Author(s): V. S. Vuglinsky
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Ice regime; Russian rivers; Changes; Past and Future
Abstract: During the last 20-25 years, ice regime in the rivers of Russia was subject to considerable changes because of a permanent positive trend in winter air temperatures. The dynamics of ice events in the rivers of Russia has been analyzed with the use of data series on ice regime and ice cover thickness at 65 hydrological stations on large and mid-size rivers in the European and Asian territories of Russia. The assessment of ice regime changes has been made for 1980-2000 and compared with the period of 1950-1979. A preliminary forecast of ice regimes in the Russian rivers for 2010-2015 has bean made. It has been established that the duration of the complete ice coverage in the rivers of European Russia and large Siberian rivers during the last twenty years became 3 to 7 days shorter; the duration of ice coverage on lakes or reservoirs in the Asian territory of Russia is 4 to 14 days shorter because of earlier ice break-up. According to the forecast, this trend would be unchanged in 2010-2015. During the last twenty years the maximum ice cover thickness became 2-14 cm thinner practically on each large river in Russia on the average, if compared with the previous 30-year long period. During the next 10 to 15 years, the maximum ice cover thickness is expected to thinner on all large rivers in Russia
Year: 2006