Great River Landscapes of Western Asia and Eastern Europe: Volga, Dnieper, Danube, and Rhine (A Conversation with Kenneth R. Olson)

Abstract

This interview discusses the seventh volume in Kenneth R. Olson's book series, which examines the Volga, Dnieper, Danube, and Rhine River landscapes as interconnected natural, historical, political, and engineered systems. The discussion emphasizes long-term changes in river morphology, floodplain use, navigation, hydropower, soil and water resources, and the social consequences of river regulation. Particular attention is given to the Dnieper River watershed, including the environmental implications of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and the 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka Dam; the Danube as a transboundary river shaped by settlement, trade, and governance; the Volga as a central water-supply and navigation system for Russia; and the Rhine as a highly industrialized river affected by stream capture, urbanization, and microplastic pollution. The interview presents large river management as a complex socio-ecological problem that cannot be addressed by engineering expertise alone. It argues for resilience-based river and floodplain management, improved interdisciplinary research, and governance frameworks that integrate environmental protection, food and water security, navigation, energy development, and community impacts.