Site: Veselovskoye Reservoir

Designation date: 13-09-1994

Coordinates: 46°55'N 041°02'E

Elevation: 1 m - 6 m

Area: 309,000 ha

Location: The site is located in the Kuma-Manych depression between the rivers Don on the northwest and Bolshoi Egorlyk on the southeast; in Rostov Region, 65 km east and southeast of the city of Rostov.

Criteria: 1 ,3 ,5 ,6

Importance: The site harbours rare and endangered species. These include three species listed in the 2000 IUCN Red Data Book, Pelecanus crispus, Haliaeetus albicilla and Aquila heliaca. Other species that occur can be found in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. These include 19 bird species and two species of mammals. Bird species are Platalea leucorodia, Plegadis falcinellus, Ciconia nigra, Pandion haliaetus, Aquila rapax, A. chrysaetos, Circaetus gallicus Accipiter badius and Falco peregrinus. The mammals are Vormela peregusna and Nyctalus noctula. Rare and endangered plant species include Salvinia natans, Vallisneria spiralis, Althenia filiformis, Fritillaria meleagris, Tulipa biebersteiniana, T. schrenkii, Asparagus tenuifolia, Stipa zalesskii and S. ucrainica. The site is an important breeding, moulting and staging area for populations of the geese Anser albifrons, A. anser, A. erythropus and Branta ruficollis. It is also a wintering area for many waterbird species.

Wetland Types: 3 ,1 ,O (dominant types shown in bold)

This wetland complex comprises a chain of reservoirs with numerous "limans" and shallow bays located in the Zapadny Manych River valley, including rice fields and fishponds.

Biological/Ecological notes: Marshes, located on the fluvial terraces above the Manych floodplain, are dominated by reed Phragmites communis developing associations with Typha angustifolia, T. latifolia and Scirpus lacustris. Herbs are represented by Sparganium ramosum, Butomus umbellatus, Alisma plantago-aquatica and others. In the halophyte communities (on saline soils) Bolboschoenus maritimus dominates the wetland vegetation and Tripolium vulgare the herbs. Species that occur at wet meadows are Typhoides arundinacea, Beckmannia eruciformis, Tripolium vulgare, Suaeda altissima, Salicornia herbacea and others.

Hydrological/Physical notes: The site is located in the western part of the Manych depression which used to be a channel connecting the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The modern geomorphology was formed in the Late Pleistocene period, during transgression of the Caspian Sea. In the steppe area between the Don River and the town of Salsk, parent rocks are loess-like and include Don River alluvial deposits. The overlying layer of soils is thin, with high contents of salts. The dominant soil types are the southern and Azov chernozems (black earth). In the southeastern part of the area, the chestnut soils are developed, with salt contents varying over a wide range. Solonchaks also occur. In the valley bottoms, meadow and marshy soils are found. In the 1930s, a project was launched to build the Manych Water Way connecting the Black and Caspian seas. Under this project, the Veselovskoye Reservoir was formed in 1932. Freshwater was drawn into the reservoirs at first from the Kuban River and then from the Don through connecting canals. Two dams, the Novo-Manych and Proletarskaya, separating the Veselovskoye and Proletarskoye Reservoirs, were constructed at a distance of 20 km. A hydroelectric power plant was built on the Proletarskaya Dam in 1952. The Bolshoi Egorlyk River falls into the Kazinka channel located between the dams. At present the bulk of water comes from the Kuban River via the Nevinnomysk canal and Bolshoi Egorlyk River, and from the Don River via Donskoi canal. The amount of water varies considerably depending on both natural and anthropogenic causes. The 30,000 ha Veselovskoye Reservoir is 100 km long. The area has a temperate continental climate and borders an extensive arid region on the east. Droughts and dry winds are frequent. There are up to 40 days with dry winds. Annual precipitation varies from 200 to 600 mm, with the maximum in June and the minimum in January. Evaporation is up to 650 mm. The mean air temperatures are between 21ºC and 24°C in summer and between -8ºC and -9°C in winter, with the mean annual temperature of about 8°C. The ice cover develops in late November, but often fails during thaws in December.

Human Uses: The reservoir is state owned. Lands adjacent to the reservoirs are mainly owned by resource-users with collective proprietary rights. The reservoirs and all adjacent lands are allotted to societies of hunters and fishermen. The eastern part of the Veselovskoye reservoir, which is the most important section for migrating and wintering waterbirds, is managed by the Rostov Society. The major activities include irrigated agriculture, grazing, hay harvesting, fisheries and waterbird shooting. Detailed research into the Zapadny Manych biology began in the 1940s. The soils and vegetation of the area were also studied. Since freshwater was first drawn into the reservoirs, all research has been carried out by the Biological Research Institute of Rostov University. Regular ornithological research began with fish eating birds, then rare species, and there are a number of publications devoted to waterbird migrations. A wide awareness program about the Veselovskoye reservoir is conducted by the University of Rostov and other local scientific and environmental organisations.

Conservation Measures: The hunting pressure on these important habitats is maintained at a relatively low level. As of 1997, there were proposals to decrease the amount of applied pesticides by applying new methods of growing rice, and to develop a complex management programme for the reservoirs. This would take into consideration such matters as the water uses, variations in water level of the Ust-Manych Reservoir (which needs to be reduced), as well as conservation of all natural resources in the area. Similarly, there is a proposal to extend the Ramsar site in area.

Adverse Factors: The reservoirs are polluted with pesticides from agricultural lands. As a result, the population of Cyprinus carpio has greatly decreased and crayfish, (Astacidae), have almost disappeared. The amount of freshwater coming from the Kuban and Don is likely to decrease in the near future. This will entail an increase in salinity of the waters.

Site Management: Regional Committee for Environment, 46/176 Voroshilovsky Pr., Rostov-on-Don 344010, Russia.

External Link:

Based on the 1997 Ramsar Information Sheet.