Water Source

The Republic of Karelia possesses widely developed hydrographic network belonging pools of the White and Baltic seas and numbering 23,6 thousand of rivers and 61,1 thousand of lakes. Altogether lakes, rivers, water basins, bogs and boggy woods cover more than one half (53%) of all territory of the Republic of Karelia.

Volume of water accumulated in water basins, located in territory of Karelia, is equal 80,2 to cubic kilometers. Of them, general useful capacity makes 18,6 cubic kilometers, that allows to adjust 47% of annual volume of river flow. 65 more cubic kilometers of water is concentrated in the lakes remaining in natural condition. Most of water contained in reservoirs (78%) is in the pool of the White sea where it is presented mainly by water of water basins. About 90% of total useful capacity of water basins is located there, 63% of volume of river flow is adjusted.

Thus, provision of Karelia with superficial water resources is quite high.

In territory of Karelia stocks of underground waters on 14 deposits are reconnoitered and approved. The reconnoitered stocks for economic-drinking water supply make 36,1 thousand cubic meters/day, including 22,7 thousand cubic m/day prepared for industrial development. The share of underground waters in general balance of water supply makes about 1%, and 3% in balance of economic-drinking water supply.

The forecasted resources of fresh underground waters of Karelia are estimated at 814,7 thousand cubic meters a day and provide reliably population of the majority of administrative regions of the republic.

The structure of water consumption and water drainage by water-users in the territory of the Republic of Karelia during the past 5 years remains almost constant. On the first place on volumes of water use (more than half of water inlet and sewage disposal) there are industrial enterprises, followed (on volumes of water use) by enterprises of housing and communal services, in insignificant volumes there are agricultural enterprises, enterprises of transport and other water-users.

Besides diversion flow, in territory of the Republic of Karelia there are presented other kinds of use of bodies of water: generating of electric power on hydroelectric power station, use of water area of water objects (basically for location of hydraulic engineering constructions, industrial and economic-drinking needs, for the purposes of transportation and recreation).

In 2008 in territory of the Republic of Karelia due to means of the federal budget works on the subject of Evaluation and Forecast of Change of Condition of Water Objects of the Republic of Karelia at Long Shallow Period proceeded. Completion of this work is scheduled for 2009. Besides, 366 thousand roubles is allocated on state monitoring of superficial water objects.

To finance powers granted to the Republic of Karelia in the field of use and protection of water objects in 2008 it has been used 14,1 million roubles.

Within the framework of realization of measures on prevention of negative influence of water and rectification of its consequences in 2008 canal of the Vodla river in Pudozh region was gredged, canal of Lososinka river in territory of Petrozavodsk city and Prionezhsky region was cleared and gredged. These works were carried out to increase the throughput of canals of these rivers (favorable conditions for floods).

For realization of aquatic protection measures there has been concluded the state contract on delimitation of water-security zones and coastal protective lines of rivers of Kumsa, Vichka, Oster, Derevyanka with deadline in 2009. In the accounting period the first stage of works was performed.

In 2008 it has been concluded 26 water use contracts and 10 decisions of granting water objects in use. The right to use of water objects was issued to 14 new water-users. The sum of payment for using water objects in 2008 has made 1784 thousand roubles.

Within the scope of realization of actions of Water Resources and Water Objects subprogram of the Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Karelia for 2004-2010 in the accounting period the following works have been performed:

• general liability insurance was held and necessary stock of building materials of the hydraulic engineering construction of the Dam on the Vama river in Pudozh region of the Republic of Karelia was created;
• engineering research, modelling of high water or flooding, calculation of possible damage caused by high waters and floodings on the river of Ivina in borders of the settlement of Ladva of Prionezhsky region were held. On their basis work was started on development of the project on clearing, dredging, shore protection of this object with the purpose of involvement of the federal budget means in 2010.

Within the scope of control and supervision of use and protection of water objects performed by the Government of the Republic of Karelia in 2008 there have been held 39 inspections, 23 orders to eliminate infringements of water legislation have been isued, 26 reports on administrative offences have been made, administrative actions were brought against 19 economic entities, 89,5 thousand roubles of official penalties have been imposed.

In 2008 design estimates were made for realization of major overhaul of the emergency drainage pump station in the settlement of Kalevala. The major overhaul is planned to be financed from funds of the federal budget (6131 thousand roubles) and from the budget of the Republic of Karelia (322 thousand roubles).

Within the framework of implementation of Informatization of the Republic of Karelia regional target program for the period from 2008 to 2012 work on creation of Water Objects in of the Republic of Karelia subsystem of The Republic of Karelia of the United geo-informational system was accomplished.