ИСТИНА

Population, the branches of economy, biocenosis in the mouths of rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are very vulnerable and susceptible to the adverse effects of hazardous hydrological-morphological processes and ill-conceived economic activity. The results of long-term and comprehensive research show that inundations, low-water periods, water pollution, storm surges and wind-induced down-surges, water logging, rapid reformation of sea-coast line, riverbeds and degradation of lakes, storm waves threaten safety of peoples and its health, economic activity, ecological communities and natural objects in the mouths of Caspian rivers, especially the Urals, Volga, Terek, Sulak, Kura and Sefidrud. List of hazardous hydrological-morphological processes and their characteristics depend on the location, size and structure of the river mouth area, on the river regime. In addition, water management activities can regulate these processes. Large-scale and rapid sea-level fluctuations also influence the intensity of some of the processes. All of these issues are discussed in detail by the authors of the report, the patterns and characteristics of hazardous hydrological and morphological processes are defined.