Lake Ladoga maximum depth on the map. Open the left menu Ladoga Lake

Europe is renowned for its beauty and appeal. Its nature has more than once become the property of songs and legends, fairy tales and poems, compositions and stories. Among all the diversity, water spaces stand out. Lake Ladoga is a striking representative. Its main difference from other water bodies is its rich flora and fauna.

general characteristics

Lake Ladoga is called the largest in all of Europe. Its area exceeds 18 thousand square kilometers. It is interesting that 457 kilometers of water area is occupied by the islands of Lake Ladoga, which in themselves are not so large. For example, the area of ​​the largest land areas located in the middle of the lake surface does not exceed one hectare. And there are more than 650 of them. Nature has arranged the islets so that over 500 of them are located in the northwestern part of the lake.

The rocky islands are distinguished by their bizarre shape and unusual outlines. Their height is 60-70 meters. It is especially interesting to observe the harmonious combination of coastline and island lines. The islands are separated by numerous bays, which cut into land areas.

Mother Nature has been working for more than one millennium on the artistic and aesthetic design of this corner of the globe. Lake Ladoga is one of the oldest water bodies. In its lifetime, it has seen a lot, experienced amazing events, which can be judged by the numerous remains and remains on its shores and bottom.

New research has made it possible to find out more accurate parameters of the water body. Lake Ladoga is 83 kilometers wide and 219 kilometers long. Without an island territory, it occupies a total of 17,578 square kilometers, which allows us to call it the largest European lake.

Length coastline exceeds one and a half thousand kilometers. Scientists managed to calculate the coefficient of its irregularity. It is 2.1, which suggests the presence of multiple bays. The bowl of the lake has an impressive capacity, which is 908 cubic kilometers.

Depth of the lake

The depth of Lake Ladoga is 51 meters on average. However, if we talk about the largest, then the figure already rises to 230 meters. The map of the depths of Lake Ladoga can be judged about impressive indicators. It usually marks the areas that are considered the deepest.

The bottom topography is not uniform. Therefore, it is not surprising that the depth of Lake Ladoga is different throughout its entire water area. For example, in the southern part, the bottom is even and smooth. This contributes to a decrease in depth. The decrease is observed from north to south. In the northern part, the depth reaches 10-100 meters, and in the southern part, this value is an order of magnitude lower and varies in the range from 3 to 7 meters. The bottom is distinguished by rocky spits and shoals; you can even find clusters of boulders.

Bottom relief

In general, such differences in depth are explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the bottom. Which, in turn, is due to its impressive length. Geological structure also leaves its mark on the lake basin and its appearance. Interestingly, the bottom topography seems to resemble islands. He copies them exactly. Thus, at the bottom of the lake one can observe mountains and plains, depressions and potholes, hills and slopes.

Most often, depressions up to 100 meters deep prevail. There are more than 500 of them in the northwestern part of the lake. It is interesting that such formations are concentrated in groups. And they, in turn, create a kind of labyrinth of bays. This phenomenon is called skerries. The map of the depths of Lake Ladoga allows us to be convinced of this.

The slope of the lake has an average of 0.0105, and the angle averages 0.35 degrees. This value near the northern coast is already 1.52 degrees, and at the eastern one - 0.03. This is also considered a fairly important indicator.

Animal world

In a country like Russia, Lake Ladoga plays a huge role. They call him a supplier drinking water for the Northern capital of the state - St. Petersburg. However, in addition to this, a huge number of a wide variety of animals live in Ladoga. The main place among them, of course, is occupied by fish.

To date, more than 58 species and species of fish are known to exist in the waves of Lake Ladoga. Interestingly, there are those who are "guests" in Ladoga. These include conger eel, Baltic salmon and sturgeon. They only occasionally swim into the waters of the lake. Their permanent habitat is The Gulf of Finland and Baltic.

Unfortunately, because of the massive fish catching today, not all of its former inhabitants are left to live in Ladoga. Sometimes representatives of the fish kingdom disappear for no apparent reason. For example, sterlet. In Ladoga waters, it is no longer found, and the researchers have not found the reasons for this.

New species

But new inhabitants appeared in the lake. They are represented by peled and carp. The latter appeared in Ladoga relatively recently - in 1952-1953. The reason for this was that it was bred in the nearby Lake Ilmen. The fate of the peled was similar. She "wandered" to Ladoga from the Karelian Isthmus, where she was actively cultivated at the end of the 50s of the last century.

In addition, fish such as char, salmon, pike perch, whitefish, bream, trout, ripus and vendace can be found in the waters. They are distinguished by their value in the field of industry. These species are called commercial. There are also less valuable inhabitants of the lake. Among them are roach, smelt, pike, ruff, blue bream, bleak and silver bream. They are considered no less tasty, but their use in food is represented in smaller volumes.

Probably, it is impossible to name really all the fish that are found in the waters of Lake Ladoga. There are so many inhabitants there that work on their discovery and study continues now.

On the verge of extinction

Some fish of Lake Ladoga are now on the verge of extinction. Among them are those that are considered valuable in the industrial field. The clearest example is salmon. In Ladoga, there are individuals weighing more than 10 kilograms. They are real giants. It is interesting that fish go to spawn in late spring and summer. Young animals live there for no more than a couple of years, and then return to the lake.

Now the rivers are littered with lumber, so spawning of salmon has become difficult. In this regard, it was decided to suspend the massive fish catch. The corresponding law was passed back in 1960.

Palia is another valuable fish. She lives in the northern part of the lake. In winter, it can be found at a depth of more than 70 meters, and in the warmer months, it rises to 20-30. Reproduction takes place in mid-autumn.

Live in Ladoga and whitefish. Now there are seven varieties in the lake. Four of them, namely Lake Ladoga, Ludog, Black and Valaam, are considered exclusively river, and three others - Svir, Vuoksinsky and Volkhov - can live both in the lake and in the river. On average, during the breeding season, each individual lays about nine thousand eggs in October and November.

Until recently, people were massively engaged in catching whitefish, and now this species is on the verge of extinction. A peculiar reason for this can be called the construction of the Volkhovskaya HPP dam. Pisces could not overcome such an obstacle, and the measures taken by people for this did not save the situation.

Rivers of Lake Ladoga

Now let's talk about waterways.

The rivers of Lake Ladoga are very numerous. This allows us to speak about its wide drainage basin. Its area exceeds 250 thousand square kilometers. Not every lake can boast of such figures.

Finland and Karelia, located nearby, share their water resources with Ladoga; rivers also carry their waves from Novgorod, Pskov and Vologda lands. Water bodies of the Arkhangelsk and Leningrad regions make their contribution.

In total, about 45 thousand streams and rivers flow into Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that before becoming a part of Ladoga, river waters accumulate in the nearest lakes, including Saime, Onega and Ilmen. They, in turn, make it possible to form such tributaries of the main Ladoga as the Volkhova, Vuokse and Svir. In total, they bring more than 57 cubic kilometers of water into the lake per year. This accounts for approximately 85 percent of the total water mass that accumulates in the considered by us geographic location in a year.

All other tributaries are called small. There is no explanation for this, because among them there are also such impressive deep rivers as Janisjoki, Syas and Tulemajoki.

It should be understood that the tributaries of the Ladoga are quite young - by river standards - in age. They are only 10-12 thousand years old. That is why most of them have not yet formed wide valleys. They flow among rocky areas and steep banks.

From the northeastern part of the lake lies the Baltic crystalline shield. That is why the deepest and loudest tributaries flow into Ladoga from the other side. Very often they turn into full-flowing turbulent streams, meeting on their way rocks that are quite difficult to wash out.

Svir tributary

Lake Ladoga is located in Russia, and the Svir is called its most full-flowing stream. This river flows out of the Svir Bay of Onega Lake, and flows into Ladoga from the southeast.

Its length is about 224 kilometers. The river includes two large tributaries called Pasha and Oyat. It is interesting that the origin of this object is still shrouded in secrets and riddles.

The Svir river itself and its banks are not distinguished by the picturesque nature inherent in Ladoga. The description of Lake Ladoga tells about the amazing beauty of its shores, which Svir cannot boast of. Its coast is covered with alder bushes and boggy plants, and coniferous forests are found. Basically, the banks of the Svir River are accumulations of stones and boulders.

In ancient times Svir was famous for its numerous rapids. They could not be called high, but the heaps of boulders presented a serious obstacle to navigation. Locals very often rescued sailors, helping them to cope with the crossings. Very often, residents of coastal villages and cities themselves served as sailors, pilots and even captains. The proximity to the deep river has left its mark on the character and way of life of people.

But if we talk about the animal world, then it is large enough. It is in the waters of this river that salmon spawn is often observed. In the spring you can meet schools of these fish, which are sent to the mouth of the Svir. The Oyat and Pasha tributaries play the main role in spawning. Ichthyologists believe that it is these rivers that can contribute to the revival of salmon in Lake Ladoga.

When to visit

Over its centuries-old history, Lake Ladoga has been shrouded in secrets, riddles and legends. All this, of course, attracts numerous tourists. People also go to Ladoga to admire the amazing beauty of nature, to see firsthand one of the largest lakes in the world.

In order not to miscalculate, you should know when it is better to go, what time to give preference.

A trip here in May and June will be hazy in the truest sense of the word. In late May and early June, thick fogs descend on Ladoga, and it is quite easy to get lost in them. In such cases, it is very important to take experienced guides with you, who will help you get on the right path and see all the beauty around.

This time is considered cold enough for those places. In the evening, the skerries can be covered with a thin crust of ice, and the wind brings dampness. A few hours after sunny weather are of particular interest. At such moments, the lake shines with tranquility and attractiveness. However, the next moment a breeze comes in. It causes meter waves in the bays, although the lake off the coast continues to be peaceful.

One of the most striking advantages of this time, of course, after the attractive appearance of the coastal area, is the complete absence of mosquitoes. The extraordinary purity of the lake is also called a virtue. The bottom, even at a depth of several meters, can be seen very clearly. It is believed that if you drink water at such a moment, then happiness will not be long in coming. The water itself is clean and tasty.

Those people who value comfort and coziness should visit Ladoga in the last two months of summer. It is this period that is considered the best for a good rest. In this case, the air and water temperature exceeds the optimal mark, allowing you to swim in the waves of the lake and sunbathe on the shore. On the islands, you can pick berries and mushrooms, which are abundant there.

Those people who travel to Ladoga in order to admire the local beauties should choose the autumn months, when literally the entire coast is cast in gold and bronze. In October, the weather deteriorates, accompanied by fogs and storms. At times like these, many painters and landscape painters can be found here. They try to capture the exuberant beauty of Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in winter is also an interesting sight. However, it is quite cold here at this time of the year. But the middle of the lake does not freeze even in severe frosts due to the impressive depth.

Those people who want to visit this corner of our vast Motherland should look for Lake Ladoga on the map. Many travel companies offer entire routes. If you wish, you can choose one of the proposed ones or make your own.

A trip to the shores of Lake Ladoga will surely be remembered by everyone. Distinguishes this area Amazing beauty nature at any time of the year, a variety of flora and fauna, as well as the opportunity to have a great rest.

There is such a charming land in Russia, which is attracted by the magnificent mirror-like surfaces of countless lakes. Some information about this wonderful place can be found in this article. Here you will be told about the diversity of the landscape of this region, about where Ladoga Lake is located. A description will also be provided.

This territory occupies the northwestern part great Russia... She is discreet and at the same time surprisingly attractive and versatile. Taiga landscapes give way to swamps rich in cloudberries, lingonberries and cranberries. More elevated areas are decorated with spruce and small-leaved forests.

This is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. The length is 219 km, and the largest width is 138 km. The eastern and northern parts of it belong to Karelia, and the southern and southeastern shores belong to Leningrad region... The water capacity of this lake is 908 km³.

Previously, the Littorin Sea was connected to the lake by a wide strait, and the river. Mga flowed eastward and also flowed into it.

Where it is now, the land rose quickly, and thus the lake, over time, turned into a closed-type reservoir. The water level began to increase, its waters flooded the valley of the river. Mga and broke into the valley of Tosna. 4000 years ago, a strait appeared between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, which is now the valley of the river. Neva. The relief has remained practically unchanged over the past 2.5 thousand years.

The northern section of Lake Ladoga is located on the Baltic crystalline shield, and the southern section is on the East European platform.

From the history of Lake Ladoga

The described lake is present at one of the very first geographic maps State of Moscow, which was compiled in 1544 by Sebastian Münster (German cartographer). More detailed map was presented in 1812 at the Admiralty Department.

Ladoga for Russia has always been a territory of important strategic importance. In the 9th century, an important waterway from the Varangians to the Greeks passed here. There are documentary confirmation about the existence of Nebo (the name of Lake Ladoga in the old days) - an ancient Russian chronicle dated 1228. And the first capital before Kievan Rus was at the confluence of Lake Ladoga. Volkhov. Petrovskoe time is also associated with this lake. Also, Lake Ladoga was a witness to the battles of the Northern War.

Where Lake Ladoga is located, a huge number of significant historical events... All cannot be enumerated. But it is important to note that Lake Ladoga was the "Road of Life" during the Second World War. Most of the coast of the lake at this difficult time for the country was under the German-Finnish occupation. The people of Leningrad were cut off from the whole world. Only the southwestern part of the lake was open for communication with Soviet troops (1941-1943). This route started from the port of Osinovets on Lake Ladoga and ended at the docks of Leningrad.

Over the entire period of the existence of this road, more than 1.5 million tons of cargo were transported and transported along it, which allowed the surviving residents of Leningrad to hold out until the blockade was lifted. Also, about 900 thousand people were evacuated along this road.

Much of the history is kept in this great lake. Today, at the place where the most important "Road of Life" ran, there are 102 memorial pillars and 7 monuments. All of them are included in the "Green Belt of Glory". This is the memory of the past very difficult times.

Lies almost in the center of the great lakes region, at an altitude of 4.95 meters above sea level, lies between the parallels 59 ° 51` and 61 ° 46` north latitude and the meridians 29 ° 48 and 32 ° 58` east longitude from Grinich. With an oval shape, somewhat sharpened to the north, the lake stretches almost along the meridian, in the direction of which it has a maximum length of 196.5 kilometers. The largest width of the lake is almost in the middle of its length, at the parallel of 61 ° north latitude, and between the mouths of the Vuoksa and Olonka, 124 kilometers.

To the north, the shores of the lake narrow rapidly and end in the Hien-Selke Bay, and to the south, the shores narrow slowly and end in the vast Shlisselburgsky and Volkhovsky bays, separated by a wide ledge. The length of the coastline is 1071 km., Of which 460 km., Occupying part west coast, from the border with the Polutorny stream to the source of the Neva, the whole South coast and part of the eastern part to the village of Pogranichnye Konduzhi, belong to Russia, the remaining 610 km. belong to Finland.

The surface of the lake, including the islands, is 15923 km2, of which 8881.1 km2 are in Russia and 7041.6 km2 in Finland, yielding in size to large lakes and America, Lake Ladoga is much larger than all European lakes: it is twice as large, three times as large as Venus, five times larger and ten times larger than Saimaa, not to mention the rest of Western European lakes.

Lake Ladoga serves as a receiver of an enormous amount of water, the only drain of which is the abundant Neva, flowing from the south-western corner of the lake by two branches separated by Orekhov Island, and flowing into St. Petersburg. Of the tributaries directly flowing into Lake Ladoga, the following are remarkable: in the western part of the lake: the Vuoksa River, flowing out of Lake Saimaa and forming famous waterfall Imatru, flows into Lake Ladoga, partly directly at Kexholm, partly across Lake Suvanto by the Taipala River; in the northern part: Gellyulya, Laskilya, Uksu, Tuloma, and Minola; in the eastern part: Vidlitsa, Tuloksa, Olonka, Obzha, Svir with Oyatya and Pasha and Voronega; in the southern part: Syas s Tikhvinka, Volkhov, Kobona, Lava, Sheldikha and Nazya. The Volkhov, Syas and Svir tributaries serve as the beginning of three water systems: Vyshnevolotskaya, Tikhvin and Mariinsky, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Volga basin, each of the named rivers, along with the rest southern rivers, when it flows into the lake, connects or intersects with old and new bypass Ladoga canals, which stretch along the entire southern and often east coast lakes, from the source of the Neva to the mouth of the Svir.

With the help of its numerous tributaries, Lake Ladoga captures, in addition to a part of Finland, St. Petersburg and Olonets, almost the entire Novgorod and some parts of the Pskov, Vitebsk, Tver and Arkhangelsk regions... The Ladoga basin contains an area of ​​250,280.3 km2 Although Lake Ladoga, being located between the basin and and, occupies a very advantageous position, and in terms of the vastness, depth and excellent navigable conditions, it is itself an inland sea, but its shipping and commercial and economic importance are extremely insignificant, due to the bypass of the Ladoga canals, which made it completely superfluous to build sea-type vessels necessary for sailing in the lake.

The bay, Lake Ladoga and rocks (photo by Oleg Semenenko)

The shores of Lake Ladoga. From the mouth of the Vuoksa to the source of the Neva, the coast consists of clay and loamy sediments, bordered by sandy soil, with numerous boulders. The coast is still quite elevated up to the mouth of Taipala, but further to the south a low-lying deserted coast stretches, partly sandy, partly covered with dense. The southern coast of the lake, between the source of the Neva and the mouth of the Svir, is low-lying, almost treeless and consists of clay and swampy; formed by the sediments of rivers flowing into the lake, it is bounded from the south by an elevated ridge of limestones of the Silurian system, which, in all likelihood, were once the shore of Lake Ladoga. At present, they are at a distance of 3 to 30 kilometers from it, and only near the mouth of the Svir do limestones with their rocky cliffs cut in a wedge into the shore of the lake, to the Storozhensky cape, forming the outskirts of the peninsula, which protrudes far into the lake.

Eastern coast, from the mouth of the Svir to the lake. Karkun-lamba, at first low-lying and partly marshy, gradually rises and consists of clay and loamy soil, which on the very coastline turns into pure sandy. The coastal area of ​​the northwestern part of the lake is the complete opposite of the southeastern one. Here, the shores and adjacent to them are elevated, rocky and consist mainly of granite, partly gneiss, syenite and other crystalline rocks, as well as various kinds of marbles.

From Kexholm to the north and further east to Impilax, granite gradually passes from light gray and coarse-grained to bluish-gray and fine-grained, very strong and hard, then, to Pitkerando, it turns reddish, to the south of Pitkerando, granite completely disappears from the surface land, and the soil is sandy-clay, filled with boulders of various types, and granite is found only in low-lying promontories protruding into the lake, consisting of fine-grained red granite.

Islands in composition and height they correspond to the coast near which they are located. Almost all of the islands in the northern part of the lake are elevated, composed mainly of granite and hard rocks, while the islands in the southern part are low-lying, partly swampy and surrounded by shoals and reefs. Due to the many islands and significant indented coastline, Northern part the lake is very rich in bays and bays closed from the winds, representing a very comfortable seats for a quiet stay of ships, in the southern part of the lake there are no similar places with almost everything, as a result of which there are ships, with strong winds are forced to defend in open lake, mainly in the open and dangerous Koshkinsky raid.

Of the islands in the northern part of the lake, near the shores, the most remarkable are the Kukosari Island, which lies at the mouth of the Vuoksa River. In Kronobersky Bay: Kilpodan, Korpan and Teposari, of which the last two form the entrance to the bay, which is a vast bay, completely calm for anchorage of ships. Sarolin Island, which forms the left bank of the Yakimvarsky Gulf, 12 km. plunging into the mainland and representing a safe bay with all kinds.

Of the islands in the middle of the northern part of the lake stand out: Valaam group, consisting of 40 islands, which stretch along the parallel, at a distance of about 20 km. from the extreme islands of the northern skerries. The main and largest of this group, the island of Valaam (26.2 km2), which has a very irregular shape, but with the adjacent islands of Skitsky, Predtechensky and Nikonovsky, is represented in the form of an equilateral triangle. In its northwestern part, on a rock, there is the Valaam-Preobrazhensky Monastery, in the depths of the bay, with a convenient pier. To the east of Valaam stretch the islands: Bayovye and Krestovye. To the south-west of the island: Gange-pa with a lighthouse, Muarka, Yalaya and Rahma-sari, lying almost on the same parallel. To the south are the islands: Suri Verko-sari and Voschaty or Vasia-sari. South of this last island lies Konevets (6.5 km2), on which the Konevsky-Rozhdestvensky monastery is located.

Lake Ladoga (photo by Dmitry Savin)

Depth Lake Ladoga is generally quite significant; distributed unevenly, depending on the height of the banks: the steeper and higher the banks adjacent to the water's edge, the deeper the depth, and vice versa. From the southern low-lying coast, the depth, starting at half a meter, slowly and gradually increases; after passing the reefs and shallows protruding from this coast, it begins to increase rapidly, so that in the middle of the lake it is from 60 to 110 m, further to the north it increases to 140, and in some places reaches 200 meters. Thus, the Ladoga bottom has a very significant slope from south to north, and it consists of a number of more or less irregular ledges, on which in some places there are significant hillocks and hills, in places of depressions and hollows. So, between the lines of equal depths of 60 and 80 m. There are bottom elevations at which the depth is only 32 m, and in the northwestern part of the lake, between the lines of equal depths of 10 and 140 m, there are depths of 200 or more. m.

Water level and current... The water level of Lake Ladoga is subject to constant fluctuations, depending on the totality of all meteorological circumstances in the entire lake basin, as a result of which the height of lake water not only in different years, but also at different times of the same year is very different. From time immemorial, the existing belief about a seven-year periodicity of changes in the water level of the lake, according to which the horizon of lake water seems to rise constantly for 7 years, and constantly decreases over the next 7 years, was completely refuted by 14-year observations. which were produced on the island of Valaam and from which there was no correctness in changing the position of the water level.

Opening and freezing... First of all, it is covered thin ice the shallow southern part of the lake, usually in early November, sometimes in late October, at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. This thin ice or lard is brought into the Neva by the current, on which the autumn ice drift begins, which does not last long. In the lake itself, with increasing frosts, the entire southern part of the lake is covered with ice, both at the very coastline and in the space between the reefs and shoals protruding from it. Further, to the north of the parallel of the Sukhsky lighthouse, under the influence of winds that easily break the formed ice, the lake does not freeze for a long time, and at great depths of the northern part it freezes only in December, often in January, in other years the middle of the lake remains not frozen all winter long ...

In general, the lake is covered with solid ice only in the most severe winters, but with ordinary frosts, only the outskirts, 20-30 kilometers from the coast, are covered with ice. It is rather difficult to determine whether the middle of the lake is frozen or not, due to the remoteness of the middle of the lake from the shore. Fishermen who carry out under-ice non-water fishing determine this with great accuracy along the current in the ice-holes: if a current corresponding to the direction of the wind is noticed in the ice-holes, then the middle of the lake remains not frozen, the absence of a current indicates that the entire lake is covered with solid ice.

The opening of Lake Ladoga, like freezing, also begins at the southern coast of the lake, usually at the end of March - the first half of April, simultaneously with the opening of the southern tributaries and warm water, which has a direct impact on the opening of the Neva, which always starts from the source, at Shlisselburg , moreover, two ice drifts occur on it: the river itself, which does not last long, and the very long Ladoga ice drift, almost never passing at once.

Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe. Located on the territory of Karelia and the Leningrad Region.

The first name of the lake was different. In the ancient Russian chronicles it was called Nevo. Scientists believe that the name comes from the Finnish word for "swamp, bog". In the agreements concluded with the Hanseatic cities and in the Scandinavian sagas, he is called Aldoga, from the Finnish "wave". Modern name comes into use only since the beginning of the 13th century. The lake began to be called Ladoga, having formed the name from the name of the city of Ladoga.

Scientists have proved that the basin of Lake Ladoga is of glacial-tectonic origin. In the Paleozoic era, waters splashed here ancient sea Later, a glacier formed at this place, which largely formed the modern relief of the reservoir and its surroundings. The lake area is 18 400 square kilometers. Its length from south to north is about 219 km. The maximum width of the reservoir (from west to east) is 138 km.

Due to its origin, Ladoga is distinguished by uneven depths. The “shallowest” part of the lake is the southern one. Local depths do not exceed 70 m. But in the northern part average depth Lake Ladoga is about 100 m.There are places where the water column reaches 260 m.

On Lake Ladoga, a pattern is noticeable: the steeper the shores, the greater the depths around them. The highest and steepest shores are in the north, right next to the skerries. In the south, they are shallower and the depths there are shallow.

By the way, the peculiarity of Ladoga is the uneven water level. In the old days it was said that it grows for seven years and falls for seven years. On average, the lake's water reserves are 908 cubic kilometers. For comparison, Baikal is 24,000 km³.

32 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, and only one flows out of it - the Neva. Many rivers connect Ladoga with other lakes. Through the Volkhov it is connected with Lake Ilmen, across the Svir River - with Onega, through Vidlitsa - with Vedlozero, through Tulema - with Tulmozero.

Sunset on the Svir. The Svir River connects the Ladoga and Onega lakes.

The lake is rich in islands. Most of them are in the north. These are the famous Ladoga skerries, a beautiful necklace of islands, which are separated by a whimsical labyrinth of straits. An integral part of the Ladoga skerries is the famous Valaam archipelago, where the ancient Transfiguration Monastery is located.

Major northern islands include Lunkulansaari, Konevets, Mantinsaari, Vossinansaari and others. In the southern part of the reservoir, there are very few islands and all of them are small: Ptinov in the Volkhov Bay and Zelentsy in Shlisselburgskaya.

On the shore of Lake Ladoga.

A unique inhabitant of the lake is the Ladoga seal. This is the only species of marine mammals that has adapted to life in a freshwater body. Their rookeries on the islands of the Valaam archipelago are under special protection.

Since the end of the eighth century, Slavic settlements appeared on the shore of the lake: the city of Ladoga, later - Korela, present-day Priozersk. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Oreshek fortress, now Shlisselburg, was built at the source of the Neva. The famous monasteries on Valaam and Konevets were founded a little later.

Shore of Lake Ladoga.

At the end of the 17th century, the southern, northern and west coast Lake Ladoga went to the Swedish Ingermanland. The Swedes renamed the Russian Oreshek and Korela to Noteburg and Kexholm, and founded the settlement of Sortavala. With the beginning of the Northern War, Lake Ladoga became the arena of military operations. The most famous battles of that period were the battle of ships at Kexholm and the capture of Noteburg. In 1721 the Ladoga coast became Russian again.

Lake Ladoga is rich in interesting places:

Ladoga skerries

Skerries are rocky islands separated by narrow straits and channels. They occupy a significant part of the northern part of the lake. Skerries stretch in a semicircle from the town of Pitkyaranta to the village of Berezovo. They are stunningly beautiful along their entire length, but the most majestic landscapes begin to the northeast of the Koinosaari island, which closes the village of Terva from the expanses of Ladoga.

The amazing city of Sortavala is located on the northern coast of Lake Ladoga. It owes its peculiar historical and cultural appearance to three states at once: Finland, Sweden and Russia, of which it was at different times. This is the most beautiful Karelian city, surprising with its unusual architecture.

Eastern beaches

The east coast of Ladoga is famous for its clean sandy beaches... The shallow water warms up well, especially if June and May are warm. These beaches are considered ideal place for relax.

Lake Ladoga in these places seems endless, and on the coast in some places you can see sand dunes. They also exist near the village of Vidlitsy. The ancient settlement is located at the mouth of the river of the same name. In the village you can admire the Church of the Great Martyr George. The surroundings of Vidlitsa attract with incredibly beautiful nature.

Beach near Vidlitsa.

Priozersk

Ancient Korela, modern Priozersk, is one of the ancient Russian cities with an unusually interesting story... it beautiful town where ancient Orthodox churches and a majestic Lutheran church have been preserved. There is a unique ancient fortress here. The pearls of architecture are surrounded by beautiful landscapes with picturesque rivers and dense northern forests.

Fortress Oreshek

Shlisselburg fortress Oreshek is rightfully considered a monument of history and architecture. Built in the early 14th century on Walnut Island, it served as an outpost on the Swedish border. The citadel has repeatedly withstood fierce assaults, fully justifying its name. Later the fortress became the "Russian Bastille", where the most dangerous criminals were sent. Today, there is a museum here, which has been working, despite the restoration work that has been going on since 1966.

Balaam

An archipelago of fifty islands, the largest of which is Valaam. This is one of the main shrines of Orthodoxy, North Athos, as it is called. The oldest in Russia is located here male monastery... The history of its origin goes back to the 1st century, when Andrew the First-Called visited Valaam. Almost a thousand years later, the first monks came to the island from Novgorod. Balaam - unique place... Around here wild nature, practically unchanged since the development of the island by man.

Stormy waves of Lake Ladoga, which in windy weather looks like the sea, incredible sunsets and sunrises, sheer cliffs of the skerries and sand dunes of the eastern beaches. All this will forever remain in the heart of everyone who at least once saw these magnificent landscapes. It is worth coming here, because the harsh Ladoga is not only living history but also one of beautiful places Russia.

Lake Ladoga on the map.

1. Ladoga skerries;
2. Sortavala;
3. Priozersk;
4. Balaam;
5. Fortress Oreshek;
6. Beaches on the eastern shore of the lake;
7. The mouth of the Svir river.

Petrozavodsk, Kivach, Marcial Waters, Northern Ladoga, Ruskeala Waterfalls, Valaam and much more. Car and pedestrian travel for every taste - choose, and you will dream of Karelia for a very long time!

In the European part of Russia, in the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad region.

The ancient name of the lake is Lake Nebo (Nestorov Chronicle of the 12th century), and in the old Scandinavian sagas and agreements with Hanseatic cities, the lake is called Aldoga. The modern name of the lake appeared at the beginning of the 13th century, there are several versions of its origin, but none of them has been unambiguously confirmed.

Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe, the largest lake in Karelia and the Leningrad region and the third lake in Russia (after the Caspian Sea and Baikal) in terms of water surface area. The area of ​​Lake Ladoga with islands is 18.3 thousand km 2, the water surface is 17.9 thousand km 2, the volume is 838 km 3, the length is 219 km, the maximum width is 125 km, the length of the coastline is 1570 km, the maximum depth is 230 m in the northern part the basin between the Valaam and Western archipelagos of the islands, the height of the water surface above sea level is 5.1 m. Lake Ladoga was formed about 10 thousand years ago, after the filling of the basin stretched from the northwest to the southeast with water from the melting edge of the ice sheet. Its northern shores are composed of crystalline rocks, high and highly dissected; the peninsulas continue in chains of islands, forming a skerry type of coast. To the south, the coast becomes low and flat, bordered by narrow beaches with boulders, in small bays overgrown with near-water vegetation. The southern part of the coast consists of three large shallow bays: the Svirskaya Bay and the Volkhovskaya Bay, into which the largest tributaries flow, and the Petrokrepost Bay with the source of the Neva. There are more than 660 islands in Lake Ladoga, the largest are Riekkalansari (55 km 2), Mantinsari (39 km 2), Kilpole (32 km 2), Tulolansari (30 km 2) and Valaam (28 km 2). Lake Ladoga is the main body of water in the European system of great lakes, which includes lakes Saima (Finland), Onega and Ilmen. The waters of this system flow down the Neva into the Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea... The catchment area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 282.7 thousand km 2, including the catchment areas of these three lakes and many more small ones, with a small drainage basin of its own equal to 48.3 thousand km 2 (17%).

Every year, Lake Ladoga receives an average of 83 km 3 of water, 70% of which is lake water masses flowing along the river. Svir from Lake Onega, along the river. Vuokse from the lake. Saimaa and along the river. Volkhov from the lake. Ilmen. The flow of each of them is regulated by hydroelectric power plants and is about 20 km 3 / year. Another 16% is the inflow of 16 small rivers and 14% is atmospheric precipitation. 9% of the water of the expenditure part of the water balance evaporates, the rest of the water is the runoff of the river. Not you. The water exchange time is about 10 years. The average range of intra-annual changes in the water level in Lake Ladoga is 69 cm (from 21 in the low-water 1940 to 126 cm in the high-water 1962).

The main tributaries of Lake Ladoga (large and medium rivers)

Inflow	Length	Basin area (km 2)
Swir	220	83200
Volkhov	224	80200
Vuoksa	156	68700
Syas	260	7330
Janisjoki	70	3900
Olonka	87	2620

In spring, after clearing the ice from the south coast bays at the end of April - the first half of May, the coastal shallow waters are intensively warmed up by the already warm air and solar radiation, as well as the relatively warm water of the floods of small rivers. The water temperature in the southern area of ​​the water area usually rises above 4 ° С by May 15, and 2.5-3 ° С on the surface of the deep-water area. A thermal bar () arises between warm and cold water masses. With further heating of the water, the thermobar moves to the center slowly along the northern steep slope (0.05–0.1 km / day) and faster along the southern gentle slope at a speed of 1.3–1.5 km / day. It prevents the mixing of river water masses with the main water mass itself. Therefore, the Volkhov flood waters and Svir waters move to the north along the eastern coast, and the least mineralized Saimaa waters from the mouth of the river. Vuoksi along the western bank to the south and further to the Neva. The thermobar disappears in late June - early July near the Valaam archipelago, when the surface water layer 20–40 m thick warms up to 10–15 ° С. Under the lower layer of the temperature jump, in summer, from a depth of 30–40 m and down to the bottom, water heats up only to 5 ° C. With autumn cooling, its upper layer cools down, the temperature jump layer sinks until October, and then disappears at a temperature close to 4 ° C. The time of the disappearance of the thermobar is variable, since when the windy weather sets in in summer, drift currents and waves mix the river water masses and the main lake water in the upper layer, renewing its chemical composition and leveling the distribution of plankton over the water area. In summer, this water mass dominates in the flow of the Neva, and during the freeze-up period, the most mineralized Volkhov waters are added to it. With a wind of 18 m / s near the Valaam Islands, the wave height reached 5.8 m, surges in the windward sections of the coast raise the water by 0.2–0.5 m. Shallow waters freeze in October, and the edge of the ice cover gradually shifts to the deepest central region until mid-January, when full freeze-up occurs in frosty winters, lasting until the end of February. In winters with frequent thaws, the lake partially freezes, and 20–40% of its surface above the greatest depths remains open. In such winters, the heat storage of the main water mass is minimal, and its spring-summer heating is longer.

The mineralization of the main water mass is low (64 mg / l), the Svirskaya - even less, the Vuoksinskaya - half as much, and the Volkhovskaya - 1.5 times more. Over the past 30 years of the XX century. the mineralization of the lake's waters increased by 16% due to natural causes and pollution by sewage. The composition of the water is hydrocarbonate-sulphate-calcium, the water is transparent, due to which the development of plankton is possible to a depth of 8–12 m. In the Volkhov Bay, the transparency of the polluted water is half as much. The oxygen content in the Ladoga water is high, and in its surface layer there was even a supersaturation with oxygen released during the reproduction of microalgae. Self-purification of water masses is facilitated by coastal thickets of higher aquatic vegetation (more than 100 species), mainly reed, which occupy about 5% of the shallow water area. In total, about 600 species of aquatic plants and 400 species of aquatic animals were found in Lake Ladoga, many of which feed on phytoplankton, bacteria and other organic particles that pollute the water. Ichthyofauna is very diverse (53 species and varieties), it consists of salmon, lake trout, lake whitefish, char, pike perch, vendace, etc., the total biomass is estimated at 140 kg / ha. Atlantic sturgeon and Volkhov whitefish are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The most fish-producing shallow waters to a depth of 10-15 m in the southern region, where fish are fished, are the least fish-producing northern skerries. There are no commercial fish aggregations deeper than 40–50 m.

Lake Ladoga serves as a source of water supply for St. Petersburg, as a waterway to the White Sea-Baltic and Volga-Baltic shipping canals. In 1976-1983. the anthropogenic impact on the lake has sharply increased due to the development of industry and agriculture on the territory of its own drainage basin of Lake Ladoga and its coast. In order to reduce the pollution of lake waters in 1986 north of the mouth of the river. Vuoksy closed the large Priozersk Pulp and Paper Mill, after which there was a tendency to a decrease in the content of polluting organic substances and phosphorus in the water, causing water bloom - the reproduction of blue-green algae. Regular studies of the water regime, the chemical composition of water, and the ecological state of lake water masses, begun in 1957, are underway.

On the shores of Lake Ladoga are the cities of Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Shlisselburg in the Leningrad Region, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Lakhdenpohja in the Republic of Karelia.