The water level in the Kakhovka Reservoir has crossed the dead center and dropped to 12.5 meters

The water level in the Kakhovka Reservoir has crossed the dead center and reached 12.5 meters.

As of Thursday evening, the water level in the Kakhovka Reservoir is 12.5 meters, which is below the so-called "dead" point of 12.7 meters, below which water intake is impossible.

"The level is already 12.5 meters. This is below the 12.7-meter dead point, when we can no longer intake water to settlements and for the ZNPP," said Ihor Syrota, head of Ukrhydroenergo, on the air of the national telethon.

He noted that it is most likely that the water drop will stop at about 3 meters.

"If the dam in the lower part is destroyed to the very base, the depth of the reservoir will be no more than three meters, and the reservoir itself will decrease in width from 3.5 km, as it was before the explosion, to 1-1.2 km, meaning it will return to the Dnipro riverbed as it was before the construction of the reservoir itself," explained the hydropower engineer.

"If the reservoir is now dropping by 1 meter per day, it will continue for another seven to eight days," noted Syrota.

He noted that one half of the plant is already completely under water, the other half by 70%. The earthen insert between the gateway and the station is also under water and is being eroded.

Background. Read more about how and with what technologies the plant can be rebuilt in Mind's article "Restoration of Kakhovka HPP: What can be built on the site of the destroyed plant".