Kuchma et al. (2026) Transformation of agricultural landscapes in southern Ukraine after the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP according to remote sensing of the Earth

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Identification

• Journal: Agroecological journal
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-02-27
• Authors: T. Kuchma, I. Shvydenko, L. Raichuk, А. Lishchuk
• DOI: 10.33730/2077-4893.1.2026.354183

Research Groups

Not specified

Short Summary

This study utilizes remote sensing to evaluate the impact of the Kakhovka Reservoir drainage on agricultural resources in southern Ukraine, revealing a severe decline in vegetation and water indices across the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Objective

• To assess the spatial and temporal changes in the state of agricultural resources in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions resulting from the drainage of the Kakhovka Reservoir between 2020 and 2025.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Southern Ukraine (Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions), specifically focusing on agricultural lands within 50 km of the former reservoir.
• Temporal Scale: 2020–2025.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Spectral indices (NDVI, SAVI, NDWI, NMDI) and statistical analysis (t-tests, Mann–Whitney test).
• Data sources: Earth remote sensing data processed via Google Earth Engine, QGIS, Copernicus Open Access Hub, and Sentinel Hub EO Browser.

Main Results

• Confirmed a sharp decline in vegetation activity following the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP in June 2023.
• Kherson region: Recorded the most severe impact, with decreases in NDVI (55%), SAVI (57%), NDWI (88%), and NMDI (44%).
• Zaporizhzhia region: Vegetation and water indices declined by 25% to 38%.
• Dnipropetrovsk region: Vegetation and water indices declined by 26% to 30%.
• Observed a substantial increase in areas affected by extreme drought, particularly within the Kherson region.

Contributions

• Provides a quantitative spatial assessment of the environmental disaster's impact on agricultural landscapes.
• Validates the use of satellite-based spectral indices for monitoring rapid transformations in water regimes and vegetation cover.
• Offers a scientific basis for developing national irrigation restoration programs and climate adaptation strategies for low-carbon agroecosystems.

Funding

Not specified

Citation

@article{Kuchma2026Transformation,
  author = {Kuchma, T. and Shvydenko, I. and Raichuk, L. and Lishchuk, А.},
  title = {Transformation of agricultural landscapes in southern Ukraine after the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP according to remote sensing of the Earth},
  journal = {Agroecological journal},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.33730/2077-4893.1.2026.354183},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.33730/2077-4893.1.2026.354183}
}