Why is navigation on the Don River sometimes difficult near its mouth?

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Navigation on the Don River near its mouth is occasionally hindered by declines in water level caused by strong, persistent offshore winds.1

Additionally, the Sea of Azov, into which the Don flows, is the world's shallowest sea, with depths in the Taganrog Gulf reaching 3 feet or less due to the vast quantities of silt deposited by the river. These shallow conditions, combined with the wind-induced water level fluctuations, can complicate the progress of heavy craft in the area.21