BioResources and Technology Division (BRT) Director Assoc Prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík recently published an article! 

 

Researchers from Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University and the Institute of Water Problems and Land Reclamation of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, in close collaboration with colleagues from the USA, the UK, and the Czech Republic, have highlighted the current challenges and future prospects for irrigation development in Ukraine. 

Ukraine is home to the largest cluster of irrigated land in Europe. However, the Russian invasion of southern Ukraine, particularly the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, has severely disrupted irrigation and water systems in the region. The devastation has compounded the difficulties facing Ukraine’s water infrastructure, with the need for costly rehabilitation efforts made even more complex by the threats of climate change, ecological preservation, and historical mismanagement. 

 

This article evaluates several key aspects of Ukraine’s irrigation sector, including (a) the consequences of the disruption of the cascade of Dnipro River reservoirs and irrigation systems, (b) the economic structure and efficiency of irrigation in the face of climate change, and (c) the prospects for restoring the country’s irrigation systems. It also addresses the critical need to secure new water sources, such as the potential diversion of part of the Danube River’s flow to alleviate water shortages. 

 

The article emphasizes the importance of the Kakhovka Reservoir’s reconstruction and the rehabilitation of irrigation systems in southern Ukraine. Given the challenges posed by military destruction and the additional pressures of climate change, this recovery effort will require significant investment and strategic planning over the coming decades. 

 

Water International, with over 50 years of success, is one of the most respected journals in the fields of water management, legislation, and policy. Since 1972, it has been the official scientific publication of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA). 

 

Keywords: Water security; climate change; irrigation management; Kakhovka Dam; Dnipro River; Ukraine. 

 

Citation: Romashchenko, M., Faybishenko, B., Onopriienko, D., Hapich, H., Novitskyi, R., Dent, D., Saidak, R., Usatyi, S., Roubik, H. (2025). Prospects for restoration of Ukraine’s irrigation system. Water International, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2025.2472718  

 

 

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