The study was carried out in the framework of Project UNDP ― GEF, devoted to ecological sanitation of the Dnieper-river using the GIWA procedure. The data of the long-term hydro chemical monitoring and hydro biological investigations, as well as the assessment by the GIWA procedure testify that at present, the Upper Dnieper water may be considered as moderately polluted. For the last decade the water quality has slightly improved due to the recession in industry and agriculture, but not adequately to the recession in production. Biological diversity of the river decreased, mainly in connection with construction of a cascade of storage reservoirs in the middle stream of the Dnieper-river. The biological diversity in the Upper Dnieper basin has decreased for the last hundred years as a result of extensive land use and forestry. Because of the Chernobyl accident consequences and the ecological crisis in our country, for the last decade the demographical situation in the Upper Dnieper basin has become worse: the birth-rate of the population has decreased, and the mortality has increased. Under the crisis conditions the share of GDP, spent for environmental activities, has sharply reduced. The prospects of economic and ecological situation in the Upper Dnieper basin, based on the most favorable scenario of economic development, show that in the next 10-15 years the level of 1990 can be reached under conditions of the economic rise. In situation provided by such a scenario, the pollution levels of the environment may exceed this of 2000 because of wear and tear of basic funds, including the treatment equipment.
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