Water and Sediment Runoff at the Mouths of Rivers Flowing into the Black Sea

Abstract

River water runoff is responsible for many hydrological features of river mouths and their parts – deltas, semienclosed coastal water bodies and open nearshore zone. Water runoff influences water levels in deltas, delta inundation, water salinity at the mouths, etc. Water runoff depresses action of the storm surges on the deltas. River sediment load determines channel processes, sedimentation in the delta and nearshore zone, delta formation processes, the rate of delta progradation into the sea. Results of the calculation of the present-day river water runoff and suspended sediment load of the rivers flowing into the Black Sea within six sections of the coasts (northeastern, eastern, southern, southwestern, northwestern, Crimean) are presented. Besides, total river water and sediment input to the Black Sea is estimated. Problems of the influence of hydrological processes at river mouths on the environmental state of the Black Sea are also discussed.