River Seym brings black water and dead fish to the Desna from the Kursk region. Is there a Russian connection?
The Seym River, which flows through the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions and flows into the Desna River, has significantly exceeded the permissible concentration of pollutants. In particular, ammonium, as evidenced by the results of hydrochemical analysis, according to the State Fisheries Agency of Ukraine.
The water in the Seym has turned black, there is a smell of rot and ammonia, and dead fish have floated to the surface. This is the situation, in particular, near Baturyn.
In the Desna River in Kyiv region, there is no fish kill yet, and the relevant services have been instructed to monitor the situation daily. However, just to be safe, swimming, fishing, watering livestock, and using river water for household needs have also been banned in this river.
These are likely the consequences of discharging unknown substances into the river. Criminal proceedings have been opened over the pollution of the natural reservoir. The State Fisheries Agency claims that Russians poisoned the river.
The pollution resulted in massive fish kills due to critically low dissolved oxygen content in the water (less than 1 mg/l with a minimum allowable rate of 4 mg/l).
Currently, the pollution has spread throughout Sejm's water area in Ukraine, including Sumy region and Chernihiv region.
The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water remains critically low throughout the entire study area, indicating a high level of pollution.
The Konotop District Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety has banned swimming in the river, fishing, and using water from the river for household needs in six communities in Sumy region.
Fish protection patrols are trying to eliminate the consequences of environmental disasters by collecting and burying dead fish.
The Seym is the leftmost and largest tributary of the Desna River, flowing in the Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia and in Ukraine (250 of 714 km), within the Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
The cities of Putivl and Baturyn are located on the river.
It should be noted that pollution of the river in the upper reaches does not automatically mean pollution of the entire basin up to the sea. The river is a complex ecosystem that can self-purify, and downstream, the concentration of harmful substances becomes lower and lower. However, of course, it all depends on the amount of harmful substances that have been or are entering the water.
