Documenting Ukraine grantee Oleksii Vasyliuk and his team at the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group investigate environmental changes caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir. The team will soon publish their research results covering economic damages, wildlife losses, destruction of biodiversity, and contamination of soil. Here, we give a short overview of their findings.
The project Documenting Environmental Changes Caused by the Destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir is an initiative dedicated to scientifically studying the consequences of the man-made disaster that occurred in June 2023 when Russian forces deliberately destroyed the Kakhovka Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant dam. The project's primary goal was to provide the Ukrainian public with objective information about the large-scale transformations in the region's ecosystems and to assess the prospects for the natural recovery of the affected territories. Led by Oleksii Vasyliuk, the initiative brought together a diverse team of biologists, ecologists, and geographers who investigated the environmental impacts of the Kakhovka Reservoir’s destruction, including the collection and analysis of soil samples.
The destruction of the dam resulted in a catastrophic drainage of the Kakhovka Reservoir, which for decades had been a critical source of water for agriculture, industry, and local communities in southern Ukraine. Within days, the vast water body was transformed into a barren plain covered with silt, toxic deposits, and remnants of aquatic flora and fauna. Additionally, a massive zone of catastrophic flooding temporarily emerged, devastating settlements, industrial facilities, and infrastructure. As the floodwaters receded, toxic sediments from the reservoir were deposited across the flooded areas. The movement of water into the Black Sea caused significant salinity changes and pollution, leading to widespread mortality among aquatic organisms in the former reservoir, the flood zone, and the Black Sea itself. This attack on the Kakhovka HPP has been widely recognized as an act of ecocide.
The project’s primary objective was to document all critical environmental changes and evaluate the disaster’s impact on the region’s ecological balance. Within the framework of the initiative:
- Comprehensive monitoring of soil and water resources was conducted using advanced laboratory analysis methods;
- Processes of natural ecosystem recovery were studied, including the emergence of new biocenoses in the dried-up reservoir area;
- A database was established to track the natural restoration of ecosystems for future use in scientific research, ecological policy-making, and the development of rehabilitation measures for the region.
The deliberate destruction of the Kakhovka HPP led to significant economic losses and the destruction of crucial ecosystems critical for biodiversity. Over the past 68 years, the economy of southern Ukraine has depended mainly on water supply from the Kakhovka Reservoir. A year after its disappearance, the region has primarily adapted to new conditions, using alternative water supply and energy generation sources. Three water pipelines have been built for the population and industry; Dnipropetrovsk Enterprises and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant now receive water from underground sources. The Kakhovka hydro system's irrigation infrastructure has been destroyed, and most of the irrigated lands are now either mined or contaminated with toxic substances (including heavy metals), making them unusable even after deoccupation. The decrease in agricultural production in southern Ukraine is primarily related to military occupation, not the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP dam. Therefore, the absence of the reservoir is not a decisive factor in the restoration of irrigation in the region.
Short research reports have been published on the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group website. A more detailed report will soon be published in Ukrainian. The project also aims to draw international attention to the environmental consequences of the military aggression in Ukraine. The research findings will serve as a foundation for advocating for environmental rights and securing additional funding for the restoration of affected areas.
Documenting environmental changes is a crucial tool for preserving the historical memory of war’s devastating consequences and for shaping new approaches to environmental restoration. This project represents one of the first steps in the long-term effort to rehabilitate the region’s natural environment. Its results will hold significant value not only for Ukraine but also for the global community.
Text by Oleksii Vasyliuk; Photos by Ivan Moisienko
