The destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir may lead to a reduction in precipitation, an increase in droughts and dry winds in the Kherson region.
This was stated by the head of the Kherson Regional Hydrometeorological Center Yurii Kiriak in an interview with “Espreso”.
According to him, before the creation of the Kakhovka Reservoir the region faced a shortage of precipitation and desertification: on average, before its appearance on the territory of Kherson Oblast about 200 mm of precipitation fell per year.
Meanwhile, in present-day Kherson region this figure has risen to 440 mm. According to the climatologist, after the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir this effect may gradually weaken.
At the same time, he noted that the consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir for the climate can be fully assessed only in 10-15 years.
Kiriak explains that it was not only the reservoir itself that influenced the climate, but also the irrigation systems and shelterbelts created together with it. According to Kiriak, the loss of this system could lead to critical consequences in agriculture against the backdrop of global warming. If in the first half of the 20th century the average annual temperatures in the region were 9-10°C, now they are 12-13°.
However, farmers are feeling these problems already now. Kiriak said that in the dry year of 2007 the hydrometeorological center received 120 reports of crop losses. And in 2025, from the right bank of Kherson region there were over 500 such reports.
According to the specialist, last year was the worst on record for crop losses due to weather conditions. Recall that in 2025 the farmers of Kherson region suffered losses of almost UAH 500 million.