Hydroecological features of water bodies within Zhukiv island in Kyiv

Abstract

According to field research, cartographic works and satellite images, the main hydroecological features of water bodies on Zhukov Island in Kyiv have been studied. Information on the history of the impact of economic activity on this area is given. The first object affected the water bodies, located on the island, particularly for the Konyk river arm, was a railway tunnel, which was under construction in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Another factor was the construction of several roads. As the result of this construction the former Konyk river arm actually turned into the lake. Significant changes in this area were observed in the mid-1970s after the constriction of the Kanivske Reservoir. The increase in the water level in low water conditions by about 2.5 m caused an increase in the size of existing water bodies and the emergence of new ones. The description of the largest lakes in the studied area is given. For today they are a complex system of lakes in this area, hydraulically connected with the Dnipro River. At the same time, water exchange in the lakes and between the lakes and the river is insignificant. First of all, this is due to the low capacity of the existing hydraulic structures and clogging of ways to them. In fact, there is the only one hydraulic structure on the river bank through which water can reach the lakes. In addition, low water runoff of the Dnipro River in recent years also causes a negative impact on this ecosystem. Recently, intraday fluctuations of water discharges at the Kyiv HPP have decreased, and respectively the fluctuations of water levels in the Dnipro River near the studied area also decreased. This negatively affected the ecological condition of the lakes, which are intensively overgrown. In addition, wastewater inflow into one of the largest local lakes, namely Konyk, has a negative impact. The indicators of bottom sediments in this lake are given, which testify to its pollution by heavy metals. The typical species of aquatic and air-aquatic vegetation inherent to the lakes on Zhukov Island are characterized. The recommendation, which can improve water exchange in the lakes and their ecological status, are given. It was considered that the nature protection activity in this area can be improved in case of adding the created here landscape reserve to the National Nature Park “Holosiivskyi”.