Effects of land use and climate changes on small reservoir siltation in the agricultural belt of European Russia

Vladimir R Belyaev (1) , Valentin N Golosov (1, 2) , Maxim V Markelov (1) , Nadezda N Ivanova (1) , Eugenia N Shamshurina (1) , O. Evrard (3, 4)

1 MSU - Lomonosov Moscow State University
2 Kazan (Volga region) Federal University
3 LSCE - Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette]
4 GEDI - Géochimie Des Impacts

Small reservoirs of agriculture-dominated areas experience severely increased sediment input caused by soil erosion on cultivated slopes, also accompanied at some locations by gully erosion. This causes rapid decrease of the reservoir water storage and shortened periods of functioning. In this paper we discuss several examples of the 137Cs-based short-term siltation chronology of small reservoirs located in different landscape zones within the agricultural belt of European Russia. From two to four time marks could have been established in 137Cs depth distribution curves constructed from detailed depth-incremental sampling of reservoir infill sediment, allowing reconstruction of sediment microstratigraphy and deposition rates. In combination with other independent information sources this provides insight on the relative importance of recent land use changes and climatic variability in controlling sediment delivery within small agriculture-dominated fluvial systems. In combination with sediment redistribution studies, it has become possible to construct closed sediment budgets for catchments of several reservoirs and make a quantitative assessment of sediment delivery variability. Such information is important for appropriate design and management of small agricultural reservoirs in Russia.

Keywords: sediment delivery; 137Cs depth distribution; small reservoirs; siltation; agricultural land; soil erosion; microstratigraphy; deposition rates; climate changes; European Russia

Domains: Environmental Sciences; Environmental Sciences; Global Changes; Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Continental interfaces, environment; Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Earth Sciences; Geomorphology; Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Earth Sciences; Hydrology; Life Sciences [q-bio]; Agricultural sciences; Soil study

Vladimir R Belyaev, Valentin N Golosov, Maxim V Markelov, Nadezda N Ivanova, Eugenia N Shamshurina, et al.. Effects of land use and climate changes on small reservoir siltation in the agricultural belt of European Russia. Considering Hydrological Change in Reservoir Planning and Management, Proceedings of H09, IAHS-IAPSO-IASPEI Assembly, Gothenburg, Sweden, IAHS Publ. 362, 2013. ⟨cea-02615653⟩