Small rivers in southern Russia lack the spring flood strength

Abstract: On September 17, 2025, a round table titled “On the Preservation and Use of Small Rivers under Low-Water Conditions” was held in Rostov-on-Don. The event was organized by the Southern Federal University (SFedU) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Rostov Region. Participants included scientists from SFedU and the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SSC RAS), other experts in hydrology, ecology, and climatology, as well as representatives of the authorities of the Rostov Region, the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, and relevant specialized agencies.

Researchers from the SSC RAS and the Institute of Earth Sciences of SFedU presented their ongoing studies of water bodies in the Rostov Region and the Azov area.

According to Andrey Kuznetsov, director of the Institute of Earth Sciences and moderator of the round table, low-water periods are cyclical. Previously, they lasted 10–15 years, but the current low-water period has already continued for 20 years. This situation is influenced by climate change and human economic activity.

Small rivers that are drying up, the shallowing of major rivers such as the Don and Kuban, and the conditions of the Taganrog Bay and the entire Sea of Azov are being constantly monitored by scientists. Experts are seeking explanations for the causes of low-water conditions and are generating ideas for possible solutions. To implement their proposals, the involvement of government representatives, who are responsible for financial resources, is essential. It was for this purpose that the above-mentioned round table was organized.

“We need recommendations from the scientific community concerning water resources in order to ensure both short-term and long-term planning. We are constrained by budget limits and must spend the allocated funds rationally,” commented Mikhail Fishkin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Rostov Region.

This article covers: the research conducted by scientists in the Rostov Region, the Krasnodar Territory, and other parts of the Azov area; forecasts of climate and river flow changes up to 2054; similarities and differences between three climate scenarios; why it is not always appropriate to clean all small rivers despite environmental activists’ demands; and why some proposals voiced by regional and federal officials may be questionable.

Key words: southern Russia; Azov region; Rostov Region; small rivers; climate change; aridification; low-water conditions; river pollution