Inter-Annual Variability of Water Exchange between the Azov Sea and the Sivash Bay through the Tonky Strait

Purpose. The work is aimed at studying the components’ intra- and inter-annual variability in the water exchange between the Sivash Bay and the Sea of Azov through the Tonky Strait at the current climatic period based on the empirical conversion schemes and using the hydrometeorological observation data obtained at the nearby stations. Methods and Results. Using the data on the sea level, and the wind direction and speed, the runoffs of the Azov Sea and the Sivash Bay waters in the Tonky Strait during 1966–2013 are calculated by two methods developed by Slatinsky Yu.G. in 1969 and Raskin L.G. in 1992. Predominance of the Azov currents over the Sivash ones is revealed. Seasonal and long-term dynamics of the runoff values in the strait are given based on the monthly average and annual average data. The data on the wind regime variability in the Genichesk region, and the sea level at the Genichesk meteorological station and at the Chongarsky bridge meteorological post are cited. Conclusions. The calculations show that the average annual inflow of the Azov waters through the Tonky Strait varies within the wide range 0.3 km3 – 1.18 km3, and the outflow of the Sivash waters constitutes on average 0.26 km3 per year. Difference between the water inflow and outflow in the strait is characterized by high inter-annual variability. Over the whole period under study, it amounted on average up to 0.45 km3. In the components’ spectrum of water exchange between the Sivash Bay and the Azov Sea, distinguished are the ~ 4 year fluctuations of the Sivash waters outflow from the bay, and the 3 and 5–6 year fluctuations of the Azov Sea waters inflow to the Sivash Bay. Multi-year variability of the Sivash water outflow with the 4 year periodicity is conditioned by the same precipitation amount periodicity over the Sivash Bay.