The quality of fresh water in the southern regions has significantly deteriorated following the collapse of the Kahovska Hydroelectric Power Station. This is being observed by horticulturists.
Founder of the Agricultural Cooperative “Pavlivske,” Mykhailo Pavlivsky, discussed this in a column for AgroTimes.
Due to the lowering of water tables and active processes of mineralization, the electrical conductivity of water (EC) has dramatically increased. Currently, in the Mykolaiv region, EC ranges from 3 to 11, while horticulturists typically work with a maximum of 2.2 EC. In the Odesa region, there are places with 3-4 EC. This indicator may further rise next year, he believes.
Furthermore, the level in artesian wells has significantly dropped, and horticulture in the South is impossible without irrigation.
“These consequences of the environmental disaster will affect fruit-growing and viticulture, primarily in terms of volume and quality of production. Agrochemistry is already adding salts, and now we are adding the same salts on top. Therefore, with such water, we won’t be able to give plants even a handful of fertilizers. In the first or second year, this might go unnoticed, but after two years, a problem might arise. It will be necessary to install reverse osmosis filters – which means tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional expenses. With such an EC, these filters will need to be replaced like oil in a car, constantly. Then, we’ll have to think about how to dispose of these filters. Everything is interconnected,” explains the expert.