The mesoclimatic impact of the reservoir of the Kolyma hydroelectric power station

Abstract

The author outlines research, based on limited local meteorological records, field research, and meso‐ and microclimatic modeling, to assess the impact of the construction of the reservoir of the Kolyma Hydroelectric Power Station in northeastern Siberia on the climate of the surrounding area. The modeling compares temperatures at locations that are similar topographically but differ in terms of their distance from the shore of the reservoir. In most locations and times of year, with the exception of nighttime hours of the warm season along steeply sloping sections of shoreline adjacent to bays, the effect of the reservoir on temperature is no more pronounced than that of terrain (elevation), and extends no more than 400–500 m inland. The reservoir's influence on humidity is even less pronounced.