The Problem of the North Crimea Canal as a Cross-Border Conflict on the Dnieper River

Abstract

The North Crimean Canal is considered as a continuation of the Dnieper River. This makes it possible to analyze its overlap in 2014 as one of the classic problems of transboundary water use associated with partial or complete restriction of flow in the middle or lower reaches of the river. As a similar example, the conflict between Turkey and Syria over the water resources of the Euphrates River is considered. It is shown that such cross-border conflicts are often caused by both economic reasons and arise in connection with a decrease in runoff in some years due to increased aridity of the climate. This article presents game-theoretic models of interaction between the parties and substantiates the need for compensation payments between the countries participating in a cross-border dispute. Based on the results of the analysis carried out in this article, it was concluded that one of the consequences of the possible destruction of the dam of the Kakhovsky reservoir will be the cessation of water supply to the North Crimean Canal. The fact is that in the first section with a length of more than 200 km, water from the reservoir flows into the channel by gravity, so that when the level drops at the water intake point by 16 m, the filling of the channel will stop.