Restoration and maintenance of the hydrological regime of Lake Chekha

Among the concrete jungles of the city of Sumy lies Lake Chekha, one of the favorite recreation spots of local residents. Lake Chekha is located on the right bank of the Psel river and is the old channel of this river. The area of Lake Chekha is 32 hectares. Hedgehogs, terrapins, hares, moorhens, nightingales, orioles, warblers live on the outskirts of the reservoir. There are also species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. You can also see the brightest bird of Ukraine – the kingfisher, the house owl – the smallest owl in Europe.

By the way, Lake Chekha in the city of Sumy is one of the few places where birds build nests and raise offspring. The territory bordering the coastal strip of the reservoir has dense residential construction and insufficient landscaping. The lake is a unique water object and one of the popular recreation places of the population.

In recent years it has been observed decrease in water content and, as a result, decrease in the species composition of representatives of flora and fauna. At first glance, the lake has lost its ability to self-restore, the disturbed river floodplain is practically devoid of a natural biofilter, its catchment area is unable to maintain the balance of water exchange.

In connection with the urbanization of the adjacent territory, the intensive recreational load on the catchment area has fundamentally changed the natural hydrological, hydrochemical and hydrobiological regime of the water body. Insufficient study of engineering-geological and hydrological conditions, mistakes during the design and construction of the territory, in turn, led to the flooding of the adjacent territories.

With the change in the parameters of the lake, significant changes also occurred within the catchment area adjacent to the lake – the boundary of the watershed of the southern part of the lake is limited to st. Kharkivska and Heroiv Krut, the western – the 9th microdistrict, and only the eastern part has a natural character.

In general, the current ecological state of the lake is quite tense and has a clear tendency to deteriorate. Further degradation of the water body and ecosystem can be stopped only by implementing a number of urgent measures.

Studying the hydrological characteristics of the water body during the year and taking the proposed measures to improve the hydrological regime of Lake Chekha.

In order to improve the living conditions of animals and birds, it is proposed to carry out vertical tiered greening of the slopes of the lake with the planting of tree and shrub species with a selection of species adapted to local climatic conditions.

To improve the water exchange in the lake and reduce the level of flooding of the surrounding areas, it is necessary to build a collector with a diameter of 600 mm and a length of 1.1 km.

In order to improve the infrastructural provision of residents’ needs, it is proposed to improve the coastal strip, taking into account the needs of people with disabilities.

According to the results of the hydrological study of Lake Chekha, it is planned to install aeration systems to improve oxygen exchange in the reservoir.

The following measures are expected to be implemented:

• Study of the hydrological characteristics of the water body during the year and implementation of proposed measures to improve the hydrological regime of Lake Chekha.
• Vertical tiered greening of lake slopes with planting of trees and shrubs with selection of species adapted to local climatic conditions.
• Construction of a collector with a diameter of 600 mm and a length of 1.1 km.
• Improvement of the coastal strip, taking into account the needs of people with disabilities.
• Installation of an aeration system to improve oxygen exchange in the reservoir.