Identification of transboundary groundwater bodies (Ukraine – Belarus, Dnipro river basin)

Abstract

A recent study “Identification and delineation of groundwater bodies in the Dnipro River Basin in Ukraine EUWI+”, identified eight groundwater bodies (GWBs) in the Dnipro River Basin of Ukraine which are transboundary linked with six corresponding GWBs in the Pripyat and Dnieper River Basins of the Republic of Belarus. Some of these GWBs are considerably large, so the next research has focused on identifying those sub-parts of the GWBs which are subject to transboundary groundwater interaction. Analysis of existing water intakes impact showed that it is advisable to limit the transboundary zone to a 50-kilometers strip along the border on both sides. Since the operation of water intakes within this zone occurs in a stationary filtration mode and the formation of groundwater reserves is provided due by dynamic resources formed as a result of infiltration of atmo­spheric precipitation, then to determine the radius of the influence of the operation of groundwater intakes, we used the value of river drainage mo­dule of 90 % availability. At such values of the modulus of river flow formation, it occurs due to the underground flow. The forecast of transboundary impact, taking into account the maximum possible productivity at the existing water intakes with approved operational reserves, indicates that the radius of influence for the Eocene aquifer is only 3.54–9.38 km, for the Upper Cretaceous – 2.7–5.3 km, for the Albian-Cenomanian – 2.8–6.7 km, for the Precambrian – 1.7–2.3 km. The distance from the existing water intakes to the state border of Ukraine with Belarus is 12–50, 7–50, 20–50, 30–35 kilometers, respectively. It was established that conditions for groundwater resources formation in the transboundary Ukraine-Belarusian zone in the Dnipro basin are very favorable. First, the transboundary territory is located in a zone of excessive moisture. Recharge of the uppermost unconfined GWBs is due to the infiltration of precipitation over the entire area of their distribution. Confined aquifers also have infiltration supply, which are located in places of shallow occurrence of water-bearing rocks. Second, the Ukrainian part of the territory, where the confined aquifers are recharged, is marked by a slight anthropogenic pressure – there is a very low population density and there are no large industrial enterprises. Therefore, impacts from the Ukrainian side on the GWBs in Belarus are limited. So, both the quantitative and the qualitative status of the GWBs in the transboundary area are predominantly good. At the same time, there are common problems to be solved which require groundwater monitoring restoration and its coordination with the Belarusian side.

Keywords

• transboundary groundwater bodies
• monitoring
• dnipro river basin