Severe hydrological conditions also affect Prut river

Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder announced that the water discharge released from Costești–Stânca Reservoir into the Prut River has been reduced to 14 cubic metres per second amid severe hydrological conditions and falling water levels in the reservoir.

According to the minister, since the beginning of September, an average of 14 cubic metres of water per second has flowed into the reservoir, while the average discharge released has been approximately 26 cubic metres per second. During this period, approximately 32.23 million cubic metres of water entered the reservoir, while 58.83 million cubic metres were released.

The decision to reduce the released discharge was taken to preserve the reservoir’s water reserves. According to Gheorghe Hajder, only 72 centimetres remain until the water reaches the level at which it can no longer be released through the hydrotechnical system.

On 1 September, the water level in Costești–Stânca Reservoir was 83.5 metres. By 28 September, it had fallen to 82.22 metres, representing a decrease of 1.28 metres in one month.

The Environment Minister said that the measure aims to ensure the reserves needed to supply the population with water. The Prut River is the main water source for several localities in the Glodeni, Fălești, Leova, Ungheni, Cahul and Cantemir districts.



At the same time, Gheorghe Hajder announced on Saturday that the water level in the Novodnistrovsk Reservoir had fallen from its normal elevation of 121.5 metres to a critical level below 111 metres—a decrease of more than 10 metres. Under these conditions, the balancing regime was introduced: the dam is no longer retaining any water, and all the water coming from the Carpathians flows directly toward the Republic of Moldova.

The Republic of Moldova has been under a state of hydrological emergency since 26 September.