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Bolotina, N. (n.d.). Dam of a hydroelectric power station on Volga river, Russia. Retrieved June 16, 2020, from https://www.123rf.com/photo_12638455_dam-of-a-hydroelectric-power-station-on-volga-river-russia.html

Getty. (2019, October 15). Russia: Exploring the Volga River. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/2018/03/russia-exploring-volga-river

Gogin, S., Fyodorov, M., & Coalson, R. (2019, June 04). Volga, Volga! Low-Water Crisis Raises Questions About Managing Russia's Main Artery. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://www.rferl.org/a/volga-low-water-crisis-raises-questions-about-managing-russias-main-artery/29979485.html

Micklin, P., & Kuzin, P. (2019, December 26). Volga River. Retrieved June 05, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Volga-River

Moiseenko T., Gashkina N., Sharova Y., Kudryavtseva L. Ecotoxicological assessment of water quality and ecosystem health: A case study of the Volga River. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2008;71(3):837-850. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2008.02.025

Mydans, S. (2011, August 19). Russia: River's Sturgeon Population Dips Drastically. Retrieved June 16, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/world/europe/19webbriefs-Russia.html

Russia Insight. (2019, June 10). What's Happening!? Mighty Russian Volga River Records Alarmingly Low Water Levels![Video file]. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daxj54aRwtU&feature=youtu.be

Serova, I. (2019, May 22). Dry river: Catastrophic consequences on Volga River cannot be prevented? Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://realnoevremya.com/articles/3546-a-catastrophe-in-kuibyshev-reservoir-cannot-be-prevented

The Volga River Delta and Northern Caspian Sea. (2018, April 10). Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/volga-river-delta-and-northern-caspian-sea

Volga Shipping Company opens navigation on the Upper Volga river. (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://en.portnews.ru/news/257231/

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https://www.britannica.com/place/Volga-River

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The first solution that could be implemented are more sustainable fish ladders so fish populations can travel upstream and reproduce. For years, dams have killed fish populations in order to control water levels. It's time fish ladders were reconstructed and utilized to save our fish populations.

To address climate change, new regulations must be put into place to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases emit heat, warming earth's temperature and preventing snow, and freezing temperatures. As we discussed, snow run off is an important element to the Volga's water levels.

To protect food and agriculture, we need regulation over water usage and storage. As we saw, reservoirs are full along the Volga River, while parts of the river are drying up. Equal distribution of the water could bring the watershed to sustainability aligning economic values with society.

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The federal Government is in control of the flood gates. They control water levels across the river. If water levels are low, parts of the river dry up resulting in a loss of habitat and fish population as fewer fish can spawn.

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Challenges- Agriculture and Food Security 

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Challenges- Agriculture and Food Security 

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Being as the river provides water to 50% of its agriculture in the area, depleting water levels in the river and reservoirs could leave 30 million people jobless across Russia. Food production would slow, leaving food options scarce.

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Challenges- Water Availability and Energy 

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Challenges- Water Availability and Energy 

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As we've already seen, water levels on the Volga are depleting. If they continue to deplete the way that they are, a decrease in the capacity for the hydro-plant to produce electricity will occur. 60 million people could be left without power.

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https://realnoevremya.com/articles/3546-a-catastrophe-in-kuibyshev-reservoir-cannot-be-prevented

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As I mentioned, climate change threatens the Volga Rivers water levels. If temperatures warm, the ground cannot freeze. If the ground doesn't freeze, snow and rain run off soaks into the soil instead of making its way into the Volga streams. This is great for the soil, but bad for the ecosystems and communities that rely on the Volga. Fish communities lose spawning areas and habitats when parts of the river dry up.

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The dams block the fish from traveling upstream to spawn such as the sturgeon. Just in the last 15 years, the sturgeon population declined by 99%. Now, all sturgeon are grown in fish hatcheries. (Mydans, 2011).

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The low water levels along the river are controlled by dams which are ran by the federal government. The hydro-electric power profits go to the country's economic elite and their top priority is to ensure they are making money not whether the rest of the city has water or catching fish. The dam's control whether other parts of the Volga receive water. The lack of concern for the rest of the community aggravates some. (Gogin, S., Fyodorov, M., & Coalson, R. 2019).

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https://en.portnews.ru/news/257231/

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https://www.123rf.com/photo_12638455_dam-of-a-hydroelectric-power-station-on-volga-river-russia.html

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Major land uses of the Volga River include, hydro electric power- Urban uses, transportation, irrigation- Agricultural use, cruises, and fishing! The river is home to many fish species such as pike, sturgeon, carp etc.

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How Low Water Levels are Affecting Communities and Ecosystems

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How Low Water Levels are Affecting Communities and Ecosystems

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https://youtu.be/Daxj54aRwtU

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Agriculture serves as a threat to the Volga River as irrigation and reservoirs are depleting the water levels. A decrease in water levels effects fish populations and sizes as spawning areas dry up. A decline in water levels also decreases the capacity for hydropower plants to generate electricity. Global warming threatens the snow run off which contributes to 60% of the Volga's water.  If the temperature's rise, the ground is less likely to freeze, and the soil will soak up the snow melt run off instead of the river.

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Water Quality Issues- industrial Discharge

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Water Quality Issues- industrial Discharge

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Metals found in fish reflect industrial discharge in the Volga waters. Metals such as Cd or cadmium are dangerous to species as they can cause brain damage, and bone fragility. A high degree of Cd a toxic pollutant was found in the fish near the Lower Volga. The presence of this metal in fish indicates long term pollution of cadmium in the waters. The ecosystem's health conditions are in question. (Moiseenko T., Gashkina N., Sharova Y., Kudryavtseva L, 2008).

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The Volga River Amongst Industrial areas

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The Volga River Amongst Industrial areas

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https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/2018/03/russia-exploring-volga-river

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60 million people rely on the Volga to transport goods amongst cities. Construction materials account for about 80% of all freight transported along the Volga, other cargoes include agricultural machinery, coal, cars, etc. The Volga intersects over 70 other navigable streams making transportation throughout Russia easy.  (Micklin, P. & Kuzin, P. 2019). The river is also used to create hydro electric power, irrigate agriculture, and dump treated wastewater.

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The algae bloom (shown in green) where the Volga meets the Caspian Sea 

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The algae bloom (shown in green) where the Volga meets the Caspian Sea 

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https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/volga-river-delta-and-northern-caspian-sea

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The Volga river serves as a resource to “40% of the Russian human population, 45% of the country's industry, and 50% of its agriculture.” (Moiseenko, Gashkina, Sharova, and Kudryavtseva, 2008). Meaning, waste water, industrial discharge and fertilizers spill into the Volga waters. Agricultural fertilizers nourish and create algae blooms along the Volga river. These algae blooms block sunlight from reaching plants along the bottom of the river. Without sunlight, plants along the bottom cannot photosynthesize. Without food, plants die, attracting bacteria. The bacteria eats the dead plants and sucks the oxygen from the water causing the water to become anoxic, killing fish and plant species- a process known as eutrophication .

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https://www.britannica.com/place/Volga-River

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This lengthy river experiences a series of climatic changes along its route. Its climate can be characterized by a cold, snowy winter and a warm, humid summer in the North. In the south, climate can be characterized by hot, dry summers and cold winters with little snowfall. In the north upper portion of the river, rainfall averages about 25 inches annually. Rainfall averages about 12 inches annually in the middle and lower southern portion of the Volga. (Micklin, P. & Kuzin, P. 2019).

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The Volga River the longest river in Europe, flows through 2,193 miles of Russia. The river begins in the hills northwest of Moscow, Russia and drains into the Caspian Sea. Several canals, dams, reservoirs and streams connect to the Volga. The river serves as mode of transportation, hydro electric power, irrigation, and wastewater dump to 60 million people. The river drains approximately 530,000 square miles of water. Of that water, 60% of it accounts for snow runoff, 30% accounts for underground water and 10% for rainfall. (Micklin, P. & Kuzin, P. 2019).