OREANDA-NEWS. The European part of Russia may face a catastrophic water shortage. It is possible to avoid this only by taking measures, said Viktor Danilov-Danilyan, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Director of the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in his commentary to Parlamentskaya Gazeta.

While the part of Russia located beyond the Urals accounts for 80 percent of a considerable - Russia is in second place after Brazil - of the gross supply of fresh water, the rest falls on the territory where 80 percent of the population and economy are concentrated, the scientist noted. If measures are not taken, a catastrophic situation with water will inevitably develop in the European part of Russia by 2035, Danilov-Danilyan predicted. The risk zone is, first of all, Crimea, Kalmykia, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Astrakhan, Rostov, Volgograd, Kurgan and Orenburg Regions.

The scientist named global warming, leading to excessive evaporation from water bodies, and the anthropogenic factor as the main factors of water loss: about a third of the taken volume of water returns back contaminated. The Don especially suffers from the first, the food of which mainly falls on the steppes that are drying up due to climate change.

According to Danilov-Danilyan, the installation of new irrigation systems and more rational water consumption in agriculture can save the situation. The urgent overhaul of reservoirs and water pipelines will help to solve the problem of water supply to Crimea, the scientist emphasized.