Documents

Agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of aquatic biological resources of the Caspian Sea was signed on 29 September 2014 in Astrakhan, Russian Federation, during the Fourth Caspian Summit.

The Parties agree upon cooperation on (i) giving priority to the conservation of aquatic biological resources, (ii) sustainable use of aquatic biological resources, (iii) application of accepted international rules, (iv) ecosystem preservation and biodiversity protection, (v) conservation of aquatic biological resources in scientific research and use this as a basis of common aquatic biological resources management, and (vi) taking measures for sustainable use and conservation of aquatic biological resources in the Caspian Sea and for management of common aquatic biological resources. The Parties shall develop the cooperation by research studies, data collection, exchange of scientific and technical documents, experience and information, preventive measures for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and by development of short, medium and long-term programs for aquatic production and for their reintroduction into their natural habitats. 

The document is presented in all languages.

The article examines recent Caspian Sea level change by using both satellite radar altimetry and satellite gravity data. The altimetry record for 2002–2015 shows a declining level at a rate that is approximately 20 times greater than the rate of global sea level rise. Seasonal fluctuations are also much larger than in the world oceans. With a clearly defined geographic region and dominant signal magnitude, variations in the sea level and associated mass changes provide an excellent way to compare various approaches for processing satellite gravity data. 

Average precipitation and evaporation in the Caspian Sea in 2000-2015.

Created by Manana Kurtabadze.

This study is an attempt to develop an integrated methodology to predict the impact of the Caspian Sea on flooding using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and hydrodynamic modeling. A rise in the sea level might lead to major flooding events, and have a severe impact on the spatial development of cities and regions. The feasibility of simulating a flood event along a drain channel is evaluated near residential development areas along the Chapakroud drain.

The study shows that at these elevations environmental and social problems arise with regards to the drain. The results also indicate that GIS is an effective tool for floodplain visualization and analysis. It should be noted that the mixture of salt and soft water, as a result of rising sea water level, is a problem that was not investigated in this study and should be examined in the future.