Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal - mysterious, enigmatic, great

The continent of Asia boasts the most beautiful and deep 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 square meters. m. The lake is considered the cleanest, because the transparency is 40 meters.

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

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

The average lifespan of 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.

There are many legends about the origin of the lake, as well as its name. Lake Baikal has the shape of a crescent. There are 27 islands in the lake area, 5 of which 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 keep the lake full. The Angara is the only river that flows into the lake.

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

Baikal has a fairly rich underwater world. The lake contains 1085 species of different plants and about 1550 species of different fish.

There is a unique fish in the lake - the 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 Lake Baikal, while the black one also lives along the rivers flowing into the lake.

The water in the lake contains almost no mineral salts and can be considered distilled. For quite a long time, they drank water from the lake for the purpose of healing and preventing diseases. But water for drinking can only be collected in certain places, which are known to experienced guides.

Baikal is a very beautiful lake that everyone should see.

Option 2

Ever heard that Baikal is very big lake, but now those who have not seen it think that these are just words. Now let’s analyze that the distance between Northern capital and simply the capital of our homeland is directly 635 kilometers away.

The length of the lake is 620 kilometers; it turns out that if the lake is located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, 90% of the distance can be covered. Another example, the distance from the center of Moscow to the Moscow Ring Road is approximately 20 km, while the width of the “rich water,” as it was called in the past, is 80 km.

Is Baikal a promising ocean?

Most often, ice age lakes exist only for 15 thousand years, and then begin to fade away and disappear completely. 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 no higher than 2 points, but stronger ones have been recorded, for example, the last shock of 6 points in 2010. The reason for these two phenomena is the same - the expansion of the lake, due to the appearance of a crack between the Amur and Siberian platforms, which diverges at a speed of 3-4 mm per year. But the moment when Baikal becomes “a little bigger” will only happen 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 here amazing water it contains only 0.1 g/l salt and 14 mg/l oxygen. This feature makes it possible for 2,600 species of aquatic inhabitants to live. The variety of fish cannot 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 here. The Baikal seal, as well as the dwarf musk deer, live exclusively here.

Landmark of Baikal

Besides the fact that Baikal itself is a huge attraction, it is fraught with even more beauty than it seems at first glance. Ukovsky waterfall – wonderful place and if you have the chance to visit Baikal, you should definitely look there too.

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

Passing to Uda, the Uk River cleared a basalt gorge, the walls of which are higher 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, which carved an unusually beautiful gorge into the rock, are interesting.

About tourism

The most pleasant time for a trip to Baikal begins in mid-summer and ends on the 20th of August. The rest of the time, the water either has not yet warmed up, or cold winds have already arrived. If you want to feel the beautiful and fabulous Russian winter, then it is better to come to Baikal at the end of winter - beginning of spring, when the lake is captivated by the strongest (1.5 m thick) and transparent ice. The main thing for a trouble-free holiday is to clearly plan all your trips. And carry a first aid kit with you.

Baikal - report 3

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

It is not only the largest and deepest, but also the oldest. They could not accurately determine its age, but this does not 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 no human foot has yet set foot. And that's great! There are still places untouched by civilization, where animals, birds and insects live carefree.

The climate of Baikal is unique. 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. Baikal water affects the temperature regime, winters are quite mild, and summers are cool, despite the fact that the temperature can be plus 35 degrees. Swimming is also cool. IN winter time The waters of Baikal are covered with wonderful transparent ice. The lake freezes in January and is only freed from ice captivity at the beginning of May.

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

The cities are located far from the coast. Only in the village of Listvyanka, which is the closest of all settlements, you can stop. It is well developed here tourism infrastructure. It is in the village that the famous nerpinarium is located, not far from the very source of the Angara there is the Shaman Stone, where, according to legend, shamanic rituals took place. Only one river, the beautiful Angara, flows out of the lake, into which many small and large rivers flow. The most big river, which the Selenga flows into it.

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

Exists separate law about the conservation of the mysterious Lake Baikal.

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

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Located almost in the center of Asia between the latitudes of Moscow and Voronezh, London and Edinburgh, Baikal- this is a unique creation of nature, a national treasure and the pride of Russia. If there are pristine places left on Earth, then first of all this is the Siberian Lake Baikal, a glorious and sacred place for all Russians.

Baikal is a pearl among the lakes of the globe. It is famous for its geological antiquity, unique animals and flora, huge size, crystal clear water, amazing climate. Of the three million lakes that adorn our country, Baikal is the most impressive. Its length is 636 kilometers,
the greatest width is 79 kilometers, the area of the water surface is 31,500 square kilometers.

This territory could fit Holland, Belgium or Switzerland. This is the deepest lake on the planet. The greatest depth of Baikal is 1637 meters! Its basin contains a fifth of all fresh water on Earth. For greater clarity, we can give the following example: all the water will enter Baikal Baltic Sea and about a hundred Azovians!

Baikal is one of the oldest lakes in the world. The formation of its basin has been going on for about 30 million years. Why does it continue? Because every year seismic stations located in the lake area record up to 2 thousand earthquakes, sometimes very strong. So, in 1959, as a result of a shock, the bottom in the middle part of Lake Baikal dropped by 15 meters. In 1862, 200 square kilometers of coastline in the delta of the Selenga River went under water.

The lake is home to almost 1,400 species of animals and more than 850 plants. Of these, 848 animals and 133 plant species are found only here and nowhere else; these are the so-called endemics. No other lake in the world has such a diversity of animal species. It is not by chance that they call Baikal natural museum of living antiquities, since all the indigenous inhabitants of the lake - endemics - fell into it millions of years ago. Probably everyone knows the Baikal omul and seal, but little is known about the amazing viviparous fish golomyanka. Its fat contains a lot of vitamins and has long been used in medicine. One of the most important inhabitants of the lake is the epishura crustacean. Under every square meter of water surface there are about 30 million of these crustaceans. Epishura is “responsible” for the purity of Baikal water. Only thanks to his work, the transparency of the lake is 40 meters. For comparison: the white Secchi disk (which determines the transparency of water) is visible in the Caspian Sea at a depth of 25 meters, in Lake Sevan - at a depth of 20 meters. The famous alpine lakes are also significantly inferior to Baikal in transparency.

There is always a lot of sun on Baikal. It surpasses the famous ones in the number of sunny days Black Sea resorts. And not only them. So, even in Nice there is less sunshine per year. On Baikal it is 2583 hours. Imagine how clear the sky is above the lake! Baikal softens the climate of its coasts. It is 57 degrees warmer here in winter and cooler in summer than in remote areas.

Baikal water has amazing taste, which is explained, in addition to its purity, by its low mineralization. The clean fresh water of the lake is a real natural treasure.
But the fact of the matter is that treasures always attract not only researchers, but also all sorts of adventurers and lovers of easy money. Baikal 6070 is a huge poaching ground for catching omul. Even earlier, at the beginning of the century, the famous Baikal sable was almost completely exterminated. What should we call the location of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill here? Only barbarism. In a word, Baikal is great and powerful, but just as defenseless.

A long time ago, when a person was just beginning to master and study wealth of Baikal, it was strictly forbidden to desecrate its waters; it was possible to walk on the Baikal land only along paths. Maybe it’s worth returning these orders?

If our readers happen to visit eastern Siberia, you should definitely visit the most mysterious and mysterious lake planets - Baikal. Many generations of tourists, fascinated by the picturesqueness of this unique creation of nature, have tried to describe its beauty and unusualness.

So, let's go to this blue pearl, comfortably located among the Siberian highlands.

Name and age of Baikal

The origin of the name of the lake has many versions. This is partly due to the multinationality of the peoples who have long lived in these places (Evenks, Yakuts, Buryats).

As for the age of Lake Baikal, there is no consensus on this issue either. Scientists believe that this unique body of water is of glacial origin. That is, many millions of years ago, as a result, a huge depression formed in the earth’s crust, which was gradually filled with water from melting glaciers. But then the lake cannot be older than 10-14 million years. Because during such a period, glacial objects gradually become swamped. But this did not happen with Baikal. Therefore, the age of 25–30 million years attributed to it cannot yet be explained.

Why Baikal is considered an amazing creation of nature

Its main wealth is, of course, water. And the point is not only that Baikal water makes up 90% of all fresh water reserves in Russia. It is amazingly clean and transparent, and its oxygen saturation is 2 times higher than its content in ordinary reservoirs.

There are two reasons for this phenomenon:

The solubility of oxygen in water depends on its temperature. The lower the temperature, the more oxygen it contains. Baikalskaya the water is very cold. At a depth of 100 m it does not warm up above 3-4 °C.
In addition, the algae that live there constantly release oxygen during their life processes.

Modern technology makes it possible to very accurately measure the depth of reservoirs. Its maximum value near Baikal is 1637 m, and the average is 730 m. In spring, the water level in it increases noticeably due to melt water, which is regularly supplied to the lake by 336 rivers and streams. But even then the water retains its amazing transparency. Even at a depth of 40 m, the bottom is clearly visible. Baikal water is constantly cleaned due to the activity of planktonic crustaceans. They filter out and absorb algae and bacterial cells. And clean water is returned to Baikal. Sponges, mollusks and worms contribute to water purification by eating various dying organisms.

This is a great lake gives rise to a single river - the Angara. Every year this great river carries away more than 60 cubic km of water from Lake Baikal.

The huge body of Baikal waters has a softening effect on the continental climate of these places. Accumulating the heat received during the summer months, Baikal releases it with the onset of winter cold.

It is impossible not to mention one more phenomenon - the shores ancient lake diverge at a rate of 1.5–2 cm per year. Who knows, maybe someday the ocean will rage in this place?

Inhabitants of Baikal

More than 2,600 species and subspecies of animals have found shelter in Lake Baikal, half of which live only in this reservoir. Most likely they are attracted here by the high oxygen content in the water. For this reason, people walk in the waters of the lake Baikal seals (nerpas), for which numerous rocky islands became rookeries. Baikal is their only habitat.

The weight of Baikal seals can reach 130 kg and on land they become clumsy and defenseless.

In the waters of Lake Baikal they walk freely around 50 species of fish. The most valuable of them are omul, grayling, sturgeon, and burbot.

In the Baikal zone there are more 200 species of birds. These are mainly ducks, herons, and waders. But there are also more respectable specimens from the eagle family. The imperial eagles especially stand out. Their wingspan reaches 2 meters.

Winter on Baikal

From January to May Baikal covered with ice. The thickness of the ice cover is from 1 to 2 meters. The silence of the ice silence is broken by the booming sounds of cracking ice. Giant cracks up to 30 m long and reaching a width of 2-3 m usually appear in the same places. In some places, ice domes grow up to 6 m high. The picturesque picture is completed by dark rings formed from the rise of deep waters, and an incomprehensible glow coming from under the thickness of the ice.

Problems of Baikal

This beautiful lake Russia by decision of UNESCO included in the list of objects World Heritage, that must be preserved for future generations. But human activity and traces of numerous tourists cause enormous damage to the ecology of these places. As a result, swamping of the once crystal clear Baikal reservoir has reached alarming proportions.

Besides:

waste dumping from factories pollutes water;
The Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, built on the main source of Lake Baikal - the Angara, causes shallowing of the lake;
ruthless poaching leads to a catastrophic decrease in the number of Baikal seals and omul;
the capture of imperial eagles for profitable sale to Middle Eastern sheikhs forced these majestic birds to change their nesting sites;
Predatory deforestation combined with forest fires complete this sad picture.

All these problems have become the subject of consideration by scientists and the government of the Russian Federation. A special program has been adopted that provides not only for the protection of Lake Baikal, but also a number of measures to economic development this zone for 2012–2020.

Let's hope that the lines:

“...The grace of the earth is not eternal. When you send a distant descendant around the world with a knapsack, she will have nothing to give..."

They will not become prophetic.

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

The younger generation had the opportunity to write a complex work “What is Lake Baikal famous for?” 4th grade high school left not much information in our memory. This is the best thing in the world, people over forty will say. But this is not the only indicator that makes Lake Baikal a record holder. Well, let's update our information about this pearl of Russia. It’s not for nothing that the lake is called the sacred sea! It is rightfully considered a unique creation of Mother Nature, the pride and national treasure of Russia.

How natural object Baikal was included in 1996, at the twentieth session of UNESCO, on the list of World Heritage Sites (number 754). What is unique about this lake? We will talk about this in our article.

Where is Lake Baikal located and why is it famous (briefly)

This unique natural attraction is located almost in the center of Asia. On the map of our country, the lake is located in Eastern Siberia, in its southernmost part. Administratively, it serves as the border between the Buryat Republic and Irkutsk region Russian Federation. Baikal is so big that it can be seen even from space. It stretches like a blue crescent from southwest to northeast. Therefore, the local population often calls Baikal not a lake, but a sea. “Baigal Dalai” is how the Buryats respectfully call it. The coordinates of the lake are: 53°13′ north latitude and 107°45′ east longitude.

What is Lake Baikal famous for? Let's look at its different parameters.

Depth

Let's start with the basic truths. Baikal is not only the deepest lake on the planet, but also the most impressive continental depression. This title was confirmed by scientific research conducted in 1983. The most deep place in the lake - 1642 meters from the surface of the water surface - has coordinates 53°14′59″ north latitude and 108°05′11″ east longitude. Thus, the lowest point of Baikal lies 1187 meters below sea level. And the lake has a height of 455 meters above the World Ocean.

The average depth of Baikal is also impressive: seven hundred and forty-four meters. Only two lakes in the world have a kilometer between the water surface and the bottom. These are (1025 m) and Tanganyika (1470 m). The deepest - that's what Lake Baikal is famous for.

In English on Google, a certain Vostok is among the top three record holders. This lake was found in Antarctica. It has a depth of more than 1200 meters, and another four kilometers of ice rise above the water surface. Thus, we can say that the distance between the surface of the earth and the bottom of the East is more than five thousand meters. But this body of water is not a lake in the usual sense of the word. Rather, it is an underground (subglacial) reservoir of water.

Dimensions

The area of this reservoir is 31,722 square kilometers. That is, the size of the lake is quite comparable to such European countries, like Switzerland, Belgium or the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The length of Baikal is six hundred and twenty kilometers, and its width varies between 24-79 km. Wherein coastline stretches for two thousand one hundred kilometers. And that's not counting the islands!

Size is what Lake Baikal is famous for, although this indicator does not make it the largest on the planet. But the reservoir occupies an honorable eighth place among the giants. Ahead are the Caspian (which is also a lake, although salty), Superior in America, Victoria, Huron, Michigan, the Aral “Sea” and Tanganyika.

Honorable age

Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin. This explains its record depth. But when did the tectonic fault occur? This question is still considered open among scientists. Traditionally, the age of Baikal is determined at 20-25 million years. This figure seems fantastic. After all, lakes “live” on average about ten, in extreme cases, fifteen thousand years. Then alluvial deposits and silty sediments accumulate and change the whole thing into a swamp, and it, after centuries, into a meadow. But Siberians are famous for their longevity. And what Lake Baikal is famous for is its venerable age.

It should be said that the Siberian giant is also unique in other parameters - hydrological. Baikal feeds about three hundred rivers, and only one flows out of it - the Angara. And one more unique thing: seismic activity during a tectonic fault. From time to time, earthquakes occur at the bottom of the lake. In fact, sensors record about two thousand of them every year. But sometimes large earthquakes occur. So, in 1959, the bottom of the lake dropped by fifteen meters due to a shock.

What was most remembered by the surrounding residents was the Kudarino earthquake of 1862, when a huge piece of land (200 sq. km) with six villages inhabited by one thousand three hundred people went under water. This place in the delta is now called Proval Bay.

Unique fresh water reservoir

Despite the fact that the pearl of Siberia ranks only eighth in the world in size, in terms of water volume it holds the record. What is Lake Baikal famous for in this regard? Most of the water is in the Caspian Sea. But it's salty there. Thus, Baikal can be called the undisputed leader. It contains 23,615.39 cubic kilometers of water. This is about twenty percent of the total reserve of all lakes on the planet. To demonstrate the significance of this figure, let’s imagine that we managed to block all three hundred rivers flowing into Baikal. But even then it would have taken the Angara three hundred and eighty-seven years to drain the lake.

Unique fauna and flora

Another strange thing is that, despite the enormous depth of Baikal, bottom vegetation exists in the lake. This is explained by seismic activity under the tectonic basin. Magma heats the bottom layers and enriches them with oxygen. Such warm water rises, and cold water sinks. Half of the 2,600 species of animals and plants inhabiting the water area are endemic. What surprises biologists most of all is the lake’s only mammal, which lives 4 thousand kilometers from its marine counterparts and has adapted well to fresh water.

It is difficult to say which fish Lake Baikal is most famous for. Perhaps this is a golomlyanka. She is viviparous. Her body contains up to 30 percent fat. She also surprises scientists with her daily migrations. Schools of fish rise to feed from the dark depths of shallow water. The lake is also home to Baikal sturgeon, omul, whitefish, and grayling. And the bottom is covered with freshwater sponges.

Purity and transparency of water

With such an area of water and the presence of industrial enterprises nearby, it would be logical to think that Lake Baikal would become polluted. Not so! The water here is not only potable, but close to distilled. You can drink it without fear. And it helps the lake to cleanse itself. This endemic one and a half millimeters in size performs the function of a natural filter: it passes water through itself, absorbing all the dirt. As a result, the pebbles at the bottom are clearly visible. Water transparency up to forty meters is what Lake Baikal is famous for. A photo of this unique reservoir demonstrates the majestic, pristine beauty of nature. It depends on us whether we preserve it for posterity.

Lake Baikal - what is it like?

Map of Lake Baikal

In outline, Baikal resembles a narrow crescent, so easy to remember that even those who are not particularly good at geography can easily find it on a map of Russia. Stretching from southwest to northeast for as much as 636 kilometers, Baikal seems to squeeze between mountain ranges, and its water surface is located at an altitude of more than 450 meters above sea level, which gives every reason to consider it mountain lake. The Baikal and Primorsky ranges adjoin it from the west, and the Ulan-Burgasy, Khamar-Daban and Barguzin massifs from the east and southeast. And this entire natural landscape is so harmonious that it’s hard to imagine one without the other.

Also Oleg Kirillovich Gusev (1930-2012), Candidate of Biological Sciences, professional game specialist, editor-in-chief of the oldest magazine in Russia “Hunting and Hunting Management” and author of several books on conservation issues unique nature of this lake, wrote: “Baikal gives us great joy and great pleasure.” And he added: “It amazes with its monumental style and the beautiful, eternal and powerful that lies in its very nature,” emphasizing that the more you get closer to it, the more tempting it becomes, and the clearer you understand that Baikal is unique and enchantingly inimitable. Anyone who visits here at least once can be convinced of the veracity of these words.

Lake depth

The depth of the lake is truly impressive - 1637 meters. In this indicator, Baikal surpasses such largest reservoirs as Tanganyika (1470 m), Caspian Sea (1025 m), San Martin (836 m), Nyasa (706 m), Issyk-Kul (702 m) and Great Slave Lake (614 m). m). Rest deepest lakes the world, there are twenty-two of them, have a depth of less than 600 meters. A climatic conditions on Baikal, as they say, matches its unique features: here the sun mercilessly scorches and cold winds blow, then storms rage and the quietest weather sets in, conducive to a beach holiday.

Features and mysteries of Baikal

The length of the coastline of the Siberian “crescent” is 2100 km, there are 27 islands on it, the largest of which is Olkhon. The lake is located in a kind of basin, which, as mentioned above, is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. This gives reason to assume that the shoreline of the reservoir is the same throughout. In fact, only the West Coast Baikal. The relief of the east is more flat: in some places Mountain peaks are located 10 kilometers or more from the coast.

Lake Baikal water

Clear water of Lake Baikal

23,615.39 km³ - this fantastic figure measures the reserves of Baikal water. According to this indicator, the lake is second only to the Caspian Sea. Considering that in the latter it is salty, it is Baikal that occupies the first place in the world ranking in terms of fresh water reserves, that is, suitable for drinking. In addition, it is extremely transparent, and all thanks to a very small amount of suspended and dissolved minerals, not to mention organic impurities - there are generally negligible amounts of them. At a depth of 35-40 meters, you can even distinguish individual stones, especially in spring, when the water turns blue. It is also distinguished by its huge reserves of oxygen. It is not for nothing that Baikal, for its combination of such unique properties and qualities, is called the national treasure of Russia.

The water in Baikal is very clean. Previously, you could drink it straight from the lake and not even boil it. But now crowds of tourists have flocked to Baikal, who still pollute this area, so now, before drinking Baikal water, you should ask local residents, in what place this can be done.

Ice of Baikal

The freeze-up period on the lake lasts on average from early January to early May. During this period it freezes almost completely. The only exception is a small 15-20 km section located at the source of the Angara. At the end of winter, the thickness of the ice can reach 1 meter, and in the bays it is even more – one and a half to two meters. During severe frosts, huge cracks form on the ice, which are called “stagnant cracks.” They are so impressive that they can reach from 10 to 30 km in length. The width, however, is small: only 2-3 m. Such “cracks” literally tear the ice blanket into separate fields. If it were not for the cracks, the formation of which is accompanied by a loud sound, like a cannon shot, then the lake fish would die en masse from lack of oxygen.

The ice of Lake Baikal also has a number of other features that are unique to it, and truly mysterious, which scientists have never been able to explain. Back in the middle of the last century, specialists from the local limnological station discovered the so-called “hills” - hollow ice hills in the shape of a cone, reaching a height of 5-6 meters. Being “open” in the direction opposite to the shore, they even somewhat resemble tents. Sometimes there are “single hills”, that is, located separately from each other. In some cases, they are grouped, forming “mountain ranges” in miniature.

Ice of Lake Baikal

Dark rings on the lake

Another mystery - dark rings, whose diameter is 5-7 km (and the width of the lake itself is 80 km). They have nothing in common with the “Saturn belt”, although they were also discovered through space photography. Satellite photographs of amazing formations, taken back in 2009 in different parts of Lake Baikal, went around the entire Internet. Scientists have been scratching their heads for a long time: what could it be? And they came to the conclusion that the rings arise due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the upper layer in the center of the ring structure. And as a result, a clockwise flow occurs, reaching maximum speeds in certain zones. As a result, vertical water exchange increases, provoking the destruction of the ice cover at an accelerated rate.

Bottom of Baikal

It is impossible not to say about the bottom of the amazing reservoir. It also differs from others, and above all in that it has a very pronounced relief - there are even underwater mountain ranges. The three main basins of the lake - northern, southern and middle, separated by the Academic and Selenginsky ridges - are distinguished by a pronounced bed. The first ridge (its maximum height above the bottom is 1848 meters) is especially expressive: it stretches for as much as 100 km from Olkhon Island to the Ushkany Islands.

Bottom of Lake Baikal

Earthquakes

Another feature of these places is high seismic activity. Oscillations of the earth's crust occur regularly here, but the strength of most earthquakes does not exceed one or two points. But there have been powerful ones in the past. For example, in 1862, when a ten-point “shake” led to the sinking of an entire section of land in the northern part of the Selenga delta, one of the many tributaries of Lake Baikal. Its area was 200 km, about 1,500 people lived on this territory. Later, a bay was formed here, which is called Proval. Strong earthquakes also occurred in 1903, 1950, 1957 and 1959. The epicenter of the latter, magnitude 9, was at the bottom of the lake in the area of the rural settlement of Sukhaya. The tremors were then also felt in Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude - about 5-6 points. In our time, the region shook in 2008 and 2010: the strength of the tremors was 9 and 6.1 points, respectively.

Origin of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal still hides the secret of its origin. Researchers often argue about its age, coming to the conclusion that it is at least 25-35 million years old. The indicator is impressive, especially considering that the life cycle of most lakes, primarily those of glacial origin, does not exceed 10-15 thousand years. After this period, they either become swamped or filled with silty sediments. Nothing like this has happened and is not happening with Baikal. And, according to scientists, it is unlikely to happen in the future. The lack of signs of aging is explained by the fact that the lake is... an emerging ocean. The hypothesis did not arise out of the blue: as it turned out, its banks move away from each other by 2 cm every year.

Flora and fauna

An interesting fact: the purity of Baikal water - by the way, very cold (the temperature of the surface layers even in the warm season does not exceed + 8-9 ° C on average) - is maintained by the microscopic crustacean epishura, one of the most famous local endemics. During its life, this 1.5-mm crustacean consumes organic matter (algae), passing water through its small body. The role of epishura in the lake’s ecosystem can hardly be overestimated: it forms 90 percent or more of its biomass, serving in turn as food for the Baikal omul and predatory invertebrates. Oligochaetes or oligochaete worms, 84.5 percent of which are endemic, also play a significant role in the self-purification processes of Baikal.

Of the 2,600 species and subspecies of the local fauna, more than half of the aquatic animals are endemic, that is, living exclusively in this lake. Other fish include grayling, Baikal sturgeon, whitefish, taimen, pike, burbot and others. Of particular interest is the golomyanka, which from a human point of view “suffers” from obesity: its body contains about 30% fat. She loves to eat so much that in search of food every day she makes a “journey” from the depths to shallow water, which surprises researchers a lot. This underwater resident is also unique in that it is a viviparous fish. Distant “neighbors” of golomyankas include freshwater sponges that grow at great depths. Their presence here is an exclusive phenomenon: they are not found in any other lake.

If the biosphere of the lake is imagined in the form of a pyramid, then it will be crowned by the Baikal seal or seal, which is the only mammal in this reservoir. Almost all the time he lives in water. The only exception is autumn, when seals lie en masse on rocky shores, forming a kind of “settlement”. The coast and islands are also inhabited by many other inhabitants of Lake Baikal, for example, seagulls, goldeneyes, razorbills, mergansers, white-tailed eagles and other birds. Characteristic of these places is the phenomenon of brown bears coming onto the shores in large numbers. And in the mountainous Baikal taiga you can find musk deer - the smallest deer on Earth.

Sights of Baikal

Lake Baikal is so majestic that it is often called the Siberian Sea. In 1996, it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. But not only due to the unique ecosystem that requires careful treatment - there are also many historical and architectural attractions concentrated here, not to mention natural and cultural monuments.

One of them is a protected rock called the Shaman Stone, located near the lake, at the source of the Angara. It can be seen in the middle of the river, between capes Rogatka and Ustyansky. If you focus on the line ferry crossing“Port Baikal”, then the rock will be 800 meters lower. Since ancient times, the Shaman Stone was endowed by the inhabitants of the Angara region with unusual powers; they prayed near it and performed various shamanic rituals.

Between the mainland and the Holy Nose Peninsula is located perhaps the most famous bay on Lake Baikal - Chivyrkuisky. Its area is approximately 300 km², it is the second largest on the lake, and is also shallow (depth about 10 m). Thanks to the latter circumstance, the water in the bay warms up well, on average up to +24 degrees. On southwest coast such settlements as Kurbulik, Katun and Monakhovo are located. The main wealth of the bay is its fish resources. Here you can find pike, perch, and sorog, the weight of which can reach tens of kilograms. However, fishing on an industrial scale is prohibited - only amateur fishing. Chivyrkuisky Bay is also famous for its thermal spring, one of the hottest: the temperature of the water used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system ranges from 38.5-45.5 °C. The source is located in Zmeinaya Bay, on the western side.

On the north-eastern coast of Lake Baikal there is a tract belonging to the natural-geographical region of Podlemorye. It is called Frolikha and includes the river of the same name, which flows into the Baikal Bay of Frolikha and flows out of the lake of the same name. In the river valley - its bed, by the way, is crossed by the famous a tourist route 95 km long - the Frolikhinsky reserve is located. Together with the Transbaikal National Park and the Barguzinsky Nature Reserve, it is subordinate to the federal budgetary government agency"Reserved Podlemorye".

Other attractions:

Northern Baikal is the last area on the great lake, the nature of which, due to its remoteness and lack of highways retains its originality,
Barguzin Bay is the largest and deepest on Lake Baikal,
Ushkany Islands are a small archipelago with rocky shores in the Barguzin region of Buryatia,
Peschanaya Bay, known for its unique picturesqueness,
Cape Ryty - extreme northern point coast, where there are extensive pastures, and one of the most anomalous places,
Cape Ludar, located near the old village of Zabaikalskoye,
Chersky peak - from its slopes the Slyudanka and Bezymyannaya rivers begin, flowing into Baikal,
The Circum-Baikal Railway, which has historical significance.

Holidays on Baikal

It is along the Circum-Baikal railway in the 80s of the 20th century, the Bureau of International Youth Tourism “Sputnik” (Irkutsk) developed the first ecological tour. Since that time, ecotourism on Lake Baikal has been actively developing, despite the fact that the tourism infrastructure here is not well developed and there are some transport difficulties. There are also problems associated with environmental pollution from emissions from the Baikal pulp and paper mill. But all of them are to some extent compensated for by activities to create and equip excursion trails, regularly carried out by tourism organizations in the region.

The most favorable time for relaxing on the lake is from May to October. You can swim in July and August, since these months are the hottest - the air warms up to +30° C, the shallow waters - up to +25° C. A vacation on Lake Baikal will satisfy the needs of even the most demanding tourists. Beach holiday, bicycle and car excursions, hiking along the coast, rafting on catamarans and kayaks, quad biking and even helicopter excursions - this is not a complete list of what travel agencies offer their clients. Climbing coastal cliffs and descending into caves are popular.

Fishing

Fishing should be mentioned separately. Many amateurs fish from the rocks adjacent to the lake. The most passionate fishermen prefer to settle in specialized bases, of which there are many here, and which differ in different levels of comfort. They go fishing on rented vessels. The most popular places on Baikal for fishing The already mentioned Chivyrkuisky Bay, Mukhor Bay, shallow bays of the Small Sea and, of course, the rivers flowing into it are considered. The largest of them (besides Selenga) are Upper Angara, Snezhnaya, Barguzin, Kichera, Turka, Buguldeika and Goloustnaya. And only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara.

Fishing on Baikal

Fishing, only ice fishing, also finds its fans in the winter season, which here lasts from late December to mid-May. Fans of the “second Russian hunt” are helped by professional instructors: without them, it is difficult for inexperienced fishermen to make the right hole in the unusually transparent ice. They willingly share secrets on how to organize comfortable stay in conditions of 40-degree frosts, which are not uncommon for Lake Baikal. And those who don’t want to test their health in extreme cold, go underwater fishing in March and April. At this time, the ice is still strong, and the air temperature begins to reach positive levels.

Winter sports

Among the winter activities, tourists are also offered dog sledding (the routes vary in complexity and length), snowmobiling (excursion programs are also different and depend on the level of preparedness of the riders), horseback riding alpine skiing, sleds and snowboards (you can rent ski equipment at numerous rental shops on the coast). In winter, as well as in summer, helicopter excursions are held in high esteem among vacationers, giving unforgettable experiences for a lifetime.

Children and youth tourism

Children's tourism is also quite developed on Lake Baikal, involving holidays in summer camps. We will immediately please parents: your children will not be bored here. Staying in a children's institution involves a rich excursion and creative program, including the holding of sanatorium and health-improving events at specialized bases. One of the most convenient places On Lake Baikal, Mandarkhan Bay is ideal for families with small children. It’s as if it was specially created by nature for this very purpose: it’s very shallow, and in the summer the water here is perhaps the warmest and children don’t risk catching a cold.

Young people are not left behind either. For her, interregional public organization The “Great Baikal Trail”, created in 2003, implements various international programs taking into account the specifics and needs of people under 30. For example, arrangement and reconstruction ecological trails, conducting educational lectures on the topic of nature conservation. Schoolchildren are also actively involved as listeners of the latter.

Video: The underwater world of Lake Baikal

Hotels and recreation centers on Lake Baikal

Many tourists come to relax on Lake Baikal, as they say, as savages, traveling in their own cars. They choose a place they like on the coast and stop there, spending the night in tents. There are very few campsites on the lake specially equipped for car travelers. Having planned to stay at such a site, you should take into account that in this place there may not be wood for a fire and basic amenities (for example, a toilet). Therefore, think in advance about how you will “survive”.

Those who prefer to travel in comfort, even minimal, will be spared such experiences. At their service are many hotels, recreation centers and guest houses scattered along the entire coast of Baikal. Moreover, every tourist will be able to find the most suitable accommodation option for him - taking into account, of course, individual preferences and financial capabilities. We are forced to upset the bohemian public: five-star hotels with the highest level there is no service here. She, like “mere mortals,” will have to be content with ordinary rooms with all amenities. Another note: some recreation centers accept vacationers only in the summer.

Tourists traveling independently run the risk of running into unscrupulous intermediaries when booking a hotel room or recreation center. To prevent this from happening, reserve a hotel room only through proven and reliable services, which will not only save you from scammers, but will also allow you to rent a room at the lowest cost, without unnecessary markups. We recommend Booking.com, one of the first and most popular online hotel booking systems.

How to get there

You can get to Baikal in various ways. The starting point is usually nearby big cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Severobaikalsk. Tourists first come to one of these settlements and already there plan their trip in detail. further route. The trip on the section of the Trans-Siberian Railway between Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk is especially memorable: the lake stretches right outside the train windows and you can admire its magical panorama for hours.

One of the most popular places The village of Listvyanka, located at the source of the Angara, is considered to be one of the most popular tourism destinations on the Siberian Sea, 65 km from Irkutsk. You can get here from the regional center by bus or boat, the journey time is just over an hour. All routes start in Irkutsk water transport, plying not only along Lake Baikal, but also on the Angara.

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