The explosion of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine is a humanitarian, economic and ecological disaster. But out of the devastation grows what could be a world-unique natural area. Now scientists tell us what they see at the site: wetlands are re-forming.
On the night of June 6, 2023, an explosion occurs at the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine. When the dam collapses, huge amounts of water rush forward. Tens of thousands of people have their homes flooded. Infrastructure and farmland are destroyed. Contaminated water is washed into the Black Sea.
- The consequences are monumental. This affects the drinking water supply of hundreds of thousands of people, but many industries and agriculture are also affected, says Brian Kuns, researcher at the Swedish University of Agriculture.
When the Kakhovka dam was built in the 50s, one of Europe's largest reservoirs, a kind of artificial lake, was formed. When the dam burst, the water levels in the reservoir dropped sharply.
- When the water sinks away, what was previously the bottom becomes dry. That a huge area is suddenly "given back" to nature is very unusual. The opportunity to study how animals and plants react to this is incredibly interesting, says Brian Kuns.
Research on the impact of war
He himself has traveled extensively in the area before the war and wrote his thesis on present-day agriculture in the areas near the Kakhovka dam. Brian Kuns is currently working on several projects about how the war affects agriculture, the environment and people in Ukraine. Now he brings together research colleagues from the war-torn country to participate in a panel discussion about the dam disaster at World Water Week in Stockholm.
- There was great concern that invasive species would take over what had been the bottom of the reservoir. A Ukrainian botanist named Anna Kuzemko has followed developments on the ground and made very exciting discoveries, says Brian Kuns.
