Changes in water regime of the River Ural basin

Abstract

Based on the analysis of the annual and seasonal variability of river runoff, the specificity of the water regime of the Ural River basin has been determined. It has been established that in recent decades a trend of redistribution of seasonal runoff has been observed, expressed in an increase in the share of runoff during the winter. Based on the analysis of difference integral curves, phases of different water content were revealed; the prevalence of common-mode runoff fluctuations indicates the leading role of climatic factors of runoff formation. An important feature of the rivers regime of the steppe regions is the intra-annual variability of the flow, which forms extreme hydrological situations (low water or high water). The results should be considered when organizing effective and environmentally safe water use in the Ural River basin.