Manifestations and consequences of water conflicts: case study of the Pechenihy reservoir, Kharkiv region, Ukraine
Authors: Borysenko Kateryna , Hutchinson Simon M. , Sinchuk Diana 
Published: September 2024

Statement of the problem. The article discusses the manifestations and consequences of such conflicts, in particular their impact on the Pechenihy Reservoir. The study of the problem of water clashes and its exhaustive justification is an important step in the development of effective strategies for managing water resources and preventing the negative consequences of conflicts. Despite the generally defined interpretation of water conflicts, the term should be considered more thoroughly as a phenomenon, based on its duality, because such conflicts can be provoked by different reasons, and therefore their course and consequences may differ. The study of the problem of water clashes and its exhaustive justification is an important step in the development of effective strategies for managing water resources and preventing the negative consequences of conflicts. The study of the problems of water conflicts with the example of the Pechenihy reservoir is due to the novelty of the problem faced by this reservoir. For the first time, the Pechenihy reservoir witnessed large-scale hostilities and, accordingly, for the first time in the history of its existence, faced the devastating consequences of the war. A comprehensive characterization of the reservoir as a center of local water skirmish is necessary, especially in the context of determining the manifestations and classifications of water conflicts.

The aim of the work is to set out the causes, classifications and consequences of water conflicts that arise in the context of the use of water resources based on the example of the Pechenihy reservoir. The article aims at a comprehensive analysis of the impact of these conflicts on the geo-ecological and social spheres.

Methods. In addition to general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis and generalization, geographical methods of research were used. A special place was occupied by the methods of space hydrology (deciphering aerospace images of the reservoir). The applied method of system analysis helped to identify and clearly classify the situation around the studied reservoir as a local water conflict with the identification of the problem and the way of its course.

Results. The study substantiates the phenomenon of water conflicts, highlighting their dual nature as both geo-ecological and social issues, exacerbated by military operations. The hydrological and technical characteristics of the Pechenihy reservoir were examined, revealing significant geo- and hydroecological problems due to nearby combat activities. The study provides a first-time analysis of local water conflict events from the onset of the Russian invasion to the Kharkiv counteroffensive, classifying the conflict around the Pechenihy reservoir as armed, with water serving as both a victim and weapon.

The novelty of this article is manifested in an in-depth study of the specifics of hydroecological conflicts in the conditions of long-term hostilities around the Pechenihy reservoir, followed by a comprehensive analysis of the geoecological and social aspects of this problem.