Two years after Ukraine's Kakhovka HPP catastrophe, this is what's happening now
Kakhovka Reservoir (photo: TARASOV / Ukrinform / Getty Images)
June 6 marks the second anniversary of the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant, one of the most significant ecological disasters of this war. At that time, 620 square kilometers of territory across four regions were underwater. Ukraine will feel the consequences of this Russian act of terrorism for decades. Here is what is currently happening at the site of the Kakhovka Reservoir.
What is at the site of the Kakhovka Reservoir now
The bottom of the former Kakhovka Reservoir has become overgrown with willow saplings, which have reached over 5 meters in height in just two years.
"We studied the eservoir in different areas: in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, on both the right and left banks. At first, we thought the area would turn into a desert, but willows began to grow quickly because they produced seeds at that time. By the fall of the first year, the shoots were already up to 2 meters tall," said Ukrainian academician of the National Academy of Sciences, ecologist, and geobotanist Yakiv Didukh.
Willows in these areas are growing at an abnormally fast rate due to the presence of silt and soil deposits rich in nutrients.
"The trees are developing intensively; they are already branching and flowering, although willows typically bloom in their fifth year. What's growing here is not our native white willow, but a hybrid between the white and the introduced one, also called crack willow. This species is very aggressive. There are now large plantations, and if they continue to develop, in 10–20 years we'll see typical floodplain willow forests," the scientist added.
He also noted that poplars have begun sprouting alongside the willows; they, too, are fast-growing.
Yakiv Didukh (in the center) during an expedition to the Kakhovka Reservoir (photo provided by Yakiv Didukh)
"For foresters, such forests are of little value because they can't yield timber. But for ecologists, these are extremely valuable plantations. Up to 60 bird species live in such forests, more than in any other forest ecosystem. There are also many insects. If these forests formed, they would be the largest willow forests in Europe. Such forests are protected in the EU," said Didukh.
Willow forests play an important role in the climate by transpiring moisture. Willows also cleanse soil of heavy metals, contribute to soil formation, and help prevent floods.
"There are still some areas on the reservoir floor with a water mirror, so willows do not grow there. Near the water, so-called marsh communities have formed, with reeds, sedges, and tall marsh grasses. Willows also don't grow on loose sands or in the southern part, with many shell deposits. Overall, willow forests now cover about 30 to 50 percent of the reservoir's floor," the academician said.
Should the reservoir be restored?
"I believe the reservoir should be raised to a minimal level. That's important to supply water to the nuclear power plant (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant —ed.). Also, to supply the canals on the left bank, which irrigate fields of sunflowers and melons. Hydrologists need to calculate how much land should reasonably be flooded. I think no more than 30% should be allocated for the reservoir — the rest should be given back to nature," said Didukh.
If the area is left as it is, new forests will naturally form within 10–20 years. To flood this land again, the trees would need to be cleared, which would cost about 1.5 billion hryvnias. And according to the ecologist, that is another strong argument against large-scale reflooding.
The decision about the future of the Kakhovka Reservoir must be careful and well-thought-out, considering hydrology, human needs, and the area's ecological value.
"We must abandon gigantomania. Why flood an area equivalent to 80% of Luxembourg? We need a reasonable, balanced solution. And it's important that the area is no longer under military threat by then," Didukh concluded.
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Kakhovka Reservoir (photo: Getty Images)
Some experts believe installing solar panels on the site of the Kakhovka Reservoir would be more appropriate, as long as they are more efficient for electricity generation now than a hydropower plant.
Additionally, the Kherson Hromada Foundation Zakhyst (Protection) recently surveyed residents of the Kherson region regarding the restoration of the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant. 63% supported building new hydrotechnical structures with less flooding, while the rest of the respondents believed no restoration work should be done.
Consequences of the dam explosion
On the night of June 6, 2023, Russian forces blew up the dam of the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant, triggering one of the largest man-made disasters in recent decades. Around 16,000 people and nearly 80 settlements were affected by the catastrophe.
The explosion caused an artificial flood that submerged dozens of settlements on both sides of the Dnipro River. Thirty-one people died, and the flood washed away fertile soil, vegetation, animals, and infrastructure.
The water eroded gas stations, chemical warehouses, animal burial sites, and septic tanks. Contaminated water flows reached the Black Sea, raising concerns among environmentalists.
Experts estimate that the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant caused about 14 billion US dollars in damage, including infrastructure destruction and long-term environmental impact.
Flooding of Kherson after the Kakhovka dam explosion (photo: Vitalii Nosach / RBC-Ukraine)
