An assessment of the anthropogenic impact on water resources in Russia

Abstract

Based on the results of research carried out at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Academy of Sciences of the USSR), and using data from other organizations, the impact of various types of economic activity on water resources in Russia and their consequences were estimated. There are indirect anthropogenic effects through relief, soil, biota (rain-fed agriculture measures, forestry, urbanized landscapes) and direct effects (hydraulic engineering, flow transfer, water intake, wastewater discharge). The impact of a complex of anthropogenic factors on the quantity and quality of water resources was assessed. Water use indicators in Russia and other regions of the world were compared. Methods for solving water resource problems are also outlined.