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The Kiev Reservoir, a.k.a. Kiev Sea (Template:Lang-uk, Kyivske vodoskhovysche) is a large water reservoir located on the Dnieper River in Ukraine. Named to the city of Kiev, which lies to the south, it covers a total area of 922 square kilometres within the Kiev Oblast. The reservoir was formed in 1960-1966, as a result of the dam of the Kiev Hydroelectric Power Plant being built in the area. The reservoir is mainly used for hydroelectricity generation, industrial and public consumption, and irrigation.

The reservoir is 110km in length, 12km in width, has a depth of 4-8 meters, a volume of 3.7km³, and a usable volume of 1.2km³. The reservoir, together with the Kakhovka Reservoir, the Dnieper Reservoir, the Dniprodzerzhynske Reservoir, the Kremenchuk Reservoir, and the Kaniv Reservoir, has created a deep-water route on the river. However, the construction has also contributed to significant environmental problems such as the diminished flow velocity which reduces water oxygenation, and has a negative result on the balance of aquatic life forms. Also, during its construction some nearby villages were flooded, one of which was Teremtsi. But the residents of the village persuaded Soviet authorities to let them stay, only to be evacuated later in 1986.

Safety issue

Like all Dnieper reservoirs, Kiev reservoir poses potential threat of tremendous flooding if its dam is destroyed. Moreover, it contains additional major threat. After the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in 1986, radionuclides washed away by rains badly contaminated the bottom silt of the reservoir. During the years following the disaster, there were suggestions to drain the reservoir because it was too shallow. It appeared that, if done, this could have created the threat of the tremendous amounts of radioactive dust travelling by wind, lethally affecting Europe.

A similar threat is permanently discussed regarding the accidental destruction of the reservoir's dam (as a result of natural or terrorist damage). But the authorities keep on dismissing such dangers as unreal, claiming they are in full control of the object's safety. However, serious concerns were raised in 2005, when a fake terrorist alert was made.

External links

• Expert:Kiev Sea dam is in 93% emergency state
• Template:En icon Information about the reservoir
• Template:En icon Satellite photo of the dam creating the reservoir, from Google Maps

• Reservoirs in Ukraine