Lake Ladoga: description, depth, photo. Fishes of Lake Ladoga. Lake Ladoga History of the appearance of the lake

Ladoga lake is the largest freshwater lake on the European continent. For Russia, this lake has great industrial, environmental and historical significance. Another name option - Ladoga.

If you look at the map, you can see that the shores of Lake Ladoga belong to two Russian regions: the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad region. That is, it is located in the European part of the country.
On the north side Ladoga The shores are high, rocky, their relief is quite rugged, which explains the presence of a large number of peninsulas, bays, and small islands. From the south of Ladoga, the lake is surrounded by low, gentle, more even shores. The largest bays are also located here: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya, Shlisselburgskaya bays. The eastern coast is also not particularly rugged; there are sandy beaches. In the west the coastline is almost flat. Mixed forests and bushes grow here, and there are many on land near the water. large stones, which also cover the bottom under water for quite a distance.
They bring their waters into Ladoga lake There are 35 rivers, but only one flows out. The largest river bringing water is the Svir. What river flows from Lake Ladoga? This is the famous Neva, on which the second largest city stands Russian Federation- Saint Petersburg. Some rivers bring water into Ladoga from other lakes, such as Onega or Ilmen.
There are a large number of islands on the lake - at least five hundred. The largest islands Ladoga together they constitute the Valaam archipelago. The largest single island is Riekkalansari. Also large island is Konevets, where a famous monastery was built, just like on Valaam.

Dimensions, extent and depth of Ladoga

The depth of Lake Ladoga is uneven throughout its territory - it increases from south to north. The maximum depth of Lake Ladoga is 233 m. The average figure is much lower - 50 m. In the north of Lake Ladoga its depth varies from 70 to 230 m, and in the south - from 20 to 70.
The area of ​​Ladoga is 17.87 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water in Lake Ladoga is 838 cubic meters. km. The length from north to south of the lake is 219 km; at its widest point, Ladoga stretches for 125 km.

Climatic features of the area

Lake Ladoga has a generally temperate climate. In the geographical area where Lake Ladoga is located, not much sunlight penetrates throughout the year. Therefore, the evaporation of water from Ladoga occurs quite slowly. Most The days of the year are cloudy and cloudy here.
Between the end of May and mid-July Lake Ladoga you can observe the famous phenomenon of “white nights”, when at night the sun practically does not set beyond the horizon.
Throughout the year on Ladoga there are western and also southwest direction winds. In winter, Lake Ladoga freezes until the end of spring, but is completely covered with ice only in the coldest winters. This long period of glaciation affects water temperatures throughout the rest of the year. average temperature The water here is low: at depth it stays at 4°C, and on the surface Lake Ladoga Depending on the time of year and site, it can range from 2 °C to 24 °C. The water is not as clear as on Lake Baikal, but this may be due to the fact that many species of algae and small plankton live in it, and constant storms agitate its surface, churning up the foam.

History of Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers and over several thousand years its outlines formed and changed.
Until the 13th century, the lake was called Nevo, which apparently was directly related to the name of the Neva River. Then it was called Lake Ladoga, taking the name from the city of Ladoga located here. Many objects in this area have names originating from the Karelian language. But the most likely explanation for the name “Ladoga” is considered to be Finnish versions - from ancient words denoting water or the concept of “lower”, which are consonant with Ladoga. The name Nevo also has Finnish roots and can mean “swamp”. It is quite possible that in those days the lake gave reason to call itself that; there are many traces of swamps in this area.
Along Lake Ladoga, starting from the 9th century, the water part of the route “From the Varangians to the Greeks” passed from Scandinavia through the territory of Europe to the country of Byzantium. In the 8th century, the city of Ladoga was built here, and soon other cities and fortresses began to appear here. At the end of the 14th century the famous Valaam Monastery on islands of the same name, to this day its buildings are the pearl of wooden architecture.
For many years there was a war with the Swedish state for part of the lands lying on the shore of the lake. Peter I nevertheless managed to ensure that Ladoga became Russian. In 1721, according to an agreement with the Swedes concluded after the war, the entire coast of Lake Ladoga went to Russia.
To make navigation on Ladoga more accessible, a canal was built here.
During the difficult war years from 1939 to 1944. The Ladoga flotilla was based in Lake Ladoga and fought in its waters. In 1941–1944 more than half of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by enemy troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the “Road of Life” passed along the ice of Ladoga - the only path along which besieged Leningrad it was possible to deliver provisions and necessary things. The evacuation of people was also organized along it; in total, about 1.3 million people took advantage of the evacuation.
Thus, Ladoga is a lake that has special significance for Russian history.

Ecology of Lake Ladoga

Basically, the waters of Ladoga are very clean, but there are problem areas. This is largely due to the development of industrial zones near Lake Ladoga, as well as with the consequences of World War II. During the war, radioactive weapons were tested in this area and on some islands. In particular, the reaction of animals to the consequences of its use was studied. In addition, many sunken military ships and aircraft with ammunition create an unfavorable radiation background.
The number of contaminated places is growing. On the shores of Ladoga there are approximately 600 industrial enterprises that pollute the air, dump industrial waste into the Ladoga River and others, which then bring them into the lake. By the way, the correct answer to the question – Ladoga is a river or a lake is that it is both. There is a river and also a city with the same name. At the same time, historians claim that first the river received its name, then the city, and only after that Lake Nevo was renamed.
Pollution of Lake Ladoga today is considered to be at a moderate level. In some places there is an excess of radiation standards - where supplies were previously tested, as well as those closest to nuclear and other industrial enterprises.

Nature and fauna of Lake Ladoga

The nature of Lake Ladoga is very beautiful; this place is a very famous place for tourists and travelers to relax and go hiking. Majestic rocks, mountains, pine forests– all this creates a unique image of this place. Rare plants and animals are found in various nature reserves of Ladoga. Despite the difficult climate, even some southern plant species grow here, and in the north - typical representatives of the tundra (saxifrage). The forests on Lake Ladoga are not only coniferous, but also broad-leaved - with maples and elms.
Fauna Lake Ladoga includes representatives of the taiga: foxes, wolves, hares, bears, etc. There is also an original animal that is found only here - the Ladoga seal. This animal, which is more typical for the seas, feels great in the fresh water of Ladoga.
Lake Ladoga is home to approximately 50 species of fish. The most popular among fishermen and industrialists are smelt and pike perch.

Holidays on Lake Ladoga

Around Lake Ladoga you can find places to relax for every taste and for any purpose: recreational, hiking, entertainment. You can often meet fishing enthusiasts here. Everything you need for such activities is located at the recreation centers, including almost every one of them with instructors who will teach you the intricacies of this or that type of pastime.
People love diving here because of the large number of finds that can be found on the bottom and simply beautiful underwater views. You can also choose relaxing holiday on the beach when weather conditions permit.
Excursions to natural and historical attractions of Ladoga are also organized, for example, buildings remaining after the war, old fortresses or mountain peaks.

Attractions on Lake Ladoga

The sights of Lake Ladoga are worth talking about separately. Here is, for example, an interesting beautiful views almost untouched nature of the Nizhnesvirsky reserve. It lives in great amount species of birds and many animals.
The island of Valaam on Ladoga with the monastery of the same name is of historical, cultural and architectural value. Not to mention the fact that pilgrims come here from all over Russia and beyond.
The memorial complex dedicated to the Road of Life tells the story of the heroic feat of people who, in the most dangerous conditions, traveled on the ice of Lake Ladoga, risking falling through the ice or being shot at by the enemy. Still, they did this in order to save the lives of city residents who survived the terrible siege.
Also of historical and cultural interest on Lake Ladoga are the cities of Shlisselburg, founded by Peter I, with the Oreshek fortress, and Novaya Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in works of art

Ladoga is a lake that is reflected in folk legends and examples of folk art of the various peoples who lived here. These are mainly Karelian and Russian epics.
The famous Karelian folk composition "Kalevala", which was once passed down from mouth to mouth, describes the events that took place in the north of Lake Ladoga.
In his youth, Constantine Roerich made an expedition along the rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga and to the lake itself. From 1916, he lived in this area for two years and created several paintings, sketches, poems and fairy tales here.
Thanks to its amazing nature Lake Ladoga inspired primarily painters who were delighted with the local colors and landscapes. Many wrote about the Valaam Monastery, as its buildings looked especially impressive and mysterious against the backdrop of majestic nature. The lake with the sonorous name Ladoga also evokes fairy-tale scenes. Such masters of painting as F.A. Vasiliev, A.I. Kuindzhi, N.K. Roerich, I.I. Shishkin worked here.

Industry on the lake

The lake is used for the passage of ships whose routes along it are sections of the Volga-Baltic Route and the White Sea-Baltic Canal. The weather on the lake is very changeable and ships are often threatened by storms and high waves, so shipping is periodically suspended. Once upon a time there was even a widespread expression that if a sailor has not sailed on Ladoga, then he is not yet a real sailor. Such a phenomenon as complete calm is quite rare on this lake.
Various industrial cargo and construction materials are transported across Lake Ladoga. They also go here passenger ships And cruise ships, for the most part these are tourist routes.
About 10 species of fish, such as smelt, pike perch, and whitefish, are caught here on an industrial scale. Not far from the lake there are industrial enterprises: a paper and pulp plant, aluminum, oil and chemical production, etc.

Mysteries and secrets that the bottom of Lake Ladoga keeps

At the bottom of the lake there are many interesting things for researchers and lovers of various mysteries and secrets of things. Of course, the greatest luck is to find something very ancient, dating back to the Vikings. But the most common artifacts found are those left over from the Second World War. They are better preserved and easier to find. For example, the attractions of that time that attracted extreme tourists and divers included the so-called “Death Bay,” the bottom of which was practically covered with shell casings, since a fierce battle took place here in 1941.
Amateur divers find sunken ships and wartime aircraft. Unlike sea water, fresh water does not destroy and spoil sunken things so much, which is why the finds of Lake Ladoga are so attractive.

Europe is famous for its beauty and attractiveness. Its nature has more than once become the property of songs and legends, fairy tales and poems, essays and stories. Among all the diversity, water spaces stand out. Lake Ladoga is a bright representative. Its main difference from other water bodies is the 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 are 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 in total there are more than 650 of them. Nature has placed the islands so that over 500 of them are located in the northwestern part of the lake.

Rocky Islands are different bizarre shape and unusual shapes. Their height is 60-70 meters. It is especially interesting to observe the harmonious combination of coastline and island lines. The islands are separated from each other by numerous bays that cut into land areas.

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

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

Length coastline exceeds one and a half thousand kilometers. Scientists were able to calculate the coefficient of its ruggedness. It is 2.1, which suggests the presence of multiple bays. The bowl of the lake is distinguished by its impressive capacity, which is 908 cubic kilometers.

Lake depth

The average depth of Lake Ladoga is 51 meters. However, if we talk about the largest, the figure already grows to 230 meters. The depth map of Lake Ladoga also shows impressive indicators. It usually marks the areas that are considered the deepest.

The bottom topography is heterogeneous. Therefore, it is not surprising that the depth of Lake Ladoga varies throughout its entire water area. For example, in the southern part the bottom is flat and smooth. This helps reduce the 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 shallows, and 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. The 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 you can observe mountains and plains, depressions and potholes, hills and slopes.

Depressions up to 100 meters deep most often predominate. There are more than 500 of them in the northwestern part of the lake. Interestingly, such formations are concentrated in groups. And they, in turn, create a kind of labyrinth of bays. This phenomenon is called skerry. The depth map of Lake Ladoga allows you to verify 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 near the eastern coast it is 0.03. This is also considered a fairly important indicator.

Animal world

In a country like Russia, Lake Ladoga plays a huge role. It is called the supplier of drinking water for the northern capital of the state - St. Petersburg. However, in addition to this, Ladoga is home to a huge number of different animals. The main place among them, of course, is occupied by fish.

Today, more than 58 varieties and species of fish are known to exist in the waves of Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that there are also 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 the Baltic.

Unfortunately, due to massive fishing, not all of its former inhabitants remain in Ladoga today. Sometimes representatives of the fish kingdom disappear for no apparent reason. For example, sterlet. It no longer occurs in Ladoga waters, and researchers have never discovered the reason 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. It “wandered” to Ladoga from the Karelian Isthmus, where they began actively breeding it in the late 50s of the last century.

In addition, in the waters you can also find such fish as palia, salmon, pike perch, whitefish, bream, trout, ripus and vendace. 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, ruffe, blue bream, bleak and silver bream. They are considered no less tasty, but their use in food is represented in smaller quantities.

It is probably impossible to really name all the fish that are found in the waters of Lake Ladoga. There are so many inhabitants there that work to discover and study them continues to this day.

On the verge of extinction

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

The rivers are now clogged with lumber, making it difficult for salmon to spawn. In this regard, it was decided to suspend mass fishing. The corresponding law was passed back in 1960.

Another valuable fish is palia. 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 warm months it rises to 20-30. Reproduction occurs in mid-autumn.

Whitefish also live in Ladoga. Now there are seven varieties of them in the lake. Four of them, namely lake Ladoga, Ludog, black and Valaam, are considered exclusively riverine, and the other three - Svir, Vuoksa 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.

Just recently, people were massively engaged in catching whitefish, but now this species is on the verge of extinction. A peculiar reason for this can be called the construction of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station dam. Pisces were unable to overcome such an obstacle, and the measures people took to achieve 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 talk about its wide drainage basin. Its area exceeds 250 thousand square kilometers. Not every lake can boast such figures.

Finland and Karelia, located nearby, share water resources with Ladoga; rivers also carry their waves from the Novgorod, Pskov and Vologda lands. The 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 part of Ladoga, river waters accumulate in nearby lakes, including Saimaa, Onega and Ilmen. They, in turn, allow the formation of 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 geographic area we are considering 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 the standards of rivers - 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.

The Baltic crystalline shield lies in the northeastern part of the lake. That is why the deepest and loudest tributaries flow into Ladoga from that side. Very often they turn into full-flowing stormy streams, encountering rocks on their way that are quite difficult to erode.

Tributary Svir

Lake Ladoga is located in Russia, and its deepest stream is called the Svir. This river flows from the Svirskaya Bay of Lake Onega, and flows into Ladoga from the southeast.

Its length is about 224 kilometers. The river includes two large tributaries, which are named Pasha and Oyat. It is interesting that the origin of this object is still covered in secrets and mysteries.

The Svir River itself and its banks are not distinguished by the picturesqueness inherent in Ladoga. The description of Lake Ladoga tells about the amazing beauty of its shores, which Svir cannot boast of. Its coastline is covered with alder bushes and marshy plants, and there are coniferous forests. 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 piles of boulders presented a serious obstacle to navigation. Locals very often they rescued sailors, helping them cope with crossings. Very often, residents of coastal villages and towns themselves served as sailors, pilots and even captains. The proximity to a deep river left its mark on the character and way of life of the people.

But if we talk about the animal world, it is quite large. It is in the waters of this river that salmon spawning is often observed. In spring you can find schools of these fish heading to the mouth of the Svir. The tributaries Oyat and Pasha 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 travel to Ladoga to admire the amazing beauty of nature and see with their own eyes one of the largest lakes in the world.

In order not to make a mistake, you should know when it is better to go and what time to give preference.

A trip here in May and June will be foggy in the truest sense of the word. At the end of May and beginning of June, thick fogs descend on Ladoga, in which it is quite easy to get lost. 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 surrounding beauty.

This time is considered quite cold for those places. In the evening, the skerries can be covered with a thin crust of ice, and the wind brings dampness. Of particular interest are the few hours after sunny weather. At such moments, the lake shines with calm and attractiveness. However, the very next moment a breeze blows in. It causes meter-long 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 cleanliness of the lake is also called a virtue. The bottom, even at a depth of several meters, can be seen extremely clearly. It is believed that if you drink water at such a moment, happiness will not take long to arrive. The water itself is clean and tasty.

Those people who value comfort and coziness should visit Ladoga in the last two months of summer. This period is considered the best for proper rest. In this case, the air and water temperatures exceed 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.

For those people who travel to Ladoga with the aim of admiring local beauties, it is worth choosing the autumn months, when literally the entire coast shimmers with gold and bronze. In October, the weather worsens, accompanied by fog and storms. At such times you can meet many artists and landscape painters here. They try to capture the lush beauty of Ladoga.

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

A trip to the coast of Lake Ladoga will surely be memorable for everyone. What 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.

And meridians 29°48 and 32°58` east longitude from Grinich. With an oval shape, somewhat pointed to the north, the lake stretches almost along the meridian, along which it has the greatest length of 196.5 kilometers. The greatest width of the lake is almost in the middle of its length, at the parallel of 61° north latitude, and between the mouths of Vuoksa and Olonka, 124 kilometers.

To the north, the shores of the lake quickly narrow and end in the Hien-Selke Bay, and to the south, the shores narrow slowly and end in the vast Shlisselburg and Volkhov bays, separated by a wide ledge. The length of the coastline is 1071 km, of which 460 km occupy part of the western bank, from the border with the Polutnoye stream to the source of the Neva, the entire South coast and 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 in Russia and 7041.6 km2 in Finland, second in size big lakes and America, Lake Ladoga is significantly larger than all European lakes: it is twice as large, three times as large as Venus, five times as large and ten times as large as Saimaa, not to mention the rest of the Western European lakes.

Lake Ladoga serves as a receiver for a huge amount of water, the only one of which is the high-water Neva, flowing from the southwestern corner of the lake in 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 from Lake Saimaa and forming famous waterfall Imatru, flows into Lake Ladoga partly directly at Kexholm, partly through Lake Suvanto by the Taipala River; in the northern part: Gellul, Lyaskil, Uksu, Tuloma, and Minol; in the eastern part: Vidlitsa, Tuloksa, Olonka, Obzha, Svir with Oyat and Pasha and Voronega; in the southern part: Sias with Tikhvinka, Volkhov, Kobona, Lava, Sheldikha and Nazya. The tributaries of the Volkhov, Syas and Svir serve as the beginning of three water systems: Vyshnevolotskaya, Tikhvinskaya and Mariinskaya, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Volga basin, and each of the named rivers, together with the rest of the southern rivers, when they flow into the lake, is connected or intersected by old and new bypasses Ladoga canals, which stretch along the entire southern and often eastern shore of the lake, 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 parts of Finland, St. Petersburg and Olonets, almost all of Novgorod and some parts of Pskov, Vitebsk, Tver and Arkhangelsk regions. The Ladoga basin contains a space of 250,280.3 km2. Although Lake Ladoga, located between the basin and and, occupies a very advantageous position, and in terms of its vastness, depth and excellent navigation conditions it itself constitutes an inland sea, but its navigation and trade and economic importance are extremely insignificant, due to the bypass Ladoga canals, which made the construction of marine-type vessels necessary for navigation in the lake completely unnecessary.

Bay, Lake Ladoga and rocks (photo by Oleg Semenenko)

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. Up to the mouth of Taipala, the coast is still quite elevated, but further to the south there is a low-lying desert coast, partly sandy and partly covered with thick grass. The southern shore of the lake, between the source of the Neva and the mouth of the Svir, is low-lying, almost treeless and consists of clayey and swampy soil; formed by sediment from 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, was once the shore of Lake Ladoga. Currently, they are located at a distance of 3 to 30 kilometers from it, and only near the mouth of the Svir the limestones with their rocky cliffs cut like a wedge into the shore of the lake, towards Cape Storozhensky, forming the outskirts of a peninsula that protrudes far into the lake.

Eastern coast, from the mouth of the Svir to lake. Karkun-lamba, at first low-lying and partly swampy, gradually rises and consists of clayey and loamy soil, which on the very coastline turns into purely sandy. The coastal area of ​​the northwestern part of the lake is in complete contrast to the southeastern part. Here the shores and those adjacent to them are elevated, rocky and consist mainly of granite, partly gneiss, syenite and other crystalline rocks, as well as various types of marble.

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

Islands in their composition and height they correspond to the shore near which they are located. Almost all the islands in the northern part of the lake are elevated, consisting mainly of granite and hard rock, while the islands in the southern part are low-lying, partly marshy and surrounded by shallows and reefs. Thanks to the many islands and significant ruggedness of the coast, Northern part the lake is very rich in bays and bays sheltered from the winds, representing very comfortable places for a quiet anchorage of ships, but in the southern part of the lake there are almost no such places with almost everything, as a result of which here ships, in strong winds, are forced to settle in open lake, mainly in the open and dangerous Koshkinsky roadstead.

Of the islands in the northern part of the lake, near the shores, the most remarkable are: the island of Kuko-sari, lying at the mouth of the Vuoksi River. In the Kronober Bay: Kilpodan, Korpan and Teposari, the last two of which form the entrance to the bay, which is a vast bay, completely calm for ships. The island of Sarolin, which makes up the left shore of Yakimvar Bay, is 12 km away. jutting out into the mainland and representing a safe bay with all sorts of conditions.

Of the islands in the middle of the northern part of the lake, the following stand out: the Valaam group, consisting of 40 islands that stretch parallel, at a distance of about 20 km. from the extreme islands of the northern skerries. The main and largest of this group is the island of Valaam (26.2 km2), which has a very irregular shape, but with the closely adjacent islands of Skitsky, Predtechensky and Nikonovsky, it appears in the form of an equilateral triangle. In its northwestern part, on a rock, the Valaam-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located, in the depths of the bay, with a convenient pier. To the east of Valaam stretch the islands: Baiovye and Krestovye. To the southwest 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 Vasiya-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 more elevated the shores adjacent to the water's edge, the greater the depth and vice versa. From the southern low-lying shore, the depth, starting from half a meter, slowly and gradually increases; having passed the reefs and shoals protruding from this shore, it begins to quickly increase, so that in the middle of the lake it ranges from 60 to 110 m, further to the north it increases to 140, and in some places reaches 200 meters. Thus Ladoga bottom has a very significant slope from south to north, and it consists of a series of more or less irregular ledges, on which in some places there are significant mounds and hills, in places there are depressions and basins. Thus, 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 currents. The water level of Lake Ladoga is subject to constant fluctuations, depending on the totality of all meteorological circumstances in the entire basin of the lake, as a result of which the height of lake water not only in different years, but also at different times of the same year can be very different. Since time immemorial, the existing belief about the seven-year periodicity of changes in the lake water level, according to which the lake water horizon constantly seems to rise 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 of which there was no correctness in changing the position of the water level.

Opening and freezing. First of all, it is covered thin ice shallow southern part of the lake, usually in early November, sometimes at the end of October, at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. This thin ice or lard is carried by the current into the Neva, where the autumn ice drift begins and 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 shore 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 up the formed ice, the lake does not freeze for a long time, and at great depths in the northern part it freezes only in December, often in January, in other years the middle of the lake remains unfrozen all winter .

In general, the lake is covered with solid ice only in the most severe winters; during ordinary frosts, only the outskirts, 20-30 kilometers from the shores, are covered with ice. Determining whether the middle of the lake is frozen or not seems to be quite difficult, due to the distance of the middle of the lake from the shore. Fishermen who carry out ice seine fishing determine this with great accuracy by the current in the ice holes: if in the ice holes there is a current corresponding to the direction of the wind, then the middle of the lake remains unfrozen, but the absence of a current shows that the entire lake is covered with solid ice.

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

For all the great lakes, except Pskov-Chudskoye, Lake Ladoga is the last one. Therefore, its basin is very large: 258.6 thousand km2. (Ivanova and Kirillova, 1966). This basin contains about 50,000 smaller lakes, many swamps and 3,500 rivers (each more than 10 km long); total length rivers are about 45,000 km (Nezhikhovsky, 1955). The marshes and complex lake systems of the basin regulate the flow into Lake Ladoga and its water regime. Rivers, passing through intermediate lakes, leave in them a lot of suspended mineral particles they carry and reach Ladoga with noticeably clarified water. River floods spread out onto lakes.

The Neva does not become shallow at any time of the year, and there are no floods on it. Fluctuations in the level of the river depend mainly on the surge and surge winds. With strong winds blowing downstream of the river, the water level can drop by 1 meter; with surge winds from the Gulf of Finland, the level sometimes rises to dangerous levels, and Leningrad is subject to floods. The Neva is original not only for its full flow and its hydrological regime. Unlike normal rivers, it does not have real river terraces, nor does it have a real delta. Typically, river deltas arise as a result of the deposition at the mouth of a river of the sediment that the river carries. But in the Neva, flowing from such a huge sedimentation basin as Lake Ladoga, there is very little sediment. Consequently, the settling of silt at the mouth of the Neva could not lead to the formation of a delta in the usual way.

And the Neva delta, consisting of 101 islands and occupying an area of ​​83 km2, arose differently. The Baltic Sea was once larger than it is now. Shrinking in volume and retreating westward from the mouth of the Neva, it drained the coastal shallows and turned them into islands. The Neva waters rushed between the islands, and the river began to flow into the sea not in one, as before, but in several branches. This is how the “delta” turned out. It was formed approximately 2000 years ago.

As already noted, the northern part of Lake Ladoga lies on the Baltic crystalline shield, the southern part on the Russian Platform. The southern border of the shield in the areas closest to Ladoga runs approximately along the line Vyborg - Priozersk - the mouth of the river. Vidlitsy - the source of the river. Sviri.

The ancient rocks that make up the Baltic Shield emerge on the surface, being covered in places by only a thin (several meters) layer of loose Quaternary sediments. Among the Archean rocks, the main place in the structure of the shield is occupied by various granites, migmatites, gneisses, and crystalline schists. Gneisses, shales, quartzites, sandstones, conglomerates, crystalline and dolomitized limestones, as well as tuffaceous and volcanic rocks form the Proterozoic sedimentary complex.

Igneous rocks of the same age include gabbro, gabbro-diabase and diabase intrusions. On the northwestern and northeastern coasts of Lake Ladoga there are numerous outcrops of migmatites, gneisses, crystalline schists, and rappakivi granites; The Valaam archipelago and the group of islands Mantsinsari and Lunkulansari are composed of olivine diabases.

To the south of the Baltic shield, Early Cambrian deposits of the Russian Platform are exposed on the surface in the area of ​​Lake Ladoga, which, unlike the shield, was repeatedly covered by the sea in Paleozoic times. The Cambrian sequence is represented by two complexes: the Valdai, developed everywhere and consisting of variegated sandstones and thin-layered shales, and the Baltic, composed of sandstones, sands and plastic blue clays, so fine-grained and greasy that they were sometimes used instead of soap when washing clothes.

There is no Baltic complex on the Karelian Isthmus; it exists only on the southeastern coast of Ladoga. The thickness of the cover of loose Quaternary sediments in the Ladoga part of the Russian Platform reaches tens of meters.

The surface of the crystalline basement, exposed on the Baltic shield and gradually disappearing to the south and east under the Paleozoic sediments of the Russian Platform (in the Neva delta at a depth of 200 m, in the southern Ladoga region - 300-400 m), is very uneven; it is fragmented by cracks and faults into separate protrusions and depressions. In such tectonic depressions, called grabens, lie the basins of Lakes Ladoga and Onega. Protrusions and depressions of the relief stretch within the Baltic Shield in a completely straight line for many kilometers from northwest to southeast or from north to south.

The straightness of relief formations and the hydrographic network itself indicates that these forms were created by tectonics, the internal forces of the Earth. And the longer these formations, the more reliable the assumption about their tectonic origin, since exogenous factors, due to their large number and variability, are not able to create rectilinear forms several kilometers long.

The difference is geological structure different parts of the Lake Ladoga basin is also reflected in the structure of the lake basin. Thus, the bottom topography of the northern part of the basin seems to repeat the topography of the adjacent land and consists of deep-water depressions alternating with shallower areas. Depths of more than 100m predominate.

In the southern part of the lake, the bottom is more even, the depths gradually decrease from 100 m in the north to 10 m or less in the south (in Petrokrepost Bay, depths on average range from 3 to 7 meters). There are many sandy and rocky spits and shoals, as well as accumulations of boulders at the bottom (Davydova, 1968).

Lake Ladoga (also known as Ladoga, previously called Nevo) is considered the largest freshwater reservoir in Russia. Ladoga in its popularity is only slightly inferior to Baikal, known throughout the world. Hundreds of tourists come to its coast every year to enjoy the wonderful views and capture the beauty of these places in their memory.

In this article you will learn the main features of this reservoir - where it is located, what characteristics it has, what surrounds the lake, what flora and fauna there are, what it is like in winter and summer.

Lake Ladoga belongs to two territories - eastern and north shore are located in the Republic of Karelia, and the southern and western ones delight the residents of the Leningrad region. The lake belongs to the pools Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea.

Characteristics

Lake area

If you take total area Ladoga, it turns out impressive figure- 17,870 km², and if you also take into account the islands, then it comes out to 18,320 km². The volume of water in the lake is 838 km³. The maximum recorded width is 125 kilometers, and the total coastal length is as much as 1,570 kilometers.

The height above sea level is small - only 4.8 meters, but the depth is dozens more. It is impossible to accurately measure the depth throughout the lake; it is uneven - in the northern part the range varies from 70 to 220 meters, in the southern part - from 19 to 70 meters. But it was possible to measure the greatest depth; in Lake Ladoga it is 230 meters.

Water temperature

Like the entire Leningrad region, Lake Ladoga remains in a cold and rainy haze all year round. The average water temperature in warm periods of the year is about +19. In autumn it drops to +10 degrees, and in winter frosts it drops to -3 degrees. In August, if the year is successful, you can catch a temperature of +24 degrees on the surface of the lake, but closer to the bottom it will be only +17 degrees. At a depth of more than 200 meters, the water temperature is almost always +3, +4.

Nature of Ladoga

Northern and east coast(Karelia) belongs to the middle taiga zone, and part of the lake in the Leningrad region belongs to the southern taiga subzone. The northern subzone is characterized by the appearance of mosses and shrubs (mainly blueberries, blueberries), and an abundance of spruce forests; the southern part is inherently dark coniferous forests, linden and maple are sometimes found, but the moss cover is less developed.

In Ladoga, scientists count more than 110 species of aquatic plants. There are more than 76 subspecies of blue-green algae alone, and there are also green algae and diatoms. Together with the violent underwater world Planktonic animals also found shelter. The lake is home to cladoceran copepods, rotifers, daphnia, cyclops, water mites, big variety worms, molluscs and other crustaceans.

The waters of Ladoga are rich not only in mites and single-celled organisms; more than 50 species of fish are found here. For example, Ladoga slingshot, trout, whitefish, salmon, bream, smelt, rudd, pike perch, catfish, cheese, asp, palia, roach, perch, pike, sturgeon, silver bream, burbot and many others. The area of ​​the lake richest in seafood is the shallow southern zone, where the depth is only 20 meters. But in the northern deep-sea region, the catch will be less varied.

In addition to fish, this reservoir can also show tourists more than 200 species of birds. The most attractive place for birds to live is the southern zone, however, many birds can be seen in Karelia. On the territory of Lake Ladoga there are: gulls, dabbling ducks, geese, swans, cranes and waders, eagle owls, grebes, short-eared owls, ospreys, falcons, herbal birds, golden plovers and even a white-tailed eagle.

Lake Ladoga became the habitat for the world's only representative of pinnipeds - the Ladoga ringed seal (a special subspecies of the ringed seal). There are about 4,000 of them in the world, so these animals are listed in the Red Book and are strictly protected by law.

Cities

The following cities are located on the shores of the lake itself: Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Sortavala, Shlisselburg, Pitkyaranta and Lakhdenpokhya. The largest of them are Priozersk and Novaya Ladoga, although the number of people there does not exceed the 50 thousand level.

Larger cities are located near Lake Ladoga, for example, St. Petersburg. From northern capital In Russia, you can get to Lake Ladoga in various ways, starting from public transport(trains, buses, trains, ferries) and ending with travel by car. In this case, the travel time will be no more than three hours, and if you use a car and plot the correct route on the map, you can get it done in an hour and a half.

From the northern part, the closest city to Ladoga is Petrozavodsk. From there you can also get there by car or using public transport. However, you will have to spend a little more than 4 hours on the road.

Climate and seasons of Lake Ladoga

It is no secret to avid tourists that in the autumn and winter months Ladoga looks extremely inhospitable. Even in Karelia, where there are picturesque rocks all around and wildflowers making their way among the thick grass, Lake Ladoga is inhospitable.

During cold periods, the lake is affected by an Arctic anticyclone, which brings strong gusts of wind, storms, prolonged rains and sub-zero air temperatures. In October, the storm season begins, it becomes damp and wet, and frequent fog appears on the lake. The only outlet for lovers autumn holiday It is September, in this month Ladoga is more or less ready to share its beauty - heavy rains do not come often, the water surface is calm and clean, the air retains a piece of summer.

In summer, the reservoir kindly welcomes guests with a southern anticyclone, delighting with picturesque places and clear water. Only seasoned people will be able to swim here, but everyone will be able to enjoy the beauty. The average air temperature in July and August exceeds +20 degrees, so tourists will definitely be able to capture the glare of the sun playing on the surface of Ladoga.

 

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