(Translated from Russian by the English Translation Section of UNESCO)
1. ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN FROM SEPTEMBER 1996 TO MAY 1998
The IHP National Committee of the Republic of Belarus has been in existence since 1977. It includes leading specialists and academics from the following ministries and institutions: the National Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Agricultural Production, the Ministry of Forestry, Belarus State University, the State Committee for Hydrometeorology, and representatives of scientific research institutes.
Sessions of the Committee were held twice yearly. During the period under review, the following issues relating to the fourth phase of IHP were examined:
. the current situation and future development of hydrological, hydrogeological and hydrochemical observation networks;
. surface-water resources and their formation; study of changes in surface-water resources as a result of economic activities;
0 work on the State Water Cadastral Register;
0 conduct of studies on surface-water quality;
l hydrological aspects of water pollution arising from the Chernobyl nuclear power station accident;
0 co-operation between hydrological services responsible for international river basins with a view to continued provision of flood warnings.
With regard to the fifth phase of IHP (1996-2001) considerable efforts have been made to establish closer ties with the hydrological services of neighbouring states. Bilateral co-operation agreements linking hydrometeorological services have been concluded with the neighbouring states of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
Despite financial and economic difficulties, the State Committee for Hydrometeorology was able to maintain its network of hydrological ,observation posts. At present, the hydrological surface-water regime is being studied by 12 hydrological subdivisions (stations), including two specialized stations (one for wetland hydrology and the other for lake hydrology).
Observations were carried out at 134 hydrological observation posts (120 on rivers and I4 on lakes), including:
. water level - at 134 observation posts;
. runoff - at 107 observation posts;
l sediment discharge - at eight observation posts.
Observations of surface-water evaporation were carried out at six stations.
Hydrochemical observations covered 54 rivers, 13 lakes and I2 reservoirs (at 106 observation points and 163 discharge gauging sites).
Systematic monitoring of radioactive pollution of surface water was conducted on live major rivers (Dnepr, Sozh, Pripyat, Iput, Besed), with water samples being taken for analysis of the radioactive caesium- 137 and strontium-90 content, and at 16 discharge gauging sites on smaller rivers.
With a view to studying the situation of various water bodies more fully, hydrochemical observations were carried out, in tandem with hydrobiological and hydrological observations. The hydrobiological analysis included four indicators: phytoplankton, phytoperiphyton, zooplankton, zoobenthos.
Given the importance of land improvement activities in Belarus, the current focus of efforts is on the routine and major repair of soil amelioration systems. A systematic inventory is being made of improved land, with a technical assessment of its condition.
Material continues to be disseminated concerning changes in the hydrographical network, notably in the form of a handbook entitled Changes in the Hydrographical Network of Belarus as a Result of Land Improvement Activities, which includes information up to 1 January 1997.
The following regular publications were prepared and disseminated:
0 annual data (hydrological yearbooks) on surface-water resources and regimes at observation posts in Belarus;
l observations relating to surface-water evaporation;
l observations from the wetland station.
Material relating to the Unified State Water Cadastral Register was published, and other material is being prepared for the environmental bulletin.
Testing is continuing of the integrated series of programmes VNI-IGMI-MCD and State Hydrological Institute (SHI) ARM “Hydrologist”, and of the WMO programme on hydrological information processing [WMO Hydrological Information Referral Service (INFOHYDRO)] put together at the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (Hydrological Operational Multipurpose Subprogramme - HOMS).
With a view to providing the state and public-sector authorities of Belarus with forecasts of water levels and ice cover of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, long-term and short-term forecasts continue to be published.
The State Committee for Hydrometeorology is the lead organization for participation in the following international projects:
BALTEX - as part of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) scientific research is being conducted relating to the Baltic Sea experiment.
FRIEND - establishment of a regional data centre of the European Water Archive for the European areas of the former Soviet Union, in order to disseminate the project’s hydrological data to the European territory of the former Soviet Union (Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus).
The State Committee for Hydrometeorology has examined the draft project entitled Hydrological Cycle Observation System (HCOS) - Baltic Sea, and is in favour of continuing work on that project.
During the period under review, the State Committee for Hydrology participated in the BALTEX scientific conference, and made a presentation on “Long-term forecasting of spring floods on the Western Dvina River”. A symposium of leading hydrologists from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Belarus was held on “The hydrological service: current status and prospects for development”.
Specialists from the State Committee for Hydrometeorology participated in meetings of the Committee for the Management of International Projects and in working group meetings of the BALTEX and FRIEND projects.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, as represented by the Central Scientific Research Institute on Integrated Water Use, is at present exhibiting an automatic hydrological monitoring station at EXPO-98 (Lisbon, Portugal). Together with the State Committee for Hydrometeorology, the Institute is continuing trials of a PC-operated discharge/velocity meter.
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2. FUTURE ACTIVITIES
In 1998- 1999, it is intended to continue work on the international BALTEX and FRIEND projects.
For the fifth phase of IHP, the Brest Polytechnic Institute and the State Committee for Hydrometeorology have proposed a number of research projects.
Theme 1: Global hydrological and geochemical processes.
Project 1.2: Development and calibration of coupled hydro-ecological/atmospheric models.
NIR (Scientific Research Development) 1.2.1: Statistical models of hydrological- atmospheric processes in Belarus.
Theme 4: Strategies for water resources management in emergency and conflicting situations.
Project 4.1: International water systems.
NIR (Scientific Research Development) 4.1 .l: Development of an advisory information system for small river basins in Belarus with provision for integrated hydrological information.
Project execution: Brest Polytechnical Institute: Professor V.E. Valuiev, Lecturer A.A. Volchek; State Committee for Hydrometeorology: G.S. Chekan, Chief, Department of Hydrology and Hydrological Forecasting.
The State Committee for Hydrometeorology is prepared to participate in the HYCOS-Baltic project within the time frame proposed for the preparatory phase (September 1998 - September 1999).
These and other matters are due to be examined at future meetings of the National Committee for IHP.
Yu. M. Pokumeiko
Chairperson, State Committee for Hydrometeorology of the Republic of Belarus
Chairperson, IHP National Committee
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