Search

The Ural, named Schajyq in Kazakhstan, is the third longest European river. It is a transcontinental river that forms the geographic boundary between Europe and Asia and drains parts of Russia and Kazakhstan. Currently, the Ural is the only large free-flowing river feeding the Caspian Sea. Vast floodplains border the middle course of the river and its delta is among the largest in Europe. Despite its size and potential ecological importance, the Ural is one of the least studied large European rivers. This chapter provides an overview of the catchment characteristics and ecological conditions of the Ural and briefly discusses its future management and conservation requirements. The management issues of prime importance in the Ural catchment include (1) the restoration of the contaminated Ilek River and its adjacent riparian zone, (2) the dredging of the Ural River mouth to remove deposited sediments, (3) the improvement of a monitoring network (hydrological and ecological network), (4) defining and maintaining environmental flow conditions in the main stem and in the tributaries, (5) the upgrading of water intakes for the fishery industry, and (6) the protection of the sturgeon populations and their natural reproduction sites. For the successful development of management strategies, there is a need of a sound scientific basis. Major efforts are required to improve the knowledge about the present and future pressures on the entire basin because the Ural River—and in particular the Sakmara tributary—can serve as a reference river for the steppic zones of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.