Dam construction on Uldza river threatens Torean lakes
WWF-Russia made an appropriate statement at the XII International Forum "Ecology", which started in Moscow today. The proposals voiced by WWF-Russia will be included in a public resolution on environmental protection and ecological development of the Russian Federation - the main final document of the Forum.
The construction of a dam in Mongolia on the
Russian-Mongolian Uldza River began in July 2020. “The Uldza River is the main source of food for the Torey Lakes located
in the Daursky State Reserve, on the UNESCO World Heritage Site“ Landscapes of
Dauria, ”says Oksana Nikitina,
lead coordinator of projects for the conservation of freshwater ecosystems at
WWF-Russia. “The dam will disrupt the
natural hydrological regime of Uldza, and this will lead to irreversible
changes in the ecosystems of the Torey lakes, a significant decrease in the
number of dozens of species of waterfowl and near-water birds of East Asia”.
According to ecologists’ opinion, the serious harm can be
prevented only by stopping the construction of the facility. “The declared socio-economic and
environmental grounds for construction do not correspond to the real
possibilities of the project,” says Oksana Nikitina. - In order to prevent the disruption of the natural hydrological regime
of Uldza, it is necessary to prevent the appearance of obstacles that may cause
disruption of the natural hydrological
regime of the river”.
WWF-Russia’s specialists note that a decision that will allow stopping the construction of the dam and preserving the Torey Lakes is impossible without cooperation with the Mongolian side.
Photo in the intro and announcement: (c) Oleg Goroshko / State reserve "Daursky"