Leningrad region- a subject of the Federation in the north-west of the European part of Russia. The region is located on the East European Plain on the coast of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. In most of the region's territory, mainly on the coast of the Gulf of Finland and in the valleys of large rivers, there are lowlands - Vyborgskaya, Priozerskaya, Priladozhskaya, Predglintovaya, Plyusskaya, Luzhskaya, Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya and Tikhvinskaya and others - with traces of the activity of glacial waters. Between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga lies the elevated Karelian Isthmus, and to the south stretches the Baltic-Ladoga ledge, the so-called Glint, which is the shore of the ancient sea.

Leningrad region is part of the Northwestern Federal District. The location of the highest bodies of state power in the region is St. Petersburg, which is an independent subject of the federation as a city of federal significance.

The region's territory is 83,908 km2, the population (as of January 1, 2017) is 1,791,916 people.

Surface water resources

The river network of the Leningrad region is represented by more than 25.1 thousand rivers with a total length of about 50 thousand km (the density of the river network is 0.6 km/km 2), most of which are small rivers and streams. The rivers of the Leningrad region are characterized by mixed feeding with a predominance of snow and rain. The rivers of the region belong to the Eastern European type of water regime, they are characterized by spring floods with a sharp increase in water level, summer-autumn low water, interrupted by rain floods, mainly in autumn, and low winter low water. They freeze at the end of November - December, open in April - May. The opening of large rivers is accompanied by ice drift. The main river of the Leningrad region is the Neva, flowing from Lake Ladoga and flowing into the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. Other large rivers in the region are Vuoksa, Volkhov and Svir, flowing into Lake Ladoga, the Narva and Luga rivers, flowing into the Narva and Luga bays of the Gulf of Finland, and other rivers.

The area and number of lakes and artificial reservoirs, swamps and wetlands are variable; they depend on natural (water regime, climatic phenomena, swamping, etc.) and anthropogenic (drainage of territories, flow regulation, etc.) factors.

The Volga-Baltic Waterway, connecting the basins of the Baltic and Caspian Seas, passes along the Neva and Svir rivers, Lakes Ladoga and Onega. In the north of the region there is the Saimaa Canal, connecting Lake Saimaa located in Finland and the Baltic Sea.

Groundwater resources

The functions of providing public services and managing federal property in the field of water resources in the region are carried out by the Water Resources Department of the Nevsko-Ladoga Bank of the Leningrad Region.

The powers in the field of water relations transferred to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the functions of providing public services and managing regional property in the field of water resources in the region are carried out by the Committee on Natural Resources of the Leningrad Region.

The State Program “Environmental Protection of the Leningrad Region” is being implemented in the region, aimed at solving such problems as restoring water bodies, ensuring the safe operation of hydraulic structures, ensuring the protection of the population and economic facilities from the negative effects of water, and others.

When preparing the material, data from the State reports “On the state and protection of the environment of the Russian Federation in 2015”, “On the state and use of water resources of the Russian Federation in 2015”, “On the state and use of land in the Russian Federation in 2015”, were used. “On the environmental situation in the Leningrad region in 2015”, collection “Regions of Russia. Socio-economic indicators. 2016". The ratings of regions for surface and underground water resources do not take into account the indicators of cities of federal significance - Moscow,

Water resources are the most important wealth of the Leningrad region. Fresh water reserves are estimated at 1280 m3. The water is slightly mineralized (soft) and is good for drinking and technical water supply. Water resources are represented by the eastern part of the Baltic Sea - the Gulf of Finland, Lakes Ladoga and Onega, natural and artificial reservoirs, rivers, canals and swamps. More than 13% of the region’s territory is covered by water bodies, excluding the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, which are home to approximately 80 species of fish. The largest area occupied by the water surface is characteristic of the Priozersky (14%), Vyborg (7%) and Slantsevsky (6%) districts, and the smallest (0.6%) in the Volosovsky and Tosnensky districts. The largest water body of the Leningrad region is the Gulf of Finland, which occupies 7% of the area of ​​the Baltic Sea. Main characteristics of the bay: drainage basin - 421 thousand km2, water inflow - 109 km3 per year, bay area 29.5 thousand km2, average depth - 38 m, maximum depth 115 m, water volume - 1.125 thousand km3, salinity - 3 .5%, the predominant direction of currents in the surface layer is counterclockwise. The eastern part of the Gulf of Finland is called the Neva Bay. To the north is the Vyborg Bay, Koporskaya, Luga Bay and Narva Bay cut into the southern coast.

There are more than 41,600 lakes in the region, which are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the territory. The most lakes are concentrated in the north of the Karelian Isthmus (Vyborg and Priozersky districts) and in the northeast (Podporozhsky district), the fewest lakes are in the Volosovsky district. The lakes are dominated by small ones with a surface area of ​​less than 1 km2 and a depth of 2 m. The largest lakes (more than 10 km2 and an average depth of 10 m) are concentrated in the north of the Karelian Isthmus (Vuoksa, Sukhodolskoye, Pravdinskoye, Otradnoye, Balakhanovskoye) and in the Luga region (Vyalye -Ostrechno, Samro, Vrevo, Cheremenetskoye, Syabero). The largest lakes are Ladoga and Onega. Lake Ladoga ranks first in Europe in size, its area is 17,700 km2 (with islands 18,135 km2), drainage area is 280 thousand km2, length - 219 km, average width - 83 km, average depth - 51 m, length of the coastline - 1870 km. 32 rivers, more than 10 km long, flow directly into Lake Ladoga, and only the Neva River flows out. Lake Ladoga washes the territory of five districts of the Leningrad region - Volkhovsky (coastline length 159 km), Priozersky (132 km), Kirovsky (102 km), Vsevolozhsky (87 km), Lodeynopolsky (24 km).

Lake Onega is part of the Podporozhye district. The length of the coastline within the district is 38 km. The catchment area of ​​Lake Onega is 63 thousand km2, the area of ​​the lake without islands is 9720 km2, length is 247 km, average width is 40 km, average depth is 31 m.

More than 25 thousand rivers and streams flow through the region with a total length of more than 50 thousand km. Rivers connect the Leningrad region not only with regions of Russia, but also with foreign countries. The largest rivers in the region are the Neva, Vuoksa, Svir (flowing from Lake Onega) with tributaries Oyat and Pasha, Volkhov (flowing from Lake Ilmen), Luga (flowing from the Novgorod region) and Narva with Plyussa (flowing from the Pskov region, mouth section passes through the Slantsevsky district and flows into the Narva Reservoir). The river network is relatively evenly distributed throughout the territory, with the exception of the Izhora plateau. The density of the river network is on average 0.6 km/km2.

On the territory of the region there are six large reservoirs Narvskoe, Nizhnesvirskoe, Verkhnesvirskoe, Volkhovskoe, Luzhskoe, Nizhne-Oredezhskoe, with a useful volume of about 0.45 km3. The largest is Verkhnesvirskoye (230 km2), followed by Narvskoye (191 km2). In addition to those listed, there are a number of small reservoirs on the rivers Sista, Suma, Okhta, Oredezh, Izhora, Tikhvinka, etc.

The water bodies of the Leningrad region are favorable for beach swimming holidays (swimming season from the end of May to September), and the northern waters are suitable for the development of sports recreation - rafting on northern rivers, yachting on Lakes Ladoga and Onega (the largest center of yachting, windsurfing and boating jet skis - Gogland Island)

Water bodies of the Leningrad region are favorable for recreation.

If you believe the deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region, then the anxiety is quite natural. Representatives of the standing commission under this government body claim that the quality of water used by residents of the region leaves much to be desired. A regional SES analysis carried out several years ago showed that about 12% of water samples do not meet microbiological standards, and about 20% do not meet sanitary-chemical standards. Among the reasons cited are a general deterioration in the quality of water in the reservoirs of the Leningrad region, as well as severe wear and tear of the region’s water intake and treatment facilities (up to 60%).

Of course, in this regard, our region is not much different from others: according to the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, over 65% of the population of the Russian Federation is forced to consume poor-quality drinking water. But for some reason this does not calm me down. According to research by ecologists and sanitary doctors, the most polluted natural water is from surface sources: lakes, rivers, wells. But water from artesian wells often does not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.2.4.1175-02 “Drinking water and water supply to populated areas. Hygienic requirements for water quality in non-centralized water supply. Sanitary protection of sources" and SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01 "Drinking water. Hygienic requirements for water quality of centralized drinking water supply systems. Quality control". There are many reasons for this, primarily the intensive use of water bodies for water supply, wastewater intake, energy needs, shipping, fishing, mining, water recreation, etc.

Note

One of the sources of pollutants entering water bodies is wastewater. Moreover, this water is discharged not only into water bodies, but also into reclamation ditches, filtration fields and simply into open areas, which leads to pollution of both surface and groundwater. There are other factors, in particular, 16 landfills and 217 landfills for household, industrial and construction waste located in the region.

In addition, in the closed areas of the enterprises there are 15 sludge dumps, 6 ash dumps and 27 other storage facilities for various industrial wastes. There are two underground disposal facilities for industrial waste in the region: the State Unitary Enterprise "Poligon Krasny Bor" and the radioactive waste repositories of the experimental plant of the Russian Research Center "Applied Chemistry". And if you also take into account the warehouses of mineral fertilizers, manure and dung storage facilities, which sometimes break through, as a couple of years ago near Gatchina, then the picture turns out to be completely sad.

Is the exit underground?

Despite this state of affairs, many believe that groundwater is much cleaner than surface water, is not contaminated with anything, and therefore can be used for drinking and household needs. If you look at any advertisement for a cottage community, then among the characteristics there will certainly be an autonomous water supply from a well. Sometimes they indicate the depth of the well, but in most cases they do not bother with this, counting on the fact that the potential purchaser of the site is already convinced of the purity of the source. They say that water is not taken from the Neva and not from the Gulf of Finland!

Let's see how true these promises are. The Leningrad region, it must be said, has a considerable resource of groundwater. But firstly, only 37% of the water consumed comes from these sources. Secondly, their ideal state is a myth that can cause a lot of harm.

Let's evaluate the quality of underground water resources in the Leningrad region, based on data from specialists. This water, as a rule, is quite hard, enriched with iron and manganese. More than 60% of sources are characterized by a high content of hydrogen sulfide, and water from shallow wells (up to 50 m) most often contains man-made pollution - inorganic, organic and microbiological. Groundwater contains many microorganisms, and some of them can cause serious illnesses such as hepatitis or gastroenteritis in humans. The consequences of drinking water with chemical contaminants may only appear after several years.

The composition of groundwater is determined by the aquifer, the path the water takes before reaching the consumer. Water dissolves the rocks that contain it. In addition, when they are shallow, “underground rivers” are poorly protected from surface pollution. Experience shows that water from wells less than 100 m deep in the northern and western regions of the Leningrad region (Kurortny, Vyborg, Vsevolozhsky) is ferruginous. In deeper wells in the same areas, high mineralization (salt water) and excess fluorine content are observed. Water from wells in the southern regions (Gatchina, Lomonosov, Tosnensky) is usually characterized by increased hardness. A common problem for all areas is the contamination of water from wells and shallow wells with nitrates, herbicides, pesticides, petroleum products, and heavy metals.

Underground horizons

To have an idea of ​​where exactly water comes from, you should turn to geological data and brush up on the history of the Earth. That is, remember that there were, for example, the Quaternary period, as well as more ancient geological eras buried in the depths of the lithosphere. Sometimes aquifers are named according to geological periods, sometimes differently, but what matters first of all is the depth of the formation to which the well is drilled.

Note

Groundwater in the Leningrad region is represented by two large groups: water located in young (Quaternary) rocks, and water contained in ancient sediments.

Quaternary waters are ubiquitous and lie close to the surface of the earth. The disadvantages of these waters are the strong variability of quality over area and the small thickness of the aquifers. In addition, they are poorly protected from surface pollution - this problem is especially acute in areas with intensive economic activity. That is why in the waters of Quaternary sediments in the Leningrad region, there is often an excess of the norms for the content of nitrogen compounds, petroleum products and heavy metals, as well as bacteriological contaminants.

An exception in this regard is the so-called intermoraine aquifers - relatively extended sandy layers between layers of loam. Such horizons are distributed mainly in the northern part of the region, on the Karelian Isthmus, at depths of up to 100 m. They are characterized by a pressure regime, that is, the water level in the wells is set above the roof of the horizon. Intermoraine waters, as a rule, are not polluted by human waste products; their only drawback is the increased content of iron and manganese.

Waters of ancient sediments are also distributed throughout the Leningrad region. They lie deeper than Quaternary waters, are separated from the surface by a thick layer of rocks and are pressure, which provides them with reliable protection from surface pollution. There are several types of ancient aquifer rocks in our region. The operational significance of the aquifer depends on the area of ​​the region.

For example, the Gdov aquifer, composed of weakly cemented sandstones, is well known. It is widespread, but is used for domestic and drinking water supply only on the Karelian Isthmus. In the southern regions of the Leningrad region it contains salt water and is therefore not used.

The Lomonosov Horizon is widely represented to the south and east of the Gulf of Finland and, as a rule, lies quite deep, almost under a hundred-meter thick layer of blue Cambrian clays. Its operation for water supply is advisable in accessible shallow places from the surface, that is, within a narrow strip along the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland.

The Ordovician aquifer, composed of strong limestones and dolomites, is distributed south of the Sablino-Krasnoe Selo-Lopukhinka-Koporye line, along which its waters often come to the surface in the form of springs. It is clear that limestones cause the carbonate hardness of these waters. The Ordovician horizon is also used most intensively in places close to the surface. Namely, within the Izhora Plateau, where it is covered only by thin Quaternary sediments. However, accessibility also has a disadvantage: in this area, the horizon waters are poorly protected from surface pollution.

To the south of the Izhora plateau, the Devonian aquifer is widespread. It is intensively exploited in the southern regions of the region, where it has a significant thickness (about 200 m). The same high iron content, as well as susceptibility to pollution from the surface, should be considered negative characteristics of waters of Devonian sediments.

Artesian waters are recognized as the cleanest from an environmental point of view - pressurized underground waters contained in an aquifer contained between two impermeable layers. But, despite the maximum protection from surface contamination, they often come to the surface with undesirable “additives” due to miscalculations made during drilling and equipping wells. The samples may contain concentrations of bacteriological components, nitrogen compounds, iron, etc. that exceed the maximum permissible concentrations. Sometimes there is also a mixing of waters from two horizons that have different chemical compositions. However, even if the drilling technology is followed, artesian water in the Leningrad region does not meet the “ecologically friendly natural drinking” standard. The reasons are geological, geographical and other conditions.

conclusions

To summarize the above, we have to admit that the state of water in our region almost everywhere does not meet sanitary standards. If we talk about the human contribution, the main sources of water pollution are agriculture, industrial facilities and inefficiently operating sewerage facilities. Therefore, the regional authorities should pay (and they, it must be said, pay) increased attention to the problems of environmental safety in the region.

But what should the owner of a country house do in such conditions? What conclusion should he draw?

First of all, you need to understand that no drilling depth can guarantee absolute purity of water. There is no need to talk about wells. Yes, in some cases it can be stated: there are no gasoline stains. And there is no microbial infection either. But do these symptoms determine purity? Common sense dictates that in any case, water should be taken for analysis to the relevant authorities and regulatory authorities. There they will determine the chemical and bacteriological composition of the water, and also give recommendations for cleaning. After this, you need to contact specialized companies that offer effective water treatment equipment. This is the only way to ensure impeccable quality of consumed water.

The water bodies of St. Petersburg are represented by the eastern part of the Baltic Sea - the Gulf of Finland, the Neva River and its tributaries, natural and artificial reservoirs, rivers, canals and swamps.

The main water artery of the city is the river. Neva, which originates from Lake Ladoga. Its length is 78 km, the total catchment area is 281 thousand km 2, the average annual water flow in the river. Neva - 2520 m 3 /sec. In its upper reaches, the river flows through the territory of the Leningrad region, 44 km from the mouth it crosses the city limits and then throughout its entire length flows through the territory of St. Petersburg.

In total, 64 rivers, 48 ​​canals, 34 streams flow within the city and in the territories administratively subordinate to it, with a total length of 555.5 km, including directly within the city - 40 rivers, branches, channels and canals with a total length of 217.5 km.

The predicted groundwater resources in the territory of St. Petersburg are 389.2 thousand m 3 /day, of which 80% have a mineralization of up to 1 g/l. The forecast resource module is 3.1 l/s km 2. The total proven operational reserves amounted to 134.89 thousand m 3 /day, incl. 109.1 thousand m 3 /day. prepared for industrial development.

The volume of wastewater discharged into the city's water bodies in 2001 amounted to 1.3 km 3, of which 95% was contaminated wastewater. In terms of the volume of contaminated wastewater, St. Petersburg ranks second among the constituent entities of the Federation - it accounts for 6% of the all-Russian volume of wastewater discharge in this category.

The main “supplier” of contaminated wastewater is the housing and communal services sector, from whose treatment facilities 1115.15 million m 3 are discharged, or 90% of the city’s discharge volume.

Among the water bodies of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, it is, of course, worth highlighting first of all the Gulf of Finland, Lakes Ladoga and Onega. There are also many artificial reservoirs, rivers, canals and other water sources. The largest area of ​​water surface is located in the Priozersky, Vyborg and Slantsevsky districts (14%, 7% and 6% respectively).

The beautiful Gulf of Finland makes up 7% of the entire area of ​​the Baltic Sea. The drainage basin of the Gulf of Finland has an area of ​​421 thousand km2, the area of ​​the bay is 29.5 thousand km2, and its average depth is 38 m. The Gulf of Finland is quite deep, and its maximum depth is 115 m. The large river flowing from Lake Ladoga is the main river of St. Petersburg is the Neva, located in the basin of the Gulf of Finland,another river, Luga, has its origin in the Novgorod region, and the Plyussa river flows into the Leningrad region from the Pskov region, flowing into the Narva reservoir; tasty water in Pskov is not uncommon. 32 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, from which the Neva originates. Some of the largest are the Svir River, flowing from Lake Onega, and the Vuoksa River, carrying its water flows from Finland. Other large rivers are the Volkhov, which originates in Lake Ilmen, and the Syas River. Each of the many rivers is picturesque in its own way and has its own long history. In order to enjoy the taste of clean water, however, there is now delivery in Pskov (in the region of which Plyussa begins), water delivery in St. Petersburg is a good way to get water to your office or enterprise.

In St. Petersburg, within the boundariesThe city itself has at least 93 rivers and a large number of long natural and artificial canals. Walking along the rivers and canals of the city is one of the most wonderful types of recreation and ways to get to know St. Petersburg.

Among the lakes of St. Petersburg, it should be noted that Suzdal, located in the Vyborg region, not far from a pine forest, it is interesting that in Soviet times athletes involved in water slalom trained here. Olginsky Pond is also interesting - one of the city’s reservoirs, small in size, but attracting many vacationers in the summer due to the fact that it is located close to residential areas. However, the pond is somewhat overgrown with plants, and the path to it is blocked by a rather steep slope. In connection with the water resources of St. Petersburg, it is impossible not to mention the Fontanka River, which runs through the very center of the city. There are many picturesque bridges across the Fontanka, such as the Lomonosov Bridge and the Izmailovsky Bridge. In the center of the city there is the Griboyedov Canal, which crosses many highways.