Water balance in the Sivash Bay as a result of variability of the natural-climatic and anthropogenic factors

Abstract

Dynamics of the Sivash Bay (the Sea of Azov) water balance under the conditions of varying natural and climatic (precipitation, water exchange with the Sea of Azov, river flow and evaporation), and anthropogenic factors (overlap of the North-Crimean Canal in 2014 and change of nature management) is studied. The basic water balance components in the Sivash Bay are assessed for three periods: the first one (1939-1971)before the North-Crimean Canal was put into operation (conditionally natural mode of the Sivash Bay waters)is studied using historical data; the second one (1972-2013)during active exploitation of the canal under various functioning regimes of the irrigation systems, and the third period (2014-2016)after the Canal was overlappedare studied using in situ data obtained by Marine Hydrophysical Institute and allowing for the modified natural and climatic factors. Intensity of water exchange between the Sivash Bay and the Sea of Azov after the Canal was overlapped and the Sivash or the Azov currents became predominant is assessed using the calculation of the water level variations in the indicated areas and taking into account the wind conditions in summer, 2014. It is shown that the eastern winds promote intensification of the Azov water inflow to the Sivash Bay, hence, increasing salinity of its waters. It is revealed that overlap of the North-Crimean Canal in 2014 makes for a complete reconstruction of the hydrological water regime in the bay and its gradual transition to the conditionally natural state.

Predictive performance of linear regression models in estimation of Artemia salina abundance using field and remote sensing data

“… due to the fact that Sivash Bay is a shallow water body [7], its water column is fully mixed. Based on the research conducted by Vesnina [8], the averaged concentration of Artemia at the depth of 0-2 m is rather uniform, mainly due to the temperature distribution.…”