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Diverting Soviet rivers: some possible repercussions for the Arctic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Howard Cattle
Howard Cattle
Affiliation:
Dynamical Climatology Branch, Meteorological Office, London Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 2SZ
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Abstract

Plans exist in the USSR to divert southward part of the flow of some northern Russian and Siberian rivers, notably the Northern Dvina, Pechora, Ob' and Yenisey, to alleviate water shortages in Central Asia, Kazakhstan and the Ukraine, and counter falling water levels in the Aral and Caspian Seas. Possible effects of diverting small and large amounts of river water away from the Arctic are discussed in the light of recent observations and modelling studies of Arctic basin hydrology and sea ice distribution. Current evidence suggests that small diversions planned to operate before the end of this century will have little effect on ocean circulation or sea ice distribution. Larger-scale diversions planned for the future might affect sea ice formation over the shelf regions of the Kara and Barents Seas, but are unlikely to have a major effect on circulation or sea ice distribution over the Arctic Ocean as a whole.

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Articles
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Polar Record , Volume 22 , Issue 140 , May 1985, pp. 485 - 498
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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