Dniester Estuary

Dniester Estuary
The coast of the estuary near the castle ofBilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
Dniester Estuary
Location	Black Sea
Coordinates	46°14′N30°21′E
River sources	Dniester
Ocean/sea sources	Atlantic Ocean
Basincountries	Ukraine
Max. length	45.2 km (28.1 mi)
Max. width	12 km (7.5 mi)
Surface area	360–408 km2(139–158 sq mi)
Average depth	1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Max. depth	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Water volume	0.2 km3(0.048 cu mi)
Settlements	Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi,Ovidiopol,Shabo,Zatoka
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Northern Part of the Dniester Liman
Designated	23 November 1995
Reference no.	765

Dniester Estuary,orDniester Liman(Ukrainian:Дністровський лиман;Romanian:Limanul Nistrului) is aliman,formed at the point where the riverDniesterflows into theBlack Sea.It is located inUkraine,inOdesa Oblast,and connectsBudjakto the Ukrainian mainland. The city ofBilhorod-Dnistrovskyilies on its western shore andOvidiopolon its eastern shore.Shabo,situated downstream of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, is known for its wine. The estuary hosts theBilhorod-Dnistrovsky Seaport.

The area of the liman varies between 360 and 408 km²,it is 42.5 km long and has maximum width of 12 km. The average depth is 1.8 m, the maximum depth 2.7 m.

On thespitseparating the liman from the open Black Sea to the south is the resort town ofZatoka.The only entirely Ukrainian road connecting to Budjak is theH33along the spit; to avoid the marshes at the northern end of the liman,Highway M15has to cross intoMoldova.The Dniester Liman is the closest open body of water to landlocked Moldova; only 3 km of Ukrainian territory separates Moldova from the Black Sea.

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

On 2 May 2022, duringthe invasion,aRussianrocket strike hitZatoka Bridge,a strategically important bridge over the estuary.

See also

• Berezan Estuary
• Tylihul Estuary
• Small Adzhalyk Estuary
• Khadzhibey Estuary
• Sukhyi Estuary

External links

• Datasheet from www.wetlands.org (pdf file)
• (in Russian)1:100,000 topographic map of the liman - northern section
• (in Russian)1:100,000 topographic map of the liman - southern section