Rivers contribute the greatest proportion of all types of pollution to the Caspian Sea, carrying pollutants that have originated from domestic and industrial outfalls and also direct runoff of agricultural pollutants. Although the available data for river pollution concentrations are not considered to be reliable, it is estimated that rivers discharge between 80% and 97% of the total input to the Sea of each important pollutant except oil. Rivers are estimated to provide 60% of the oil load.

The CEP mandate currently limits activities to the Sea itself and to a coastal band of no more than 100 km wide. Rivers clearly have a major impact on overall sea water quality, and the pollutants being carried to the sea mostly originate from areas far more than 100 km from their mouths. Thus, although the CEP may not be involved immediately in investigating sources of river pollution, it must liase strongly with other programmes that are doing so and so identify major sources of pollution within the river basins.

Total pollution load to the Caspian Sea from rivers

Pollution loads from major rivers

Yearly flow of rivers calculated in % of total flow

Yearly BOD input of rivers calculated in % of total BOD

Total hydrocarbons input from rivers in % of total input

Cadmium input from rivers in % of total cadmium input

Pollution loads of the rivers can be mitigated through the following management practices:

• improved agricultural management

• improved treatment of municipal waste water

• pollution abatement and prevention in industry

• improved river management

• improved wetland (delta) management

It will be the responsibility of respective river management plans to investigate and implement such practices in detail. Some findings regarding the most relevant rivers are summarized below according to countries.

Pollutants discharged from Azeri rivers to the Caspian Sea

Kura river is discharging in per cent of total discharges from Azeri rivers:

• 90 % of the flow

• 90-95 % of BOD, total solids and inorganic nitrogen

• about 70% of phosphorus

• about 95 % of copper, zinc, hydrocarbons detergents and phenols.

Recommendations:

• A Kura River management plan should be implemented.

Tacis has suggested a transboundary river project which is out for tendering and includes Kura River.

Pollutants discharged from Russian rivers to the Caspian Sea

Volga river is discharging in per cent of total discharges from Russian rivers:

• 95 % of the flow

• More than 90% of BOD, total solids, total phosphorus and inorganic nitrogen

• 90 % of heavy metals

• More than 90% of hydrocarbons

Recommendations:

• A Volga River management plan should be implemented for the whole catchment area as Volga contributes to more than 80-90% of pollutants discharged to the whole Caspian Sea.

• A management plan should also be implemented for the rivers

Pollutants discharged from Iranian rivers to the Caspian Sea

• 36 rivers are considered as major rivers

• 3 main rivers: Sefidrood, Aras and Haraz provide 64 % of the river flow to the Caspian Sea

• Other 33 rivers contribute each only few per cent of the total flow

Recommendation:

• Environmental management plans should be prepared for the rivers with the goal to reduce the pollutant input to the Caspian Sea

Pollutants discharged from Kazakh rivers to the Caspian Sea

• Ural river is practically the only river discharging 8 km³/year to the Caspian Sea

• River Emba discharge in wet periods 0.06-0.09 km³/year

Recommendations:

• A Ural River management plan should be implemented.

Pollution Load

Coastal and off-shore industry

Municipalities

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