Viewing page 17 of 105

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

W20
Atlas p.6

Sea of Azov
Changing land use and water quality, freshwater/saltwater interface

Significance: The Sea of Azov is a brackish arm of the Black Sea. Like other water resources in Russia and the Ukraine, the health of the Sea of Azov is in danger. The Sea of Azov responds to changes in volume and water quality of both the incoming waters of the Don' and Kuban Rivers, as well as changes in the Black Sea water chemistry. Specifically, increased agricultural biocides and fertilizer runoff (including DDT) upstream on the Don' and Kuban Rivers along the shores of the Sea of Azov are polluting the water and accumulating in the area's plants and animals. The problem is amplified because land is farmed to the very edge of the water. In addition, increasing volumes of freshwater are diverted from the major rivers to support upstream agriculture and industry. The decreased influx of freshwater into the Sea of Azov results in a greater intrusion of saltwater from the Black Sea.

The Sea of Azov is a major nursery and fishery, and the chemical buildups in the fish have both economic and health ramifications. The fishing industry, including caviar exports, have declined, and the residents along the shores of the Sea of Azov suffer an increasing incidence of liver and stomach disease. An analog to the Sea of Azov is Galveston Bay.

Physical Characteristics: The Sea of Azov, the northern part of the Black Sea, lies between the Crimean Peninsula, the eastern Ukrainian coast, and the northern Caucasus. It is connected with the Black Sea by Kerch' Strait. The Sea of Azov is about 338 km (210 miles) long and 137 km (85 miles) wide. In the western part, the Arabat Tongue, a 113 km (70 miles) long peninsula, separates the Azov Sea from the Sivash (Putrid Sea), a 2590 sq. km (1000 sq. mile) salty backwater along the northeastern coast of the Crimea. The Sea of Azov is shallow, with a maximum depth of about 14 meters (45 feet); its water, replenished by the Don' and Kuban Rivers, is almost fresh. The coastal waters are frozen from the end of December until the end of February. A counterclockwise current, driven by the prevailing winds, parallels the coasts.

The sea was a rich fishery, spawning ground, and nursery  The principal ports on the sea are Rostov-on-the-Don', Zhdanov, Taganrog, Azov, Berdyansk, and Kerch'. The chief shipping route is the one connecting Kerch' and Zhdanov, used mostly for carrying Kerch' iron ore to the Zhdanov steel plants.

Observation Techniques: We desire vertical photography using the 250-mm lens and CIR film along the sea's shores. Look for changing landuse upstream on the rivers and along the coast. Both near-vertical color infrared photography of the water and sunglint photography with color visible film may outline biological material in the lake which, in turn, gives scientists information on the water quality.

Center point: 46° N, 37° E