The purpose of the work is to develop compensatory measures to compensate for damage to the aquatic biological resources of small rivers when water is taken for irrigation of agricultural land. The studies were carried out on the example of the steppe river Mekleta of the Beloglinsky district of the Krasnodar Territory at Krasnaya Zvezda OJSC to participate in the state program for the effective involvement of agricultural land in the circulation and the development of the reclamation complex of the Russian Federation. The amount of damage to the biological resources of a water body for reclamation needs was determined, taking into account the maximum impact of adverse factors that arise during the withdrawal of water for irrigation. The calculation of the amount of damage caused to aquatic biological resources is determined in physical and monetary terms, based on the costs of restoring the disturbed state of water resources, taking into account the losses incurred, including lost profits. The problem of maintaining the ecological stability of the river's biocenoses has been studied, the possible damage to the aquatic biological resources of the river and their size during the construction of an reclamation water intake structure have been determined; Compensatory measures are proposed to restore the losses of aquatic biological resources of the watercourse. It has been established that it is advisable to carry out compensatory measures to restore the loss of aquatic biological resources in the watercourses of the Azov-Black Sea basin through artificial reproduction and release of juvenile fish into water bodies. Taking into account the priority list of fish species for the studied fishery basin, and taking into account that the Mekleta River belongs to the Don River basin, as a compensatory measure, it is proposed to carry out work on the cultivation and release of juveniles of the following fish species: sterlet, carp, silver carp, bighead carp.