Efficiency assessment of water resources management and use by simplified indicators

Abstract

Purpose. Development of simplified indicators for assessment of the effectiveness of local water flow management and use in reservoirs and ponds. Methodology. The methods of integral assessment by specific indicators that characterize the operational parameters of the reservoir are used. Analytical formulas for calculating specific indicators are applied, their values are in the range from -1.0 to +1.0, which greatly simplifies the perception of the received information. Findings. General characteristic of the artificial water objects of the study is given. Coefficients of operational parameters of reservoirs and regulation of local surface flow have been determined. Specific and integral indicators of the management effectiveness assessment of local surface water resources have been established. A formula for calculating the comparative total risk indicator and a conventional distribution scale are proposed, according to them the effectiveness of local water resources management within administrative units or river basins is evaluated for the elements of the sample taken for the study. The ratio of parameters of the total area of the territory occupied by ponds (44%) to the area occupied by reservoirs (56%) was determined, according to which the ponds will retain only 25% of the total volume of water resources. For almost all studied elements of the sample, the value of the average depth is less than 2 meters, and the volume is up to 1 × 106 m3. Thereby, most reservoirs act as evaporation ponds, which leads to the deterioration of the water resources quality. The determined coefficients of local surface flow regulation for 9 out of 11 administrative regions of the Steppe Zone of Ukraine range from 0.22 to 1.36, which is a significant excess of the permissible norms of modular coefficients for 95% coverage within 0.050.25. For Kherson (2.14) and Odesa (6.45) regions, this parameter exceeds the requirements of the Water Code of Ukraine by many times (with a norm of 0.05 and 0.2, respectively). Originality. Specific integral indicators of local water flow regulation and characteristics of operational parameters of reservoirs on the territory of the administrative regions of the Steppe Zone of Ukraine are proposed and determined. A point assessment of the impact of artificial water bodies on the surrounding natural environment is provided, which substantiates and emphasizes the conclusions regarding the irrationality of water use and the further exploitation of such a significant number of artificial water bodies, in particular small ponds. Practical value. Specific indicators of the effectiveness of the management and use of local water flow held in the ponds and reservoirs of the Steppe Zone of Ukraine simplify the perception of the received information and shorten the time of making management and water protection decisions.