The Ministry's employees monitor the situation with the spring flood on a daily basis
This was stated today by the Minister of Ecology Alexander Shadrikov at a briefing at the Government House of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The actual issue for today is the spring flood, he noted. "Every year the Ministry faces two directly opposite problems: it is important for us to ensure the safe passage of water in high water and at the same time we need to save water for a favorable water management situation."
The Volga-Kama cascade includes 11 waterworks facilities, 8 of which are on the Volga. Thus, the Volga River is regulated almost throughout, because water resources are needed not only to meet the needs of Tatarstan, but also other subjects. The modes of operation of reservoirs are established by Rosvodresurs on the basis of decisions of the Interdepartmental Working Group – IWG and are regulated on the basis of the Rules for the Use of Water Resources.
Meetings of the IWG are held monthly, and during the flood period – up to 2-3 times a month. The IWG, within its authority, takes all possible measures to preserve the ecosystem of not only the Kuibyshev reservoir, but also the entire complex of the Volga-Kama Cascade.
"Our employees monitor the operating modes of the reservoirs of the Volga-Kama cascade on a daily basis using the Gidrokaskad software package. All this is aimed at preventing both flooding during high water and a critical decrease in the reservoir level in the summer and autumn period," the head of the Ministry of Ecology said.
At one of the last IWGs, it was decided to reduce water discharges through the Kuibyshev reservoir hydroelectric unit to 3,000 cubic meters/s. "We are doing this to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the energy complex, navigation, water supply and favorable spawning of the main commercial fish species. As of March 28, the level of the Kuibyshev reservoir near Kazan (Verkhny Uslon GC) is 51.76 m BS (+14 cm/day)."
It should be noted that the daily profit of water in the reservoir is about 10-12 cm. Since the beginning of the flood (14.03.2023), the water level in the reservoir near Kazan has increased by more than 1 m. Currently, there is an accumulation of water for the upcoming special release to the Lower Volga, which will begin in the first decade of April. The exact date and regime of the special admission will be set at the meeting of the IWG, which is scheduled for April 3, 2023.