Water Resources of Russia: State, Utilization, Protection, Management Issues

Abstract

The subject of the research is particular qualities of water resources causing methodological difficulties of their quantity and quality assessment according to the data from hydra monitoring conducted by specialized bodies.The purpose of the work is estimate of state, utilization, and protection of water resources in order to solve problems of water development environment of the country.The author argues that at least two assessments are necessary — of static storage and of renewable capacity. Data of Russian water resources, their ecological state, and their utilization in the economy, as well as anthropogenic impact and its after-effects are given and analyzed. The author also analyzes the reasons of discrepancy between the data on the water quality in the water bodies and the information about negative impact reduction in Russia. Tasks for water resources and water economy management system are formulated, the quality of these tasks solution in modern Russia is assessed; objective as well as subjective factors complicating the system’s work are revealed. The scientific tasks for the development of water resources and water economy management system are formulated.It is concluded that water is the major biosphere  cosystemforming factor depending on the capacity, consumptive water use methods, as well as other factors of water protection that should be within the competence of water resources management in order to improve the nation’s environment protection. Nevertheless, the Russian water resources and water economy management system remains behind the developed countries level, and it needs a speedy development in the directions indicated in the article.