, Ocnita district, the Nistru looks like a swamp and the water depth is 1-2 meters, while it should be twice as much. It is one of reasons why Chisinau has problems with the water supply during droughts. “The ecological situation of the river is catastrophic. Regretfully, the hydrological regime and temperatures killed 80% of the river fauna. In winter, the river doesn’t freeze. The water comes from Ukraine with a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius all year round (summer and winter), which causes a thermal shock for the aquatic environment. The self-regulating capacities of the ecosystem are at the limit”, said Elena Zubcov. The scientific researcher added that the Ukrainian authorities had built three more reservoirs on the Nistru, which dramatically reduced the water flow that crosses Moldova. More and more noxious pesticides are stored in the river’s basin, which are harmful for people’s health. “It’s necessary to document all the actions done on the Nistru so that everyone didn’t do whatever they wanted on their part of the river. The issue of massive pollution of the river doesn’t affect only the Ukrainians, but our people as well”, added Elena Zubcov. Ion Dediu, ASM associate, said that over the last 10 years Moldova’s representatives had failed to find common tongue with Ukrainian officials. The collaboration between the two Academies of Sciences cooled off. “Unfortunately, we’re losing our main river and we don’t have another one. It’s shameful we have such a problem”, he said. Director of the ASM Institute of Chemistry Tudor Lupascu said there were many potassium fertilizers factories on the bank of the Nistru in Ukraine and all the waste was discarded in the river. “What’s worse is that everything related to the production of fertilizers and the use of these substances is a secret of state in Ukraine. If Moldovan researchers go there to monitor the situation, they are considered spies who threaten the state security”, complained Lupascu. The officials are yet to react to the academicians’ statements.