Alexander Shadrikov: "Tatarstan has repeatedly advocated the most economical use of water resources to preserve the Volga River level"
Today, at the big annual press conference of the President of Russia, combined with a direct line, the question of the shallowing of the Kuibyshev reservoir was raised.
"I hope that this will not happen. There is a conflict of interest between power engineers and other water users in the lower reaches. Power engineers want to keep a high level so that the volume of electricity from the Volga cascade, from the power plant, is sufficient to ensure the interests of industry and the combine. And other water users – in the lower reaches – want the river to be more full-flowing. Sailors, of course, shipowners want the fairway to be secured and that it be deeper. These issues are known.
Believe me, the Government is working on this and will not leave it to chance in the literal and figurative sense of the word. But of course there is a problem. I agree," the head of state stressed.
Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan Alexander Shadrikov noted that Tatarstan has repeatedly spoken out on the issue of preserving and restoring the level of the Volga, aquatic biological resources, calling for a reduction in discharge through waterworks, as well as maximum savings in the use of water resources.
"During the entire summer period of this year, the republic, on behalf of five subjects (Tatarstan, Mari El, Chuvashia, Ulyanovsk and Samara regions), made a proposal to reduce discharge costs through the Zhiguli and Volgograd hydroelectric power plants in order to save water resources and restore the Volga level. We are talking about the need to approach the use of water resources with maximum economy, strictly observe the rules of their use. The reservoir level also means shipping, domestic tourism, and the development of the Great Volga Route, which Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has repeatedly spoken about.
We have to do this. With maximum savings, we must activate all the hydroelectric power plants, because it is necessary to fill the Kuibyshev reservoir by the next spring flood," Alexander Shadrikov stressed.
Letters with Tatarstan's proposals were sent to Rosvodresursy, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the Russian government, the head of the environmental protection agency noted.
Let us recall that due to the shortage of water resources during the summer autumn, due to low inflow into the reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade (according to Roshydromet, the total inflow into the reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade amounted to 55% of the norm in May, 56% of the norm in June, 66% of the norm in July, 77% of the norm in August), the amount of water flow through the Kuibyshev reservoir hydroelectric facility during the entire summer period exceeded the amount of inflow, which led to a significant decrease in the reservoir level relative to other years.
The Republic of Tatarstan has repeatedly come out at the meetings of the IWG, which take place monthly, with a proposal to reduce costs through the Kuibyshev reservoir hydroelectric complex. At the same time, in order to ensure the operation of water intakes for household and drinking purposes in the Astrakhan region in the summer, water consumption in the amount of at least 5,000 cubic meters/s is required. This consumption was provided during the summer months at the expense of the resources of the Kuibyshev reservoir. At the same time, the inflow of water into the reservoir in July – August was about 4,000 cubic meters/s.
The Ministry of Ecology has repeatedly voiced its proposals to resolve the situation. These are reducing discharge costs and filling the reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade to a normal retaining level (53 mBS) during high water, finalizing and approving the Rules for the Use of water resources of the Kuibyshev, Saratov and Volgograd reservoirs, construction of low-pressure hydroelectric units (reservoirs) for the possibility of accumulating water resources for the summer period, as well as increasing the regulatory capacity of the Volga-Kama cascade by raising the level of the Nizhnekamsk reservoir to the level of 64.0 m BS.