Journal Article

Concepts of steppe landscape arrangement and runoff management in the agrarian-social megaprojects

Chibilev, A A, Yakovlev, I G, Grosheva, O A, Kazachkov, G V, Levykin, S V, Gulyanov, Yu A

2021

Overview

In the XX century, the USSR developed and realized agrarian-social megaprojects to arrange steppe agrolandscapes and control water resources to resist droughts. The first ideas emerged in the XIX century; its realization happened in the second part of the XX century. The study of the interconnection of steppe egaprojects and their system consequences is urgent under the projective style of development. An analysis of the integral impact of megaprojects on the steppe zone has a special significance, at the first line, to reduce the ecological expenses of future projects. We paid particular attention to the general conclusion taking into account little known and new facts. It promoted to specify a role and significance of fundamental science in developing ideas and in the practical realization of megaprojects, their scientific and organizing heritage, first of all for steppe science. We emphasized the scientific-organizing heritage of a megaproject of the river flow transfer and discussion about its renaissance. The project’s fundamental idea left a deep imprint in the development of real science in Orenburzhie dealing with the actions of steppe conservation has turned 150 years; official closing of the Soviet project of redistribution of the Ob water flow has turned 35 years. Due to increasing irrigation of the Arctic accompanied by the Arctic Ocean desalination that is disastrous for the climatic system and an increase of a water deficit in Central Asia, the idea of redistribution of the water runoff becomes more topical. The most typical steppe region-Orenburgskaya oblast is an epicenter of all steppe megaprojects; it is considered a model according to the evaluation of their consequences and heritage.

• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• Subject: Climate system / Desalination / Drought / Polar environments / River flow / Runoff / Steppes / Water deficit / Water flow / Water resources