The starting point of the canal is near the village of Raihorodok, about 12.2 miles (19.6 km) northeast of Sloviansk, at the Siverskyi Donets. The canal travels south, and ends near the city of Yasynuvata, about 11.6 miles (18.7 km) northeast of Donetsk, at the Kalmius River.[2]
History
During the 20th century, Soviet industrialization depleted the supplies of fresh water in the Donbas region. The production of many industrial products, including cast iron, steel, and coal mining, require large amounts of fresh water. At the same time, The mining industry in the area further disrupted groundwater, making them even more scarce.
In 1955, the construction of a canal began in the Donetsk Oblast to improve the supplies of freshwater, and completed by 1958. The canal was expanded in 1979 to increase its water capacity.[3] In 2014, the canal was heavily damaged due to the War in Donbas. As of 2021, the canal is run by the state-owned company "Water of Donbas" (Вода Донбасу).[4]
Characteristics
The total length of the canal is 133.4 kilometres (82.9 mi), where 107 kilometres (66 mi) consist of conventional canals, and another 26.4 kilometres (16.4 mi) are pipe bridges. There are also 4 pump stations to carry water over higher elevations, and a total of 5 reservoirs to ensure smooth operations.[3]
