Astrakhan Branch News

Scientific And Practical Conference On Land Reclamation Works Held In The Astrakhan Branch

On December 15, 2015 a scientific and practical conference on problematic issues of current state of the Volga-Caspian Marine Shipping Canal  (VCMSC), Volga river, its delta and the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain was held in the FSUE “Rosmorport” Astrakhan Branch.

The conference attended by the Astrakhan employees was organized by the FSUE “Rosmorport” Astrakhan Branch, Astrakhan Chamber of Commerce, the Caspian Branch of the International Academy of Ecology and Life Sciences, the Astrakhan Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, the Astrakhan Department of the Lower Volga Basin Water Management, the Caspian Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

At the conference there was discussed a wide range of issues related to the current state of the VCMSC, Volga river, its delta and the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. In particular, the participants of the conference addressed issues of determining the optimal overall canal dimensions, conducting survey of dredging works, ensuring hydrological and ecological safety of sea and river activities, canal formation, as well as problems of maintenance of the Astrakhan water divider, ecological aspects of the bank protection of watercourses, problems of navigation and the state of navigable paths.

Deputy Head of the Dredging Department of the FSUE “Rosmorport” Astrakhan Branch Ivan Archakov presented a report on the current state of the Volga-Caspian Marine Shipping Canal in conditions of the Caspian Sea level lowering and the  environmental improvement activities planned by the branch, taking into account the application of new technological processes.

Currently, the volume of repair dredging works performed by the Astrakhan Branch in 2015 amounts to 4 mln cubic meters. In 2016 the branch plans to perform repair dredging works in volume of 5,8 mln cubic meters in order to ensure safe navigation of vessels in conditions of the Caspian Sea level lowering.

During the conference Astrakhan Branch also made suggestions about the development of the program, targeted to carry out repair dredging works on cleaning of the fishway canals adjacent to the VCMSC. Besides, there was suggested to implement a complex of activities on compensation for damages to aquatic bioresources of the Volga river delta during carrying out dredging works in fishway canals adjacent to the VCMSC.

According to the results of the conference, the participants emphasized the necessity of further interaction in order to develop a common a systematic approach to performing land reclamation works and search for modern methods for improvement of ecological situation in the region.