Water Crisis in the Tuzly Lagoons

In the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi region, the water level in the lagoons is declining. This year has proven critical for the water supply of the Tuzly Lagoons, as reported by ecologist Ivan Rusyev on Facebook.

“For the first time in 50 years of my observation, the Small Sasyk lagoon, located next to the recreational area ‘Raseyka’, is nearly dry. The current water depth is only a few centimeters. However, there is a significant layer of silt, particularly in front of various recreational facilities where illegal sewage discharges have occurred for many years. The construction of a dam has also hindered the active water exchange in the lagoon, along with illegal development along the protective coastal strip. These anthropogenic factors have led to the extensive growth of reeds along its banks,” the scientist noted.

The ecologist pointed out that previously, before the establishment of the Danube-Dniester irrigation system in the 1980s, the Small Sasyk lagoon was nourished by seawater. However, since the late 1980s, it has predominantly received water from the Danube. This year, due to an incredibly low summer flow from the Danube, almost no water reached the Great Sasyk and subsequently the Jantsheisky lagoon, leading to the current crisis.

Ivan Rusyev also shared photos of the current state of the Small Sasyk lagoon. The images show traces of the river otter, which has always lived here and fished freely. Now, it must travel significant distances to find food. There are also many traces of birds, especially shorebirds, which are currently migrating through the National Natural Park ‘Tuzly Lagoons’.

“The Small Sasyk lagoon has been in a crisis state for decades, and soon there will come a time when these once-unique bodies of water will dry up completely and lose their recreational appeal,” the ecologist warned.