Present thoughts on the aquatic countermeasures applied to regions of the Dnieper river catchment contaminated by the 1986 Chernobyl accident

Abstract The results of radiation monitoring data and migration pathway analysis of water bodies within areas that were affected by the 1986 Chernobyl accident can provide the unique opportunity for decision-makers who are working in other extensively contaminated regions to optimize their approaches to surface- and ground-water protection. Most engineering measures inside the Chernobyl 30 km exclusion zone were focused on prevention of secondary contamination of surface and ground water from entering the Pripyat River and the Kiev Reservoir. However, these measures required huge financial and human resources for their implementation. Therefore, lessons can be learned from the Chernobyl example concerning the post-accidental water-protective activities.