Trans-Urals Authorities Prepare for «Big Water» Floods
An emergency commission meeting was held in the government of the Kurgan Region after Roshydromet (the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring) published a preliminary forecast for the spring flood on the Tobol River. Meteorologists believe the water level could exceed the maximum normal values.
«Snow is already 1.5–2 times higher than normal. And there are still two months ahead. We gave necessary instructions to municipal commissions for preparations. We will again reach out to those who make decisions on water discharges in the upper reservoirs,» wrote Kurgan Region Governor Vadim Shumkov on his Telegram channel.
Weather forecasters stated that in the Trans-Urals, by the end of January, snowdrifts had grown to 26–40 cm (10–16 in), which is 1–11 cm (0.4–4.3 in) more than the usual long-term averages.
Recall that in 2024, Kurgan experienced a severe flood when the water level in the Tobol River reached 1,015 cm (about 33 ft). In 2025, the situation was calmer — the river rose to 468 cm (about 15 ft). The official and precise forecast from the Kurgan Center for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Kurgan TsGMS) is expected in mid-March.
