Economic Activity Wipes Out Thousands of Small Rivers Across Ukraine

Are We Killing Our Own Water? Why the Ustya River Has Stopped Flowing

According to Radiotrek — Світ: Ukraine is facing a growing crisis as its water bodies dry up at an alarming rate. A striking example is Lake Svyate in the Khmelnytskyi region, along with the Ustya River and other waterways. The main drivers include climate change, insufficient rainfall, and a disrupted hydrological balance. As a result, much of Lake Svyate’s bed has turned into dry, cracked earth-highlighting severe environmental challenges that extend beyond Khmelnytskyi to water bodies in the Rivne and Volyn regions.

The ecological issues tied to the drying of water bodies include:

• widespread destruction of protective coastal strips along rivers and streams;
• drainage of wetlands;
• straightening of small river channels;
• clearing of forest shelterbelts.

These problems have severely impacted Ukraine’s water resources. Over recent decades, the country has lost thousands of small rivers-vital feeders for larger river systems. Mykhailo Apostol observes:

“We are losing water not just because of the climate. We are actively diverting it away from ourselves.”

This is evident when heavy rains cause flash floods, yet just weeks later, streams run dry and rivers shrink.

Climate change accelerates these trends by raising temperatures, prolonging droughts, increasing evaporation, and causing uneven precipitation. “Back in 2021, I wrote that one of the biggest threats to Ukraine would be freshwater scarcity,” Apostol notes. He adds that “a large share of Ukraine’s water resources has been lost due to poorly planned economic activities.”

Water as a Strategic Resource for the 21st Century

Water has become a strategic resource for the 21st century-essential for agriculture, industry, energy, public health, and life itself. Mykhailo Apostol warns:

“If we don’t conserve water today, tomorrow it could become Ukraine’s most expensive resource.”

That is why it is critical to start restoring ecosystems: reviving small rivers, bringing back natural pastures, protecting coastal buffer zones, and rehabilitating forests and wetlands. Water protection must become a top national priority-because saving water means securing the future.

The drying of Ukraine’s water bodies reflects complex environmental and socioeconomic challenges that demand comprehensive solutions. Restoring natural aquatic ecosystems would not only improve the hydrological balance but also enhance quality of life for the population. In the face of global climate change, it is essential to ramp up efforts to protect water resources and adapt to new ecological realities-a task that will require joint action from the government, the public, and the scientific community.