Geoecological effects of the outflow of 11-T Gunyushki geothermal well in the territory of the Chechen Republic

Abstract

The purpose of the study is a geoecological assessment of the effect of groundwater flowing from geothermal wells through an energetically saturated coolant with its mineral component on natural and natural-economic components as well as on the structure of the entire enclosing landscape for the case of 11-T Gunyushki well of the Chechen Republic (Russia). The impact of the mineralized waters outflowing from geothermal wells on natural and natural-economic components and on the whole structure of the entire enclosing landscape is a challenging environmental problem for all oil and gas regions of Russia. Long-term outflow of thermal water from the well under consideration resulted in landscape trans-formation and suppression of the vegetation cover. Moreover, a stable source of pollution was formed in the place where untreated water from hand-crafted balneological facilities (baths, showers) was discharged that caused a radical restructuring of plant communities. The conducted research is based on the field data obtained by a team of authors on landscape mapping. Interpretation of high-resolution satellite images has shown the dynamics of landscape changes under the influence of thermal waters. The authors took water and soil samples and questioned local residents, which made it possible to adjust the scale and possibilities of using these waters. The research performed allowed to develop a physical-geographical profile, create a landscape map of the area affected by a geothermal well and an index map of the geoecological zoning of the area under investigation as well as identify the main types of the most transformed landscapes resulting from the combined impact of several anthropogenic factors (humidification and impact on the soil and vegetation cover). Conducted study has shown that more than 120 hectares of fertile lands were withdrawn from agriculture due to the anthropo-genic impact. The analysis of the index map of geoecological zoning demonstrates that 79 % of the territory is located in the zone of a weak indirect environmental impact, 7.14 % – in the zone of a strong indirect environmental impact, 13.5 % – in the zone of a strong direct environmental impact. The latter, requires reclamation in order to restore landscapes, since it undergoes desertification. Having performed a number of chemical analyses of water, the authors gave recommendations for the further use of thermal waters in the economy of the Groznensky region.