Black Sea, ecological disaster after the destruction of the Ukrainian dam – For the first time, the environmental devastation in the Black Sea after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam is described in detail. A silent disaster, but one of colossal proportions, which threatens to irreparably compromise the balance of one of the most delicate and productive basins in terms of fish and biology. Scientists at the University of Stirling have turned the spotlight on an unprecedented ecological emergency, thanks to a sophisticated satellite analysis that shows an unprecedented deterioration of water quality in the north-western sector of the Black Sea.
The explosion that swept away the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power plant in Ukraine on 6 June 2023 spilled 14.4 billion cubic metres of water into the Dnipro River. A destructive wave that devastated entire communities, leaving at least 58 people dead and 700,000 people without drinking water. But the most insidious impact is taking place in the sea, invisible to the eyes, but dramatically documented by EO technology and analyses of samples collected in coastal waters.
According to researchers, the dam’s breach unleashed a massive wave of sediment, pollutants and pathogenic bacteria towards the Black Sea. Satellite images tell of turbid plumes stretching for kilometres and massive algal blooms depleting oxygen in the waters, turning them into dead zones for many fish species. There is a real risk of a collapse of aquatic populations, including those that feed the area’s commercial and artisanal fisheries.
Worsening water quality is not only a threat to marine biodiversity: it represents an imminent danger to the region’s entire food chain and fishing economy. Scientists predict that some species may be forced to migrate, while others risk extinction, with a domino effect that will inevitably affect fish stocks and the fisheries that depend on these resources.
The investigation by the University of Stirling, carried out in collaboration with Ukrainian, Romanian and Bulgarian academic bodies, and supported by the European Horizon 2020 project, confirms that satellite observation is now a fundamental tool for monitoring and understanding environmental crises even in conflict zones. The impossibility of conducting direct surveys has made it essential to use technology to estimate the extent and severity of damage.
The first data collected speak for themselves: the north-western Black Sea is facing an unprecedented biogeochemical response. Hypoxic zones are increasing, toxic substances are accumulating in sediments and stress signals on coastal ecosystems are multiplying. Fish, shellfish and crustaceans that are the beating heart of local and international fisheries are now exposed to a hostile and unpredictable environment.
The ongoing devastation in the Black Sea is not just a regional issue. It is a powerful monitor of how armed conflicts, in addition to claiming lives, can cause profound and permanent damage to marine ecosystems. For the fishing industry and those who make their living from fishing and aquaculture, the consequences of this catastrophe could extend well beyond the geographical boundaries of the Black Sea basin, altering trade flows and resource availability in the long term.
The future of Black Sea fisheries today hangs by a thread. The hope is that science and international policies will be able to deploy effective solutions to limit the impact and restore the balance. Meanwhile, the chronicle of this environmental disaster reminds us how fragile is the interconnection between man, war and nature. A balance that, once broken, is difficult to rebuild.
Black Sea, ecological disaster after the destruction of the Ukrainian dam
