Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Ms Selivyorstova. We know what problems agriculture is facing due to the heat wave and wildfires. How do things stand in your sector? How would you describe the state of our water resources?
Marina Selivyorstova: Mr Putin, let me report back to you that although the overall situation regarding water resources is rather difficult, it is manageable. As you know, there is currently a severe air and soil drought which results in a shortage of water in the drainage basins in certain Russian regions. Let me show you this map here (shows the map). It demonstrates clearly how water resources are distributed across the country. The blue colour indicates areas where water reserves are in excess of the norm for this particular period and these green areas have normal water reserves. You can see that the centre of European Russia, first of all, the drainage area of the Volga-Kama cascade has been subjected to severe drought. But today even despite the fact that hydrological situation remains rather difficult, no limits have been placed on water usage or guaranteed water supply in the regions in this area.
Let me give you some details about water reservoir levels. This is the cascade, here is its Kama branch, here is the Volga branch. Water reservoirs that currently have enough water are shown in green. Those suffering a deficit are coloured red. However, despite the fact that water levels in this cascade are rather low as compared to average levels for the past several years, the total volume of water held in the Volga cascade reserves is several times bigger than the demand for water in these regions.
I would like to emphasise that the total available water reserves of the Volga-Kama cascade currently stand at 57.6 cubic kilometers while the demand of all the Russian regions situated near this cascade totals 13 cubic kilometers. So, we have a significant safety margin, but given the situation this year we will have to adopt a responsible approach to water resources because these levels are falling. This means that we need to take adequate timely measures and prepare the water resources infrastructure so that it can ensure a guaranteed water supply even when the water levels are lower.
Let me also add a few words about available water reserves. You see on the map that water reserves are distributed unevenly across Russia's territory. Some of the country's largest reservoirs hold excessive amounts of water and face no water supply problems at all. Those reservoirs that are suffering a deficit of water, for example the Volga-Kama cascade, are also in a position to meet the demand for water in full. I have mentioned the correlation between the available water reserves and the amounts being consumed. I must admit that this use of water resources during such an extended dry season was made possible thanks to how the discharge of water during spring floods was controlled. These charts show how much water we accumulated during that period. Do you remember how we met some time ago and discussed the spring floods campaign? We are currently using the water that we accumulated in the cascade at that time because there is almost no lateral inflow.
In cooperation with the Russian regions we have developed recommendations and a set of measures for the regions and municipal entities to take. These measures primarily envisage installing additional equipment at water intakes or properly maintaining and preparing them for lower water levels. There is also a measure of last resort which seems necessary considering the fact that periods of low water levels and droughts tend to repeat - we need to work on alternative sources for backup water supply. We believe that this issue deserves attention since this work will help improve the reliability of fresh water supply to economic facilities and to the population.
As for infrastructure and hydro power production facilities, all Russia's largest water reservoirs are currently operating as normal and no usage limits have been placed on businesses or members of the public.
Vladimir Putin: Have you already prepared these recommendations?
Marina Selivyorstova: We have prepared them and sent them over to the Russian regions situated near the Volga-Kama cascade. We have also submitted them to the Ministry of Regional Development and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Vladimir Putin: So, these recommendations have already been distributed?
Marina Selivyorstova: Yes, I believe that those to whom they are addressed have already received and studied them. In addition, together with the ministry we are conducting a number of meetings in the regions.
Vladimir Putin: That's why I was asking - we need the feedback. It is not enough to simply send out the documents, we need to receive the regional authorities' reaction.
Marina Selivyorstova: Yes, I completely agree. This work is underway, after all we have 15 local offices and each Russian region has a department for water resources staffed by our specialists. First, a month and a half ago we put ourselves on high alert, ready to work in conditions of a water shortage, and we are daily monitoring the water levels at all facilities supplying fresh potable water. We immediately search for the cause of even the slightest deviation or irregularity. The cause is usually some technical malfunction. That's why we immediately take the appropriate measures. I believe that we will emerge from this difficult period relatively unscathed.
Vladimir Putin: Good.