What is Lake Baikal used for? Lake Baikal

Location

south of Eastern Siberia

Height num

23 615.390 km³

Length coastline

Deepest

Average depth

Transparency

40 m, at a depth of up to 60 m

Catchment area

560 thousand km²

Flowing rivers

Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, etc.
Total 336

Flowing river

Geography

Water volume

Inflows and runoff

Water properties

Islands and peninsulas

Seismic activity

The origin of the lake

Flora and fauna

Settling the coast of the lake

Limnological research

Deep water drilling

Neutrino telescope

"Paysis" on Baikal

"Worlds" on Baikal

Ecology

Pulp and paper mill

Eastern oil pipeline

sights

Interesting Facts

Myths and legends about Baikal

Baikal in philately

Baikal- a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. For more than half of the year, the lake is ice-bound, the period of freeze-up is January 15 - May 1, navigation is carried out from June to September. Since 1956, the lake has become an integral part of the Irkutsk reservoir, as a result of which the water level has risen by 1.5 m.

The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.

Geography

Geographical location and size of the basin

Baikal is located in the center of Asia, in Russia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches from north to southwest for 636 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Lake Baikal ranges from 25 to 80 km.

The water surface area is 31,722 km² (excluding islands), which is approximately equal to the area of ​​countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark. In terms of the area of ​​the water surface, Baikal ranks sixth among the largest lakes in the world.

The length of the coastline is 2,100 km.

Depths

Maximum depth lakes- 1 642 m meters was discovered in 1983 by L. G. Kolotilo, and A. I. Sulimov during the hydrographic work by the expedition of the GUNiO of the USSR Ministry of Defense at the point with coordinates 53 ° 14? 59 ′ s. NS. 108 ° 05′11 ′ east d. / 53.249722 ° N NS. 108.086389 ° E which makes it the deepest lake on planet Earth.

The maximum depth was charted in 1992. and was confirmed in 2002 as a result of a joint Belgian-Spanish-Russian project to create a new bathymetric map of Lake Baikal, when the depths were digitized at 1,312,788 points of the lake's water area (the depth values ​​were obtained as a result of recalculating acoustic sounding data combined with additional bathymetric information , including echolocation and seismic profiling, one of the authors of the discovery of the maximum depth - L.G. Kolotilo, was a participant in this project).

Considering that the water surface of the lake is at an altitude of 455.5 m above sea level, then the lower point of the basin lies 1,186.5 m below sea level, which makes the Baikal bowl also the deepest continental depression.

Average depth of the lake also very large - 744.4 meters. It exceeds the maximum depths of many very deep lakes.

Water volume

The water reserves in Baikal are gigantic - 23615.390 km² (about 19% of the world's fresh water reserves - all fresh lakes in the world contain 123 thousand km² of water). In terms of the volume of water reserves, Baikal ranks second in the world among lakes, second only to the Caspian Sea, but the water in the Caspian Sea is salty. There is more water in Lake Baikal than in all the five Great Lakes combined and 25 times more than in Lake Ladoga.

Inflows and runoff

336 rivers and streams flow into Baikal, but this number takes into account only permanent tributaries. The largest of them are Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Turka, Snezhnaya, Sarma. One river flows out of the lake - the Angara.

Water properties

The main properties of Baikal water can be briefly characterized as follows: it contains very few dissolved and suspended mineral substances, negligible organic impurities, and a lot of oxygen.

The temperature of the surface layers of water in Lake Baikal in summer is + 8 ... + 9 ° C, and in some bays - +15 ° C. The temperature of the deep layers is about +4 ° C. The water in the lake is so transparent that individual stones and various objects can be seen at a depth of 40 m. At this time, the Baikal water is blue. In summer and autumn, when a mass of plant and animal organisms develops in the water heated by the sun, its transparency decreases to 8 × 10 m and the color becomes blue-green and green. The purest and clear water Baikal contains so little mineral salts (100 mg / l) that it can be used instead of distilled one.

Ice

By the end of winter, the ice thickness on Lake Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays - 1.5-2 m. In severe frost, the cracks, which are locally called “back cracks,” break the ice into separate fields. The length of such cracks is 10-30 km, and the width is 2-3 m. Breaks occur annually in approximately the same areas of the lake. They are accompanied by a loud crash, reminiscent of thunder or cannon shots. It seems to a person standing on the ice that the ice cover is bursting just under his feet and he will now fall into the abyss. Thanks to cracks in the ice, fish on the lake do not die from lack of oxygen. Baikal ice, in addition, is very transparent, and the sun's rays penetrate through it, therefore planktonic algae, which release oxygen, develop rapidly in the water. Along the shores of Lake Baikal, one can observe ice grottos and splashes in winter.

Baikal ice presents scientists with many mysteries. Thus, in the 1930s, specialists from the Baikal Limnological Station discovered unusual forms of ice cover, characteristic only of Baikal. For example, "hills" are cone-shaped ice hills up to 6 meters high, hollow inside. Outward appearance they resemble ice tents, "open" to the opposite side from the coast. Hills can be located separately, and sometimes form miniature " mountain ranges". Also on Lake Baikal there is another type of ice called "sokuy".

In addition, in the spring of 2009, satellite images of different parts of Lake Baikal, where dark rings were discovered, were distributed on the Internet. According to scientists, these rings arise due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the surface water layer in the central part of the ring structure. As a result of this process, an anticyclonic (clockwise) current is formed. In the zone where the current reaches its maximum speeds, the vertical water exchange increases, which leads to the accelerated destruction of the ice cover.

Islands and peninsulas

There are 27 islands on Baikal (Ushkany Islands, Yarki Island and others), the largest of them is Olkhon (730 km²); largest peninsula- Holy Nose.

The lake is located in a kind of hollow, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, the relief of the eastern coast is more gentle (in some places the mountains recede from the coast for tens of kilometers).

Seismic activity

The Baikal region (the so-called Baikal rift zone) belongs to the territories with high seismicity: earthquakes regularly occur here, the strength of most of which is one or two points on the MSK-64 intensity scale. However, strong ones also happen, so in 1862, during the ten-point Kudara earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a land area of ​​200 km² with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, was submerged, and Proval Bay was formed. Strong earthquakes were also noted in 1903 (Baikal), 1950 (Mondinskoe), 1957 (Muiskoe), 1959 (Srednebaikalskoe). The epicenter of the Middle Baikal earthquake was located at the bottom of Lake Baikal in the area of ​​the Sukhaya village (southeastern coast). His strength reached 9 points. In Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, the force of the main shock reached 5-6 points, cracks and minor destruction were observed in buildings and structures.

Climate

The water mass of Lake Baikal influences the climate of the coastal area. The winters are milder here and the summers are cooler. The onset of spring on Lake Baikal is delayed by 10-15 days compared to the adjacent areas, and autumn is often quite long.

The Baikal region is distinguished by a large total duration of sunshine. For example, in the village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye, it reaches 2,524 hours and is a record for Russia. There are only 37 days without sun per year in the same settlement, and 48 on Olkhon Island.

The special features of the climate are due to the Baikal winds, which have their own names - barguzin, sarma, verkhovik, kultuk.

The origin of the lake

The origin of Lake Baikal still causes scientific controversy. Scientists traditionally determine the age of the lake at 25–35 million years. This fact also makes Baikal unique. natural site, since most lakes, especially of glacial origin, live on average 10-15 thousand years, and then they are filled with silty sediments and swamp.

However, there is also a version about the youth of Lake Baikal, put forward by Alexander Tatarinov, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences in 2009, which was indirectly confirmed during the second stage of the Mirov expedition to Lake Baikal. In particular, the activity of mud volcanoes at the bottom of Lake Baikal allows scientists to assume that the modern coastline of the lake is only 8 thousand years old, and the deep-water part is 150 thousand years old.

There is no doubt only that the lake is located in a rift depression and is similar in structure, for example, to the Dead Sea basin. Some researchers explain the formation of Baikal by its location in the zone of a transform fault, others suggest the presence of a mantle plume under Baikal, and still others explain the formation of the depression by passive rifting as a result of the collision of Eurasia and Hindustan. Be that as it may, the transformation of Baikal continues to this day - earthquakes constantly occur in the vicinity of the lake. There are suggestions that the subsidence of the depression is associated with the formation of vacuum centers due to the outpouring of basalts to the surface (Quaternary period).

Flora and fauna

According to the data of the Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Baikal is inhabited by 2,630 species and varieties of plants and animals, 2/3 of which are endemic, that is, they live only in this body of water. Such an abundance of living organisms is explained by the high oxygen content in the entire thickness of the Baikal water.

Epishura crustacean - endemic to Lake Baikal - makes up to 80% of the lake's zooplankton biomass and is the most important link in the food chain of the reservoir. It acts as a filter: it passes water through itself, purifying it.

The most interesting in Lake Baikal is the viviparous fish golomyanka, whose body contains up to 30% fat. It surprises biologists with daily forage migrations from the depths to shallow waters. From fish in Baikal there are omul, grayling, whitefish, sturgeon, burbot, taimen, pike and others. Baikal is unique among lakes in that freshwater sponges grow here at great depths.

The history of the settlement and study of Baikal

Settling the coast of the lake

According to local residents, recorded in the 1930s, until the XII-XIII centuries the Baikal region was inhabited by the Bargut people. They were replaced from the west by the Buryats, who began to actively populate first the western coast of the lake, and then Transbaikalia. The first Russian settlements on the shores of Lake Baikal appeared in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The first Russian discoverer of Baikal was the Cossack Kurbat Ivanov.

The origin of the toponym "Baikal"

The origin of the lake's name has not been precisely established. Below are the most common versions of the origin of the toponym "Baikal":

• Bai-Kul (Turkic) - a rich lake
• Baigaal-Dalai (Mong.) - rich fire
• Bay Hai (whale) - North Sea

The first Russian explorers of Siberia used the Evenk name "Lamu" (sea). From the second half of the 17th century, Russians switched to the name adopted by the Buryats - “Baigaal” (pronounced “Beigkhel”). At the same time, they linguistically adapted it to their language, replacing the "g" characteristic of the Buryats with the "k" more familiar to the Russian language, as a result of which the modern name was finally formed.

Outstanding explorers, travelers and writers of Baikal

See related articles:

Limnological research

The scientific direction dealing with the study of lakes is called limnology. In the Irkutsk academic town there is a limnological institute that studies Baikal. The study of Baikal is also carried out by independent scientific organizations, such as the Baikal Research Center (ANO).

Deep water drilling

In the 1990s, on Lake Baikal, Russian, American and Japanese scientists jointly carried out an international project for deep-water drilling of Lake Baikal. Drilling was carried out in winter, from a research vessel frozen into the ice. Drilling made it possible to study the section of the sedimentary strata at the bottom of the lake, to detail its history. The results of drilling are especially valuable for the reconstruction of climatic changes in the territory of Eurasia.

Neutrino telescope

A unique deep-sea neutrino telescope NT-200, built in 1993-1998, was created and is operating on the lake, with the help of which high-energy neutrinos are detected. On its basis, a neutrino telescope NT-200 + with an increased effective volume is being created, the construction of which is expected to be completed no earlier than 2017.

"Paysis" on Baikal

The first dives of manned submersibles on Lake Baikal were made in 1977, when the bottom of the lake was explored on a Canadian-made Pysis deep-sea submersible. The depth of 1,410 meters was reached in Listvenichny Bay. In 1991, Paysis sank from the eastern side of Olkhon to a depth of 1,637 meters.

"Worlds" on Baikal

In the summer of 2008, the Foundation for Assistance to the Preservation of Lake Baikal conducted a research expedition “Worlds on Baikal”. 52 submersions of the Mir deep-sea manned vehicles were carried out to the bottom of Lake Baikal.

Scientists delivered samples of water, soil and microorganisms, raised from the bottom of Lake Baikal, to the P.P.Shirshov Research Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The expedition continued in 2009.

Ecology

Pulp and paper mill

In 1966, production began at the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill (BPPM), as a result of which the adjacent bottom areas of the lake began to degrade. Dust and gas emissions have a negative effect on the taiga around the BPPM, and the forest is dry and dry. In September 2008, a closed water circulation system was introduced at the plant, designed to reduce the discharge of rinsing water. According to the source, the system turned out to be inoperative and less than a month after its launch, the plant had to be shut down.

Eastern oil pipeline

Transneft is building the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean oil pipeline in the Baikal region. It was originally planned that the pipeline route would pass in the immediate vicinity of the lake shore, and then, in the event of an oil spill, Baikal would be under the threat of an environmental disaster. Numerous protests by environmentalists and simply not indifferent people, including a protest rally of many thousands that took place in Irkutsk on March 18, 2006, and mainly by a direct order from Russian President V.V. Putin, forced the country's leadership and Transneft to abandon the original plan and postpone the route of the oil pipeline outside the catchment area of ​​Lake Baikal so that its line runs no closer than 350-400 km from the lake.

Baikal - the territory of the World Natural Heritage

In 1996, Baikal was included in the list World heritage UNESCO.

Resumption of the pulp and paper mill activity

By the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated January 13, 2010, the ban on "the production of cellulose, paper, cardboard and products from them without the use of drainless water systems for production needs" was eliminated without any restrictions on the timing, volume or concentration of substances. It also radically changes two more points related to storage, burial and incineration of hazardous waste on the shores of Lake Baikal, included in the World Natural Heritage List.

Organizations studying and protecting Baikal

• Pribaikalsky national park
• Baikal ecological wave
• Baikal Research Center (ANO)
• Greenpeace Russia

Tourism

You can get to Baikal in different ways. As a rule, those wishing to visit it first go to one of the nearest large cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude or Severobaikalsk, in order to plan their route from there in more detail. Driving along the Trans-Siberian Railway between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, you can spend hours admiring the views of the lake stretching right outside the train window.

70 km from Irkutsk, on the shore of Lake Baikal near the source of the Angara, there is a settlement of Listvyanka, one of the most popular tourist destinations on Lake Baikal. You can get here from the regional center by bus or boat in just over an hour.

The Great Baikal Trail, a system of ecological trails and one of the most beautiful ways for tourists to see unique nature and enjoy the breathtaking views and panoramas of Lake Baikal. The most popular routes run from the village of Listvyanka to Bolshiye Koty, on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula and in most other places where tourists can reach. On the eastern coast, the Barguzinsky Bay is especially popular, where the construction of a tourist and recreational zone continues. In the village of Maksimikha, you can take a tour with a visit to the Holy Nose Peninsula (peninsula). Horseback riding and hiking tours are available. To the south are the villages of Enkhaluk and Sukhaya. In these villages, private persons organized the reception of guests, including in yurts. Thirty kilometers south of the mouth of the Selenga River, there is a bay, where two tourist camps - Kultushnaya and Baikalsky Priboi - have settled. Several tourist centers provide tourist services there. Almost in the very north of the lake there is the Khakusy resort.

sights

On Lake Baikal and around it, there are many natural and cultural monuments, as well as historical and archaeological sites. Some of them are listed below.

• Rock Shaman-stone
• Chivyrkuisky Bay and Ushkany Islands
• Chersky Peak - 2,090 m above sea level
• Cape Burkhan on Olkhon Island
• Northern Baikal
• Peschanaya Bay
• Cape Ryty
• Cape Ludar
• Circum-Baikal Railway

Famous sayings about Baikal

Here are quotes about Lake Baikal from various sources.

Those who have seen Baikal will forever retain in their memory the majestic pictures of this lake, framed by high ridges. The many-sided Baikal is presented in different ways by the traveler. Some people remember him as quiet and calm, with a blue mirror-like surface of the waters; others - waves of waves, white with foam, violently rushing on granite rocks; still others see Baikal subdued from storms and unrest, shackled by heavy ice cracking loudly from frost ... In calm weather, Baikal is completely different. In summer, there are days when there is not a single ripple wrinkle on the water surface. Then in it, as in a giant mirror, the distant pale blue sky is reflected, which makes the crystal clear Baikal water even clearer and lighter. S. G. Sargsyan

Baikal, it would seem, should suppress a person with its grandeur and size - everything in it is large, everything is wide, free and mysterious - it, on the contrary, elevates it. You experience a rare feeling of elation and spirituality on Lake Baikal, as if, in view of eternity and perfection, the secret seal of these magical concepts touched you, and you were doused with a close breath of the omnipotent presence, and a share of the magical secret of all things entered into you. You already seem to be marked and highlighted by the fact that you stand on this shore, breathe this air and drink this water. Nowhere else will you have the feeling of such a complete and so desired fusion with nature and penetration into it: it will daze you with this air, whirl and carry you over this water so soon that you will not have time to come to your senses; you will visit such protected areas that we never dreamed of; and you will return with tenfold hope: there, ahead, is the promised life ... V. G. Rasputin

If all the water contained in Lake Baikal is divided into all citizens of Russia, then each will have ~ 2,700 railroad tanks, 60 tons each.

Myths and legends about Baikal

• There is a legend that the father of Baikal had 335 rivers-sons and one daughter-Angara, all of them flowed into her father in order to replenish his waters, but his daughter fell in love with the Yenisei River and began to take out the waters of her father for her beloved, in response to this Father Baikal threw a huge piece of rock at his daughter and cursed her.

Films

• In 1969, the film studio. M. Gorky, the film "By the Lake" was released.
• In 1992, the Lennauchfilm film studio released a popular science film "Baikal Legends" (director-operator V. Petrov). The film tells about the geographical and natural features lakes, as well as the history of the peoples living on its shores.

A story about Lake Baikal for children on the subject of the world around you will help prepare for the lesson.

Lake Baikal short message

Lake Baikal is the most mysterious and enigmatic. Tourists have been admiring its beauty for many years. 336 rivers and streams flow into the lake.

The depth of Lake Baikal an average of 730 m. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 m. Even at a depth of 40 m, the bottom is clearly visible.

Where is Lake Baikal located?

Baikal is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. The lake is located on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia, as well as the Irkutsk region.

How old is Baikal? It is difficult to give an exact figure. Scientists traditionally determine the age of the lake at 25-35 million years.

Why is Baikal considered a unique natural phenomenon?

The main wealth of the lake is water, which accounts for 90% of all fresh water reserves in Russia and 20% of the world's total reserves. It is clean and transparent, and its oxygen saturation is 2 times higher than its content in ordinary water bodies.
There are two reasons for this phenomenon:

• The solubility of oxygen in water depends on its temperature. The lower the temperature, the more oxygen in the water. The water in Lake Baikal is very cold. At a depth of 100 m, it is no more than 3-4 ° С.
• Also, the water is saturated with oxygen by the algae.

Baikal water is also purified due to the activity of planktonic crustaceans. Crustaceans filter and absorb algae and bacteria cells. And clean water is returned to Baikal. Sponges, molluscs and worms contribute to the purification of water by eating various dying organisms.

Lake Baikal softens the continental climate of these regions. Accumulating the heat received during the summer months, Baikal gives it back with the onset of winter cold.
Another inexplicable phenomenon is that the shores of the lake diverge at a rate of 1.5–2 cm per year.

Lake Baikal animals

More than 2600 species and subspecies of animals live in the lake, half of which live only in this reservoir. This lake is the only habitat for the Baikal seals (seals).
The weight of Baikal seals can reach 130 kg and on land they become clumsy and defenseless.

In the waters of Lake Baikal, there are about 50 species of fish(omul, grayling, sturgeon, burbot).
Live near Baikal 200 species of birds(ducks, herons, waders, representatives of the eagle family).

Baikal problems

In 1996, Baikal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. But human activities and tourists cause enormous damage to the environment. As a result, waterlogging of the once crystal-clear Baikal reservoir has taken on an alarming scale.

Besides:

• waste water from enterprises pollute water;
• Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, built on the main source of Lake Baikal - Angara causes shallowing of the lake;
• poaching leads to a decrease in the number of Baikal seals and omul, imperial eagles;
• predatory deforestation combined with forest fires - destroy this protected area.

Lake Baikal message for class 4 you can write using this information.

The continent of Asia boasts the most scenic and deepest lake called Baikal.

The depth of the lake at its lowest point is 1642 meters, and the average is 730 meters. The area of ​​the lake is 31,722 sq. m. The lake is considered the cleanest, because the transparency is 40 meters.

So beautiful and clear lake Baikal proudly takes its place in the list of the 7 wonders of Russia.

Scientists dispute the exact origin of the lake in our time. The approximate age of Lake Baikal is from 25 to 35 million years, and this is surprising.

The average lifespan of the lakes is 10-15 thousand years, after which the lakes either dry up or turn into swamps.

Scientists have noticed that Baikal continues to develop and does not begin to dry out in any way.

There are many legends about the origin of the lake, as well as the name. Lake Baikal has a crescent shape. There are 27 islands on the lake's area, of which 5 are flooded. Most large island is called the Holy Nose.

Many rivers flow into Lake Baikal, which periodically dry up, but there are 336 rivers that constantly support the filling of the lake. Angara is the only river that flows into the lake.

Due to severe frosts in winter, Lake Baikal freezes over. The ice on the lake is 1 meter thick on average, but can reach up to 2 meters.

Baikal has a fairly rich underwater world. There are 1,085 species of different plants and about 1,550 species of different fish in the lake.

There is a unique fish in the lake - Baikal omul. Omul meat has a very pleasant taste, it is served in any form: fried, smoked, dried.

There is also a grayling fish that lives only in Lake Baikal. There are white and black grayling. The white one lives only in Baikal, and from the black one also lives near the rivers flowing into the lake.

The water in the lake contains almost no mineral salts, it can be considered distilled. For quite a long time they drank water from the lake in order to heal and prevent diseases. But drinking water can only be collected in some places that experienced guides know.

Baikal is a very beautiful lake, which is worth seeing for everyone.

Option 2

Someday everyone heard that Baikal is very big lake but now, those who have not seen him think that these are just words. Now let's analyze that the distance between the Northern capital and just the Capital of our homeland is directly 635 kilometers.

The length of the lake is 620 kilometers, it turns out that if you place the lake between Moscow and St. Petersburg, 90% of the way can be navigated. Another example, the distance from the center of Moscow to the Moscow Ring Road is about 20 km, while the width of "rich water", as it was called in the past, is 80 km.

Is Baikal a promising ocean?

Most often, ice age lakes exist for only 15 thousand years, and after that they begin to fade away and completely disappear. But Baikal is not one of those, it is not going to disappear, but on the contrary, scientists suggest that Baikal will soon become an ocean. This is also associated with earthquakes on Lake Baikal, usually these are tremors of no higher than 2 points, but stronger ones were also recorded, for example, the last shock of 6 points in 2010. The reason for these two phenomena is the same - it is the expansion of the lake, due to the appearance of a crack between the Amur and Siberian platforms, which diverges at a rate of 3-4 mm per year. But the moment when Baikal will become "a little larger" will occur only in a few million years.

"Population" of the lake

There are a lot of animals and plants on and in the lake, and some of them live only here. Why? Yes, only because there is amazing water in it, only 0.1 g / l of salt and 14 mg / l of oxygen. This feature makes it possible for 2600 species of aquatic inhabitants to live. The variety of fish can neither attract fishermen. The water space is inhabited by at least 58 species of fish, for example, omul, grayling, whitefish, taimen, Baikal sturgeon, lenok, golomyanka (a unique fish consisting of 30% fat). There are more than 2000 species of plants and nesting birds. The Baikal seal and the dwarf deer - musk deer live exclusively here.

Baikal attraction

In addition to the fact that Baikal itself is a huge attraction, it is fraught with even more beauty than it seems at first glance. Ukovsky waterfall is a wonderful place and if you imagine visiting Baikal, you should definitely look there.

Uk is a tributary of the Uda River, at the mouth of which there is a pearl - a waterfall, which is a wonderful monument of nature, where tourists and foreign tourists from all over the world strive.

Passing to Uda, the Uk River cleared a basalt gorge, the walls of which are more than 40 meters, the height of this natural monument is 20 meters, and the width is 10 meters. But both the waterfall and the power of the water that carved an unusually beautiful gorge in the rock are interesting.

About tourism

The most pleasant time for a trip to Lake Baikal begins in the middle of summer and ends in the 20th of August. The rest of the time, the water either has not yet warmed up, or cold winds have already come. If there is a desire to feel the beautiful and fabulous Russian winter, then it is better to come to Lake Baikal in late winter - early spring, when the lake is in captivity of the strongest (1.5 m thick) and transparent ice. The main thing for a trouble-free vacation is to clearly plan all your trips. And carrying with you a first aid kit.

Baikal - report 3

Russia is rich not only in useful and precious minerals, but also in picturesque and mysterious places... One of such majestic places is Lake Baikal.

It is not only the largest and deepest, but also the oldest. They couldn’t determine his age exactly, but it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that it exists on the territory of our country. There are many legends about him. This is the largest reservoir of not just water, but fresh water. The lake has a crescent shape and is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges overgrown with dense forests. In some places a person's foot has not yet had time to step. And this is great! There are still places untouched by civilization, where animals, birds and insects live carefree.

Baikal's climate is peculiar. A strong wind constantly blows here, which has its own names. It blows along the coast, where it is simply impossible to hide from them. The water of Lake Baikal affects the temperature regime, the winters are quite mild, and the summers are cool, despite the fact that the temperature can be plus 35 degrees. Swimming is also cool. In winter, the waters of Lake Baikal are covered with a wonderful transparent ice... The lake freezes in January and only at the beginning of May is freed from ice captivity.

Clouds over the lake appear very rarely due to evaporation cold water... Accordingly, it practically never rains and cloudy, but it is always sunny. Gloomy days happen a little, only about 40 for the whole year.

The cities are located away from the coast. Only in the village of Listvyanka, which is the closest of all settlements, you can stay. The tourist infrastructure is well developed here. It is in the village that the famous nerpinarium is located, not far from the very source of the Angara there is a Shaman-stone, where, according to legend, shamanic rituals were held. Only one river, the beautiful Angara, flows out of the lake, into which many small and large rivulets flow. The largest river that flows into it is the Selenga.

In the vicinity of the great and mighty lake there is an area prone to constant earthquakes. There are a lot of invisible ones, sometimes their number reaches 8 thousand a year. The strong are once every 2 years and the destructive force once every 10 years.

There is a separate law on nature conservation mysterious lake Baikal.

Those who love travel and tourism come to Baikal. The most popular places are the bays of Barguzinsky, Chivyrkuisky, Polsky Bor. There are many other interesting places on the lake that you can visit.

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For most, Lake Baikal is somewhere very far away. The origin of Lake Baikal is shrouded in legends about great disasters on a planetary scale, about gods and their deeds. The scientific point of view also exists - of course, there is no mysticism in it.

Lake Baikal is located on the territory of the Irkutsk region and Buryatia. It is considered a lake of tectonic origin. The age of Lake Baikal is estimated in different ways. Some scientists put it 35 million years old. But the doctor of geological and mineralogical sciences A.V. Tatarinov in 2009 put forward a version that the deep-water part of Lake Baikal was formed 150 thousand years ago, and the modern coastline is only 8 thousand years old. Tatarinov substantiated such results with the results of the "Mirov" expedition to Lake Baikal. So, with the age of Lake Baikal, everything is also very ambiguous.

Lake Baikal is also called the Siberian Sea.

Lake Baikal contains 19% of all world fresh water reserves. How much water is in Lake Baikal is estimated at 23 615 km³. There is only one lake in the world, the displacement of which is more than in Baikal - the Caspian Sea (not everyone knows, but there is a lake on this sea).

Despite the fact that Baikal is located in, there is a lot of sun here. Climatic conditions on Baikal have their own unique features: either the sun is mercilessly hot, but cold winds are blowing, then fierce storms are flying in, then in summer, calm and hot weather sets in and tens of thousands of tourists rush to Lake Baikal for beach holiday... By the number of sunny days, Lake Baikal surpasses many resorts on the Black Sea and Mediterranean coasts.

The maximum depth of Lake Baikal is 1642 m. Many people write that Lake Baikal is shaped like a crescent. Rather, excuse me if something goes wrong - a banana. But very big. The length of Baikal is 620 km (as from Moscow to St. Petersburg approximately), the width reaches 80 km. The coastline is 2,100 km long.

Lake Baikal has 27 islands, the largest of them. Many islands are sacred to local residents and protected by law. There are many sacred places on Lake Baikal, the history of which is shrouded in mystery and legends. The predominant religion here is rather Buddhism, at least Buddhist symbols and objects of worship are found everywhere.

Lake Baikal water

The water temperature in Lake Baikal is a phenomin. In summer, only the upper layer of water and shallow coastal bays warm up in the lake. But at depth, the temperature is always constant - about +4 ° C.

The waters of Lake Baikal are generally a separate mystery. Lakes with this age do not have such crystal clear water, and in Baikal it is very clean. Usually, over time, the lakes are silted up, and after 10-15 thousand years in their place are already swamps. Baikal not only does not grow shallow, but also contains clean water that can be drunk directly from the lake without fear. In addition, the water of Lake Baikal is saturated with oxygen to a very high degree in comparison with other freshwater bodies of water.

Lake Baikal owes its purity to a tiny (1.5 mm long) crustacean called Epishura. There are a lot of these crustaceans in the water of the lake. They both purify water and are food for the famous Baikal omul and predatory invertebrates.

The water transparency in Lake Baikal is also very high. In good weather, through the 40-meter water column, you can see the bottom of the lake! In winter, Baikal also has surprisingly clear ice. You just need to find a place not covered by the snow, and so to speak - feel like God - walk on the water. The water above is really frozen, but the bottom is still the same picture - the bottom, fish, and you are walking above them.

Baikal is fed by the waters of more than 300 rivers, and only one river flows out of Baikal -.

Baikal ice

Lake Baikal does not freeze evenly in winter. Bays and bays, as well as the northern part of the lake freezes over in November - December. And in the south, the ice rises only in February, and if the winter is warm, then at all at the end of February.

By the end of winter, the ice thickness on Lake Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays - 1.5–2 m. On Lake Baikal there is a phenomenon that the locals call “stanovye cracks”. This is when cracks appear in the ice in severe frost. They break the ice into separate large fields. The length of these cracks is striking - from 10 to 30 km, and the width is only 2-3 m. As you understand, it is better not to be in such a place at the time of the rupture. Breaks occur every year and approximately in the same places of the lake. Sound effect similar to cannon shots.

Such breaks save fish in the lake from a lack of oxygen. Here is such a mysterious, but necessary natural mechanism for the lake. And due to the transparency of the ice, sunlight penetrates through it, due to which planktonic algae in the water, emitting oxygen, develop rapidly even in winter.

Another amazing phenomenon with ice on Lake Baikal is ice hills. These are hollow cone-shaped ice hills that reach a height of 5-6 meters. In some of them, you can find an "entrance", and it is usually located on the side opposite the bank. Such an ice tent turns out. Sometimes such tents stand alone, but often they are grouped, resembling mountain ranges, only in miniature.

Another mysterious phenomenon has been discovered using space imagery - dark rings.

The rings are up to 7 km in diameter. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the rings are formed as a result of the rise of waters from the depths of the lake. Due to the temperature difference, a clockwise flow arises, reaching different velocities in separate zones. As a result, the ice cover is destroyed, and the shape of the destroyed areas is annular.

Lake Baikal shores

The coastal landscape is very diverse. The largest part is taiga, in some places it is swampy. There are many difficult-to-pass places where there are no roads or settlements. But there are many areas that look quite hospitable, sand, pines, cedars, wild rosemary. But from the side of the Tazheranskaya steppe, in the vicinity and on the island, the landscapes of the Baikal region are different - steppes, rocks with Siberian larch forests.

The terrain on the Baikal coast is generally mountainous and the transport infrastructure suffers greatly because of this. In many places to drive on road transport from one settlement located on the shore, to the other located, you need to make a large detour tens of kilometers. The fourth part of the coast of Lake Baikal has no public highways in general and practically uninhabited (there is where the Chinese have to settle, they think with joy).

Bottom relief

Lake Baikal is also peculiar in terms of the bottom relief. It has its own underwater mountain ranges, the largest of which are Akademichesky and Selenginsky. These ridges divide the lake into three basins.

Earthquakes are not excluded on Lake Baikal. More precisely, this is a common thing. But tremors usually do not exceed 2 points. But there were other cases:

• in 1862, a magnitude 10 earthquake was recorded, as a result of which a land area in the northern part of the Selenga delta went under water
• there were points about 9 points in 1903, 1950, 1957 and 1959
• in 2008 - 9 points
• in 2010 - 6 points

Fauna and flora of Baikal

The flora and fauna are unique here. The lake serves as a safe haven for nearly three thousand species of animals and thousands of plants. Many species are found only here. And this despite the fact that, as scientists assume, of the living organisms living in the lake, more than 20% are still unknown to science. Fans of fishing will feel good at Lake Baikal (if the bite goes, of course). Grayling, taimen, whitefish, sturgeon, omul, lenok, golomyanka are widespread. There are about sixty species in total.

The top of the biosphere on Lake Baikal is occupied by the Baikal seal. There are no other mammals in this reservoir. There are still heated debates about how the Baikal seal, a purely marine mammal, got to Baikal and took root here. It is assumed that she got here in the distant times of the Ice Age, moving from the Arctic Ocean along the Angara and Yenisei. Now tens of thousands of animals live here.

Many animals and birds live on the shores of Lake Baikal. Here you will meet seagulls, gogol, there are fires, mergansers, white-tailed eagles, and other birds. Can see mass bathing brown bears (only be careful!). Musk deer, the smallest deer on Earth, live in the mountainous part of the Baikal taiga.

Where does the name Baikal come from?

Researchers are still arguing about the origin of the name of the lake. Several assumptions:

• Bai-Kul - translated from Turkic means “rich lake”;
• Baigal - from the Mongolian "rich fire";
• Baigal Dalai - in the same Mongolian means "big lake";
• Beihai - in Chinese means "North Sea";
• Baigal-Nuur is a Buryat name;
• Lamu was the name of the lake by the Evenks.

It is believed that the first explorers, who appeared here in the seventeenth century, eventually adopted the Buryat name, but softened the letter "g", giving the name its current sound.

Tourism and recreation on Lake Baikal

There are a lot of beautiful places on Lake Baikal. On my site you will find many stories of our tourists about their trips and vacations on Lake Baikal (see the "Stories" section). A peculiarity of tourism on Lake Baikal is that the places that one would like to see are often located at great distances from each other. So if you want to see not everything, but many of the beauties of Lake Baikal, you need to work out a competent route. If you feel that you yourself cannot do it, contact private guides or buy a complex tour to Baikal.

In any case, you will not be able to see everything on Baikal in one go. Baikal is large, to go around it all you will need more than one vacation.

The most massive visit to Baikal by tourists occurs of course summer... The most popular places are Listvyanka village, Maloye More and Olkhon Island. A place will be found by people with a small budget, and even the most demanding ones. Lake Baikal is visited not only by Russians, but by many tourists from all over the world. The latter, moreover, give sometimes fabulous money for such a vacation, but they still go.

In general, judging by the reviews, rest on Lake Baikal is not among the cheapest, especially if you need to travel not from nearby cities. Nevertheless, Baikal sets records of attendance - the number of tourists is estimated at seven-digit numbers a year.

In summer, people relax on the beaches, take bike and car excursions, and go hiking along the coast. There are rafting along the rivers flowing into Lake Baikal, and much more.

Climbing cliffs, mountains and descents to grottoes and caves are popular in all seasons.

Fishing

There are many fish in Lake Baikal and amateurs find a variety of places in the hope of catching omul or other fish on their own. For the most gamblers, there are specialized bases with different levels of comfort. They go fishing on rented boats.

The most popular fishing spots on Lake Baikal are Chivyrkuisky Bay, Mukhor Bay, shallow bays of the Maloye More and, of course, rivers flowing into the lake.

Lake Baikal in winter

Despite the harshness of the Siberian climate, there are people who like to come to Lake Baikal in winter. The fantastic ice world of Lake Baikal is mesmerizing. Snowmobiling and dog sledding are popular.

Most Popular Attractions

Many historical and architectural sights are concentrated on Lake Baikal, more more monuments nature and culture.

One of the most famous landmarks is Shaman stone... These are a couple of boulders towering above the water at the source of the Angara. Locals have worshiped these stones since time immemorial and consider them endowed with special power.

Another rock, a photo of which is unusually distributed on the Internet at the request of "Baikal" and "Olkhon Island" - Shamanka rock... Also sacred place for Buryats, access here for tourists was not always open.

Also on Olkhon Island there are many other cult and historical sites... Olkhon is good because in the summer you can sunbathe and swim there, and visit a bunch of excursions or travel around the island on your own.

Vacation seasons on Baikal

Baikal is beautiful in all seasons. Summer, as in all of Russia, is the most popular season. The warmest is from the second half of July to early August. Since November, it becomes not very hospitable here until the ice rises. In March and early April, tourists flock to Baikal, especially those who like to take photos. The reason for this is the sparkling, transparent ice of Lake Baikal. There is one more thing - ice fishing. In spring Baikal is also very beautiful, there are no strong frosts and winds anymore. Lovers winter holiday find the combination of weather conditions and beauty of the landscape very attractive.

Relax on Lake Baikal, enjoy its nature and energy. Take care of Lake Baikal, do not leave dumps after yourself, do not arrange logging. This lake is thousands of years old, and many, many years later, it needs to be as beautiful and attractive as it is now.

Lake Baikal. An interesting journey.

Hey! Wonder of the world Baikal. The uniqueness of this lake is known to many, but not many people understand how much attention should be paid to it. The bottom line is that this lake can be much more amazing than is commonly believed. Very reliable and simply fantastic information dispose to such an idea.

Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. It is the world's deepest lake with unique features and the largest freshwater reservoir on the planet. It has no equal in the world in terms of age, depth, reserves and properties of fresh water, diversity and endemism of organic life.

Since ancient times, it has been called the sacred sea, glorious, gray and formidable. Among the many epithets, one can single out such as: "world source drinking water"," blue eye of Siberia "," oasis of virgin nature of the Earth "," sacred center of North Asia "," god-made creation "," sacred gift of nature "," natural monument with unique landscapes "," priceless treasury of the genetic wealth of the Earth "," a miracle of limnology, a focus of unique natural values ​​".

Let's start with the simplest knowledge that everyone should know. They themselves are no less interesting than all the incredible incidents that regularly occur in this place. Moreover, in contrast to the unknown phenomena in the lake, the descriptive data known about it are precisely proven and this is even more interesting than everything else.

Riddles begin with the very name of the lake. No one can exactly answer the question of where this word came from. And this is not a joke, but quite a serious question. Many scientific works and even books were devoted to him. But no one was able to suggest some kind of categorical evidence in relation to at least one theory.
In the distant past, the peoples inhabiting the shores of Lake Baikal, each named the lake in its own way. The Chinese in ancient chronicles called it "Tengis", "Tengis-Dalai", the Buryat Mongols - "Baigaal-Dalai" - "large reservoir".
The most widespread version is that "Baikal" is a Turkic word, comes from "bai" - rich, "kul" - lake, which means "rich lake".
The first Russian explorers of Siberia used the Evenk name "Lama". After Kurbat Ivanov's detachment came to the shore of the lake, the Russians switched to the Buryat name "Baigaal". At the same time, they linguistically adapted it to their language, replacing the "g" characteristic of the Buryats with the more familiar "k" for the Russian language - Baikal.

Discovery history

Local peoples have known the lake for a long time. However, information about him came to Europe rather late. The first mentions in the annals date back only to the 2nd century. A full description of the lake was made generally only in 1773 by Alexei Pushkarev.
In 1643, there is documentary mention of Kurbat Ivanov, who went to "reconnoit" Lake Baikal. As a result of Kurbat Ivanov's campaign to Baikal in 1643, the Buryats of the Baikal coast and the population from Olkhon Island began to belong to the Russian state.
After Kurbat Ivanov, ataman Vasily Kolesnikov went to Baikal with an expedition in 1646. His detachment surveyed the eastern coast of Lake Baikal and the Barguzin River. In 1647, Ivan Pokhabov sailed along the southern part of the lake. He followed to Baikal along the Angara River. Brief information about the southern part of Baikal there is a formal reply to the "Yenisei governor Afanasy Pashkov, boyar's son Peter Beketov (June 1653) about his sailing along Baikal and along the Selenga and Khilka rivers."
The tsarist government at that time was very interested in information about distances, about the peoples of the Baikal coast, about silver ore and furs.
The authorities needed information about the wealth of mineral resources and waters, about the possibility of developing agriculture.
Archpriest Avvakum, a representative of the Old Believers, exiled to Siberia, spoke about his impressions of the "Siberian Sea" in 1656 in his book "The Life of Archpriest Avvakum".
At the beginning of the 18th century, at the direction of Peter I, the exploration of Eastern Siberia, especially the Baikal region, began, led by Messerschmidt.
Expeditions and research of the first travelers, with the goal of developing the richest territory of the Baikal region, laid the foundation for the future study of the region.

Age

Baikal is one of the oldest lakes on the planet. The lake was formed about 20-30 million years ago during tectonic processes in the earth's crust, which, by the way, continue to this day and increase the width of the lake to a centimeter per year, which is quite a lot on a general historical scale, in millions of years the lake can become a sea. If the indicated age of Lake Baikal is correct, then it is the oldest on Earth.
Most lakes, especially of glacial and old age, live for 10-15 thousand years, and then they are filled with sediments and disappear from the face of the Earth. There are no signs of aging on Lake Baikal, like many lakes in the world. On the contrary, recent studies have allowed geophysicists to hypothesize that Baikal is an emerging ocean. This is confirmed by the fact that its shores diverge at a rate of up to 2 cm per year, just as the continents of Africa and South America diverge.

Depth

The lake is 636 km long and up to 81 km wide. The length of the coastline is 1850 km, and the area of ​​the water surface is about 31 thousand square meters. km (second Belgium). 336 rivers flow into it, and only the Angara flows out. But a completely different characteristic is unique - the depth, which is equal to 1637-1642 m.
It is the deepest lake in the world. Baikal is 200 m ahead of the second deepest lake, the African Tanganyika.
& On Earth, only 6 lakes have a depth of more than 500 m. Morphologically, the depression of Lake Baikal represents three independent basins - the South with the greatest depth mark of 1430 m, the Middle (1642 m) and the North (920 m). The Baikal depression is asymmetrical. Its western side is distinguished by a steep underwater slope (40-50 (steepness)), the eastern one is more gentle.

With a huge area and medium depth more than 700 m the lake contains an incredible volume of water - 23 thousand cubic meters. km.
Baikal is the largest storage of fresh water on the planet, exceeding the volume of water contained in the five Great Lakes North America- Upper, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario combined, or 2 times more than Lake Tanganyika. The Baikal basin contains about 20% of the world's fresh lake water reserves (excluding glaciers, snowfields and ice, where the water is in a solid state) and 90% of all Russian fresh water.
There is no other place in the world that has so much drinking fluid.

Seismicity

The Baikal region has a high seismicity - it is one of the most seismically active inland regions of the planet. Strong earthquakes occur with a frequency of 7 points - 1-2 years, 8 points - 5 years. In 1862, during a ten-point earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a land area of ​​200 km2 with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, was submerged, and new bay Failure. Weak earthquakes of 1–2 magnitude are recorded in the water area of ​​Lake Baikal every day. Their number reaches 2 thousand and more annually. Scientists call Baikal "the ancient head of Asia".

Water

Baikal is the cleanest natural storage of fresh drinking water on Earth.

The lake contains chemically pure and oxygen-rich water, which cannot be compared with the water of any other lake. Moreover, the water is so slightly mineralized that it is very close in its properties to distilled water. You can drink it without fear of anything. Moreover, it is much better than most of the quality water from sources that are sold in bottles. Previously, Baikal water was even used for treatment.

The rare purity and exceptional properties of Baikal water are due to the vital activity of the animal and flora lakes. For a year, an armada of crustaceans (epishura) is able to cleanse the upper 50-meter layer of water three times. In Baikal water there are very few dissolved and suspended mineral substances, negligible organic impurities, and a lot of oxygen. The excess of oxygen is promoted by active vertical water exchange in the periods before freezing and after freeing from ice. Mineralization of lake waters is 96.4 mg per liter, while in many other lakes it reaches 400 or more milligrams per liter. Weakly mineralized Baikal water is ideal for the human body. Analyzes carried out at the University of South Carolina (USA), at the Fresenchus Institute (Germany, 1995), as well as in laboratory centers with a worldwide reputation in Japan and Korea, confirm that Baikal water has high quality indicators. According to the conclusion of the VSNTSSO RAMS, natural drinking water from Lake Baikal is recommended for the normalization of water-salt metabolism in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, hypertension, as well as drinking water in areas with a high salt content.
There are no open reservoirs in the world with fresh water suitable for bottling drinking water. The only exception is Baikal.

Baikal water has the highest transparency, reaching 40 meters. Sometimes you can see the bottom at a depth equal to the height of a 9-storey building, which is ten times more than in other lakes. For example, in the Caspian the transparency of water is 25 m, in Issyk-Kul - 20 m.A silver coin thrown into the water can be traced to a depth of 30-40 m. Piece Baikal ice more than 15 cm thick retains transparency no worse than ordinary window glass.

Freezing up on Baikal

Baikal freezes every year. With the onset of cold weather at an air temperature below -20 (C in the first 3-4 days, ice grows by 4-5 cm per day. At the end of October, shallow bays freeze, January 1-14 - deep-water areas. In the southern part of Baikal is closed 4-4 , 5 months, in the northern part - 6-6.5 months In the water area of ​​the lake, the ice thickness varies from 70 to 113 cm, and a regularity has been revealed: the more snow, the thinner the ice. Hummocks reach 1.5-3 m in height. Some of them can reach a height of 5 meters. 50 cm thick ice can withstand a weight of up to 15 tons, so in winter on the ice of Lake Baikal you can freely move on cars.

Ice conditions off the east coast are more difficult than on the west. The danger is cracks and crevices 0.5-2 m wide, stretching for tens of kilometers. Many of these cracks do not freeze all winter, periodically narrowing or widening. The appearance of cracks is often accompanied by a strong "artillery" crash, often frightening people on the ice.
In winter, winter roads are laid on the ice of Lake Baikal, which are sometimes marked with sticks frozen in the ice.
In addition to cracks, the danger for cars is posed by the stews arising in the places where underwater thermal springs and gases exit. It is almost impossible to find steaming covered with snow. Therefore, it is better not to leave the winter road, but in places where steaming and cracks are possible, move with a local guide who knows well the features of the ice.
Along the north west coast and in the Small Sea, transparent ice, free from snow, more than 1 meter thick, is formed, through which the bottom can be very clearly seen in shallow water.

Smooth Baikal ice in recent times attracts more and more fans to ride on gullies.
Ice cracking begins at the end of April from Cape Bolshoy Kadilny, opposite which ice begins to melt under the influence of ascending streams of warm waters from underwater springs. Last of all (June 9-14) the northern part of the lake is freed from ice.

Sokui
This is one of the types of ice on Lake Baikal, formed along the shores during the initial phase of freezing of the lake in the form of a thin ice edge - the banks, as well as ice formed in the fall from wave bursts on rocks and stones.

The thickness of the ice on the rocks can reach several tens of centimeters. In a strong storm, windward rocks can be covered with splash ice up to a height of ten meters.

Spectacular sokuis are found on the rocks of the Ushkany Islands, the Kobylya Golova and Kurminsky capes in the Small Sea and on the rocks of the northern tip of Olkhon Island. The ice shell binds the stones and decorates the branches of trees and bushes close to the water with bizarre icicles.

Stan slit
Through cracks on the ice of Lake Baikal, which are formed annually in the same places and persist throughout the winter. With daily fluctuations in air temperature, ice expands or contracts. The width of the slit can vary significantly during the day. They most often have a width of 0.5 to 1-2 m and a length of 10-30 km.

They are most often found in the middle part of Lake Baikal between Olkhon Island, the Ushkany Islands and the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. Dangerous for vehicles. Overcome them with thick boards or jump at speed, which is more risky.

Ice thrusts
In March, the ice movement, enhanced by the wind, can squeeze the ice to the shore at a distance of 20-30 m and rise 15-16 m in height.

Ice thrusts remain unmelted on the coast until the end of May, when the entire lake is already free of ice.

Other features and interesting information

If all the rivers of the world fill the empty basin of Lake Baikal, it will take them a whole year. Even if water ceased to flow into the lake, the same Angara would have been able to dry it “in only” half a thousand years. The volume of water in this lake exceeds the volume of water in many seas, including the Baltic and Azov, which, for example, contain only 1/90 of the water in comparison with Lake Baikal.

Storms

Baikal is one of the most turbulent lakes in the world. Waves in it can reach 6 meters in height. Interestingly, this can happen even in calm weather, since this process is of a tectonic nature.
A characteristic feature of the lake is the presence of a crush, which occurs when oppositely directed waves meet. The speed of some types of winds on Lake Baikal often exceeds 20-25 m / s (over 90 km / h).
The strongest waves occur in the Olkhonskiye Vorota Strait, at the entrance to the Chivyrkuisky Bay, where the wave height can exceed 4 m, as well as in shallow water - against the mouth of the river. Selenga, at the entrance to the Barguzinsky Bay and off the northern coast of Bolshoi Ushkaniy Island, where the wave height can reach 6 m with a steepness of 22 °.

Storm winds on Lake Baikal are common in late summer and autumn. Maximum speed winds on the lake are observed in April, May and November, minimum - in February and July. 80% of summer storms occur in the second half of August and September, while the wave height in the middle Baikal basin reaches 4-4.5 m.

The biggest tragedy on Lake Baikal (From the Irkutsk Chronicle): from October 14 to October 15, 1901, 176 people died on Lake Baikal. The steamer "Yakov", following from Verkhneangarsk, was towing three vessels: "Potapov", "Mogilev" and "Shipunov". In the Small Sea opposite Cape Kobylya Golova, the steamer got into a strong storm. The towed vessels were released. The Mogilev vessel was thrown ashore, the Shipunov vessel remained at anchor, the Potapov vessel crashed to pieces on the rocks of Cape Kobylya Golova. All the people who were on it died. The storm lasted for two days and was so strong that the corpses froze to the rock at a height of 10 fathoms.

Baikal winds

The variety of stable Baikal winds is reflected in their local names (over 30).
The centuries-old observations of local residents made it possible to identify a number of patterns for each wind.

VERKHOVIK (ANGARA) - this is the name of the north wind blowing from the valley of the river. Upper Angara along the lake from north to south. The frequency of this wind sometimes reaches 30%. The first long-term Verkhoviks come to Lake Baikal in mid-August. Often, such a wind is held continuously for more than 10 days. At the Verkhovik, the weather is sunny, it blows calmly, without sudden gusts, there is almost no excitement near the coast, but in the open part of the lake the water darkens and the lake is covered with white foam. In late November - early December, the Verkhovik rocks Lake Baikal with heavy, steep waves up to 4-6 m.
The glowing bright red horizon before sunrise and a cloudy "cap" above the Baklaniy and Tolsty capes can serve as signs of the strengthening of the Verkhovik.

BARGUZIN - a mighty wind, sung in the song "Glorious Sea - Sacred Baikal", blows mainly in the central part of the lake from the Barguzin Valley across and along Baikal. This wind blows evenly, with gradually increasing power, but its duration is noticeably inferior to the Verkhovik. This wind brings with it sunny, stable weather.

KULTUK is the wind blowing from the southern tip of Lake Baikal along the entire lake. Kultuk brings fierce storms and rainy weather with it. This wind does not last as long as the Verkhovik. Kultuk happens more often and stronger in autumn. A characteristic feature of Kultuk is the appearance of fog on the loaches of the Khamar-Daban ridge.

SHELONNIK Spring is the time of warm Sheloniks (everywhere they call Sheloniks the southern and southeastern winds), which blow on Lake Baikal from the south, bringing the air of the Mongolian steppes through Khamar-Daban. Shelonik blows softly, measuredly, without sudden impulses. The air during the Sheloniks warms up at once by ten degrees.
Spring winds push the Baikal ice onto the shores. And in May the ice on Lake Baikal melts, splits into separate fields, then into small ice floes. Gradually, the ice floes become smaller and smaller, and the Sheloniks and other winds drive them from place to place until they melt completely. Melting in the north of Baikal floating ice hold in other years until the end of June ...

GORNAYA is a western and northwestern Baikal lateral wind that suddenly breaks down from the mountains. This is the most insidious and gusty wind. It starts out unexpectedly and quickly gains strength. A harbinger of wind can be the appearance of torn cumulus clouds flowing over the mountains of the western coast. This wind prevails from October to November.

SARMA is a kind of mountain, the strongest and most terrible of the winds on Lake Baikal. The wind blows out of the river valley. Sarma, which flows into the Small Sea. Its speed exceeds 40 m / sec. Strengthening of the wind to a maximum is observed during the first hour. In summer, the wind can suddenly begin and just as suddenly end; in the fall, sarma sometimes blows for a whole day. The cause of the hurricane wind is the peculiarity of the Sarma valley narrowing towards the mouth, which at the exit forms a kind of wind tunnel among the steep rocks.
The harbinger of Sarma are the clouds over the Trinity Char (53 ° 21 ° N, 106 ° 42 ° E, 1728 m) of the Baikal ridge. Then patches of clouds begin to break away from them and crawl down, which immediately dissipate over the lake, forming wide stripes of ripples on the water.

Fogs

Fogs on the lake are most frequent in June, when they arise from condensation of moisture brought to the cold mirror of the lake by heated air. Fogs are usually observed in low wind conditions, rarely when the wind speed is more than 10 m / s. In summer, their duration is 5-6 hours, mainly in the morning, rarely more than 2 days. The number of days with fog in July in the northern part of the lake averages 15-18 days, in the southern part - 6-12 days.

A huge density of fog is quite often noted. The stones on the shore seem to be wet with fog. It is impossible to walk along the path so as not to get wet through due to the abundant moisture on the plants, and the person walking in front is practically invisible.

Flora and fauna

Wonder of the World Baikal is the most endemic lake in the world. That is, there is no other lake in which three of the four species of animals would not be found anywhere else. No other place is home to such a large number of extinct living things in all other places.

Siberian cedar

The height of the cedar is 35-40 m, the trunk diameter is up to 1.8 m, it lives up to 500 years. It is known primarily for the pine nut, which has a bountiful harvest every 5-6 years. The local population called it the breadfruit of Siberia.

Cedar cones ripen in September. They are knocked down with a 40-70-kilogram wooden punch, which is used to hit the trunk of a cedar. With such a stab on his shoulder, the procurer walks through the taiga all day. The cone knocked from the cedars is carried in bags to the winter quarters, sometimes several kilometers from the place of harvesting. Then the nuts are husked from the cones in a homemade hand mill, winnowed and dried. Before the revolution, when sunflower oil was in short supply, pine nut oil was used to make pine nut oil. Currently, the production of cedar oil, milk, sour cream and halva is undeservedly forgotten. Pine nuts are sold in cones (milk nuts) and peeled (roasted). Cedar wood has a not strong, but persistent odor that lasts for decades, which repels moths. A house cut from cedar logs is considered useful for the health of the people living in it. Cedar wood has extremely high technical qualities (strength, resistance to decay). Cedar forests are characteristic of the Eastern Sayan region, the upper reaches of the river. Lena, northwestern slopes of the Baikal mountains.

Daurian rhododentron - Ledum

The wild rosemary is called the harbinger of the Baikal spring.

The blooming of a huge number of pink flowers, when no noticeable green foliage has yet appeared, creates the impression of a blooming garden on the shores of Lake Baikal. Ledum grows throughout Eastern Siberia, more often forms thickets. Blooms in May - June.

Thyme, Bogorodskaya grass (Thymus serpyllum)

Thyme grows on rocky slopes, open sandy places, steppe meadows. Distributed both in the Baikal region and in Transbaikalia. Blooms from June to August. The pink blotches of flowers are hard to miss on the sandy hills.

Thyme herb contains up to 1% of essential oils, and if the twig is crumpled in the hands, a persistent characteristic odor is formed.
For medicinal purposes, the flowering apical part of the plant is collected. Infusions and decoctions of thyme are widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases, incl. to prolong life, as a general strengthening agent for the immune system, for nervous diseases and insomnia. A pinch of dried thyme is thrown into the fire by the shaman during the ritual of purification.
The infusion is usually prepared from one or two tablespoons of dried herbs per 100 g of boiling water. The herb is brewed in a glass container and left to infuse for 4-5 hours.

Ramson (Allium viktorialis)

It grows in almost all areas of Lake Baikal, in places forming significant thickets.

It is sold in the markets in May - June, when the stems and leaves of wild garlic are at their softest and most juicy. Fresh ramsons are widely used in the form of salads, for filling pies, for preparing meat dishes instead of onions. For storage, wild garlic is finely chopped and salted, like cabbage. The salad is dressed with sour cream or mayonnaise. Has a garlic scent and stimulates the appetite.

Sagaandaila, Rhododendron adamsii Rehder

It grows in the highlands on rocky slopes in the Eastern Sayan, Khamar-Daban, on the Barguzinsky ridge.

Blooms in the second half of June - in July. The leafy apices of the plant are harvested from the beginning of flowering to the formation of fruits. Dry in the shade. The local Buryat population widely uses sagandailu as a tonic and stimulant. Stimulates the functioning of the kidneys, heart and brain. Strengthens potency, relieves fatigue and hangover syndrome. Also known by the Tibetan name "White Wing", a herb that prolongs life. The food additive gives the tea a specific, surprisingly pleasant and strong aroma. To obtain a tonic tea for 1 glass, no more than 3-5 leaves and stems are brewed together with the infusion. Overdose is not recommended.
You can buy sagandaila in Irkutsk pharmacies or order by phone. 35-06-24, 45-08-65, Rzhanova, 29 Fitomed CJSC. The grass is sold by the local population at the springs in the village. Arshan.

Golden Root, Radiola rosea (Rhodiola rosea L.)

It grows in cracks in rocks, on rocks, rocky slopes in almost all areas of Lake Baikal.

Golden root has an effect similar to ginseng, relieves fatigue, has a stimulating effect on the entire body. It blooms in late June and early July. Rhizomes are harvested during flowering and fruiting in the second half of July, in August. The largest specimens are dug, cleaned of the earth and quickly washed in running water, the brown plug is removed, cut into pieces, splitting along, wither and dried in the shade. Digging the roots of Rhodiola rosea in one place is recommended no more than once every 10 years. Used in the form of a liquid extract infused with alcohol.

Lingonberry (Rhodococcum vitis-idaea)

Lingonberries are often found in the forests of Siberia, sometimes they form a continuous carpet.

The berry ripens in August - September. With a good harvest, the berry grower collects a full bucket with a scoop in 2-3 hours.
For long-term storage, fresh berries are covered with sugar or poured over with water. Frozen berries are especially good for hot game or with tea after the bath.
Lingonberry is a well-known home remedy. In the form of decoctions or juice, it is used as an antipyretic agent. Lingonberry jam tea is a good diaphoretic.

ORGANIC WORLD
Almost all types of animals living in fresh water bodies are represented in the fauna of Lake Baikal. There is no other lake in the world whose biological diversity would be so great and unique. Of the 2635 known species and varieties of animals and plants found to date in the lake, almost 2/3 are endemic and are not found anywhere else in the world. Therefore, Baikal can be considered one of the geographical centers of origin of biological species.
At present, there are 53 species of fish in Lake Baikal, of which only 15 are commercial fish. The most famous among them are omul, grayling, whitefish. The Baikal sturgeon is found in smaller quantities, and such fish as taimen, burbot, Davatchan, lenok, soroga, perch, and ide are found in very small quantities.

Omul

The very first protopope Avvakum praised the fish wealth of Lake Baikal. Returning in the summer of 1662 from his Daurian exile, he wrote: "And the fish are very thick in the lake: sturgeons and taimen are much fatty - you cannot fry in a pan: there will be all the fat. The water is fresh, the fish in it are sturgeons and taimen, sterlet and omul, and many other kinds of whitefish. " The Baikal omul is especially famous.

Omul is the most numerous commercial fish of Lake Baikal. It is also found in the basin of the Arctic Ocean; the Baikal subspecies lives in Baikal. Omul is a fish from the whitefish genus. Four populations of omul live in Lake Baikal: Selenginskaya, Chivyrkuiskaya, Severobaikalskaya and Posolskaya. The most numerous of them is the Selenga population. The biomass of all age groups of omul is estimated at 25-30 thousand tons. The largest omul size is 50 cm, weight - up to 5 kg. The omul lives for 24-25 years. Salty omul is especially appreciated for its unique delicate taste.

Golomyanka

This translucent viviparous fish is of exceptional interest. Golomyanka is the most abundant fish on Lake Baikal. Its total number and biomass is 2 times more than all other fish. Lives in the water column dispersed at all depths from surface waters to the bottom. It is the main food for the seal.
The body of the golomyanka is translucent and half consists of fat. The fat content of the big golomyanka is more than 40% of its weight. Therefore, text from large letters can be read through the tail.

The golomyanka gives birth to live larvae, unlike all other fish, which spawn for breeding. Such a method of reproduction, like that of the golomyanka, is unknown in any of the fish in the world.

Baikal seal

The seal is the only seal in the world that lives in fresh water. The seal is widespread throughout Lake Baikal, but especially widespread in its northern and middle parts.

The seal is curious and sometimes swims close to a drifting vessel when the engine is not running, and is nearby for a long time, constantly looking out of the water. Now in Baikal, according to experts, there are about 80-100 thousand heads. Until now, among scientists there is no single point of view on how this animal got to Baikal. Most researchers are of the opinion of I.D. Chersky that the seal entered Baikal from the Arctic Ocean through the system of the Yenisei - Angara rivers in the Ice Age simultaneously with the Baikal omul. Especially a lot of seals can be seen on the rocky shores of the Ushkany Islands in June. At sunset, the seal begins a massive movement towards the islands. According to scientists, the number of seals in the rookery fluctuates around 2000 heads and has not changed since 1934.
The seal feeds on non-commercial fish (golomyanka, goby). She eats about a ton of fish a year. In search of food, the seal dives to a depth of 200 m and remains under water for 20-25 minutes. Males reach 130-150 kg, and their length is up to 1.8 m, females are smaller in size. The seal's maximum swimming speed is 20-25 km / h. Seals live a maximum of 55-56 years.
The seal gives birth to its cubs on the ice in a snow den. Most of the seals are born in mid-March. Cubs have white fur, which allows them to remain almost unnoticed in the snow in the first weeks of life. Buryats call a young baby seal khubunk.
Commercial hunting is carried out for seals, about 6 thousand seals are shot annually. Arctic foxes are fed with seal meat, hats are made from fur, and used for padding hunting skis. Seal meat is eaten, and seal flippers boiled in water are considered a delicacy. Especially tender meat of young seals - khubunks, whose meat does not smell like fish and tastes like chickens. There are many vitamins in the liver of a seal.
In the old days, seal oil was used in tanning and soap making. In 1895-1897. Seal bacon was mainly used in the Lena gold mines to illuminate mines. Local residents consider seal fat to be curative and use it in the treatment of lung diseases and stomach ulcers.

Barguzinsky sable

The homeland of the sable is the forests and mountains of Eastern Siberia. Currently, sable is found throughout the taiga part of Russia from the Urals to the coast. The Pacific... Because of its beautiful, durable and expensive fur, sable is called the king of wild furs - "soft gold".

The darker the sable, the more valuable its skin is. The Barguzinsky sable is the darkest of those found in Siberia and therefore is especially prized at international fur auctions.
The body length of the sable is up to 56 cm, the tail is up to 20 cm. It is most active in the morning and in the evening. Rarely climbs into the crowns of trees, more often it stays on the ground in thickets of dwarf trees, among stone placers. Often lives in cedars, in the upper reaches of mountain rivers.
At the traditional international fur auction in St. Petersburg, a sable skin in the early 90s cost over $ 100, at the end of the 90s the cost fell to $ 62 per skin. V developed countries natural fur is increasingly being replaced by artificial one.

BIRDS
Of the birds on Lake Baikal, there are mainly various types of ducks. Ducks often gather in large flocks, which are quite common on the water while sailing on Lake Baikal. Gulls live in large numbers on the rocky islands of Lake Baikal. The open Baikal is also characterized by a cormorant. There are especially many birds in river deltas and in shallow bays. Less often, on the shores of Lake Baikal, you can also meet geese, screamer swans. In some places, the gray heron and black-throated loon can be found.

Eagle

The eagle, the bird of Baikal legends, is especially worshiped by the Buryat population.

The cult of the eagle has its roots in very ancient myths, according to which the first who received the shamanic gift was the son of the formidable spirit of the island of Olkhon, who lived in the form of a bald eagle. Therefore, the Buryats still firmly believe that a person who has killed or wounded an eagle will certainly die soon himself. Perhaps the belief in the sanctity of the bird helped to preserve the rare species, which is rapidly declining elsewhere on the planet. The only place on Lake Baikal where the number of the sea-eagle has not changed significantly in the last decade is Olkhon Island.
7 species of eagles live in the Baikal region: golden eagle, burial ground, steppe eagle, great spotted eagle, dwarf eagle, white-tailed eagle, long-tailed eagle. Such a variety and abundance of "eagle birds" is not observed anywhere else in North Asia.
One of the most beautiful and majestic birds of prey is the bald eagle - the burial eagle. In all Western European countries, the burial ground is called the imperial eagle. Its wingspan reaches 2 m. It lives up to 100 years.
Eagles almost always nest high in trees, usually at the edges of the forest in the same places for many decades. The diameter of perennial nest buildings can reach 2 meters. Chicks appear in late May - early June, and until the end of August, young birds stay in the nesting area.
For the winter, eagles migrate south.

I wish you good luck and new interesting travel :)