The oldest lake.
Baikal is one of the wonders of Russia. The depth of Lake Baikal is a record. The next African lake, Tanganyika, has a depth of 200 meters less. The reservoir is popular among tourists and researchers. Until now, the secrets of Lake Baikal have not been fully revealed and excite scientists.
Where is
Located almost in the center of Eurasia, in Western Siberia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Buryat Republic, Baikal has the shape of a huge crescent. In area it is equal to the Netherlands, Belgium or Denmark. Surrounded by mountains and hills, the reservoir occupies a huge pit. A very interesting question is how deep Lake Baikal is. We'll talk about this later, but now we'll describe the coastline. In the eastern part it is relatively flat, the mountains are tens of kilometers away. West Bank mountainous lakes.
The area where Lake Baikal is located is seismically active. Earthquakes of small magnitude occur regularly; there are also strong ones, the echoes of which are felt even in Irkutsk. So, in the second half of the 19th century, an earthquake with a magnitude of 10 occurred. As a result, an area of land of 200 square meters was flooded. km, where 1300 people lived. Strong tremors were noted in 1959 (9 points), in 2008 (9 points) and 2010 (6 points).
History of the lake and its name
For a long time it was believed that the age of Baikal is 25-30 million years. But recent studies of the topography of the lake bottom with its mud volcanoes have shown that it is up to 150 thousand years old. In this regard, Baikal is also unique, because middle age lakes of similar origin - 10-15 thousand years.
The rift basin in which Baikal is located is similar in structure to the Dead Sea basin. Its depth is the depth of Lake Baikal. Scientists have different opinions on the formation of the basin.
There are 3 versions:
- The depression is the result of a transform fault.
- The depression arose as a result of the action of a hot mantle flow located under the lake.
- The depression was formed as a result of minor collisions between the Hindustan and the Eurasian plate.
It is obvious that as a result of seismic activity, the topography of the bottom of Lake Baikal is changing and is still subsiding.
The origin of the name of the lake is unclear, but all four points of view reflect the greatness of the reservoir and indirectly indicate the depth of Baikal: Japanese - “great water”, Turkic - “rich lake”, Mongolian - “rich fire” and Chinese - “northern sea” . In our country, the modern name began to be used in the 17th century, it was borrowed from the Buryats (Beighel): in the Russian language the word was assimilated and the usual pronunciation was established - Baikal.
Landscape and climate features
The record depth of Lake Baikal and the vast watershed area determine local climate. Mild winters, but fairly cool summers, long autumns and long springs - these are the climatic characteristics of the areas adjacent to the lake. Also, the weather of Baikal is influenced by local specific winds, such as Barguzin or Kultuk. Due to the current winds, Baikal is considered one of the most restless lakes in the world.
Another remarkable property of the climate is mirages, which appear up to 7 times a year and last for 5-6 hours. They arise due to the difference in air temperature on the surface of the water and the space above it. Mirages occur due to the refraction of rays. Landscape objects can be visually raised above the surface of the water so that the horizon is visible. Another type of mirages is when natural objects that are thousands of kilometers distant optically come closer.
Waters of Baikal: features and currents
Since ancient times, the water of the lake has fascinated local residents: they idolized it and used it for treatment. It is saturated with oxygen, close in composition to distilled water, and due to the action of microorganisms it is practically devoid of minerals. The volume of Baikal water makes up 90% of Russia's fresh water reserves and 20% of the world's. For comparison, there is more water in our great lake than in the 5 largest American lakes combined.
The transparency of Baikal water is surprising: visibility reaches 40 meters. True, this figure can drop to 10 meters during the flowering period of plants. Depending on the time of year and the activity of plants and microorganisms, Baikal water changes its color from bright blue in cold weather to green in summer and autumn.
Baikal is saturated with 336 rivers and streams that constantly flow into it. Turka, Snezhnaya, Upper Angara, Sarma are the largest of them. The Angara is the only river flowing from Lake Baikal.
Depth indicators
What is the depth of Lake Baikal? It is determined by the origin and parameters of the depression in which the lake is located. The last depth studies were carried out in 1983, they were confirmed in 2002. The lake is mesmerizing: with an average of 730 meters, the maximum depth of Baikal is 1630 meters. There are two more lakes on Earth that have a depth of more than 1000 meters: Tanganyika and the Caspian Sea. Moreover, in the latter the water is salty, not fresh. Even the average depth of Lake Baikal is amazing - few lakes on Earth can boast a value of 730 meters.
There are currents on the surface of Lake Baikal, encircling its shores and the largest islands. In certain places (the western coast of the Small Sea) the current is quite strong, so even in calm weather the ships drift. The decrease in the intensity of water movement is influenced by the depth of Lake Baikal in a given place and the distance from the coastline.
Flora and fauna
Baikal is unique for its flora and fauna: two thirds of animal representatives live exclusively here. Oxygenated water provides a favorable environment for species to reproduce. Scientists have discovered only 70% of the fauna of Lake Baikal. The basis of the lake's food chain is made up of epishura crustaceans; in addition, they perform an important function of purifying water - passing it through themselves. The Baikal fauna includes 56 species of fish. Among them, a unique species is the golomyanka. The fish is interesting because it does not lay eggs, but gives birth to live fry. The golomyanka consists of 43% fat; in search of food, it migrates from great depths to shallow ones.
The seal is the only mammal that lives on Lake Baikal.
From flora One can note sponges, which grow at great depths and are the oldest inhabitants of Lake Baikal.
The uniqueness of the lake is recognized throughout the world. Not only the depth of Lake Baikal is taken into account, but also its unique ecosystem. The climate and geographical features of the lake attract tourists and scientists from all over the world.
Baikal is one of the most famous lakes in the world. There are legends about him. It delights and surprises travelers and tourists. In size it is a huge sea. The water surface area is over 31 thousand km², and the length of the coastline is 2100 km. Therefore, it is one of the seven largest lakes on the planet. It’s not just the size of the water surface that is striking. The landscapes are also very beautiful. The lake in the shape of an elongated crescent is surrounded by rocks, forested mountains, and cliffs. There are bays of extraordinary beauty with sandy beaches. The numerous islands on the lake are impressive, especially the largest Olkhon.
What is Lake Baikal famous for? This is a miracle lake. It does not age and is distinguished by its horizontal as well as impressive vertical dimensions. The composition of the water, the richness and uniqueness of the flora and fauna are surprising. You won't see this anywhere else. The lake is home to about 2,600 species and subspecies of animals and about 600 species of plants. Of these, over half of the animals are endemic, that is, they cannot live in other waters and will die. This also applies to the majority aquatic plants. Baikal is included in the World Natural Heritage List.
Forever young lake
The lake is 25-35 million years old. So many ordinary lakes do not exist. They survive no more than 15 thousand years, and then they fill with silt and die. Baikal does not age. It is even hypothesized that the lake is a nascent ocean. It expands by 2 cm per year. Therefore, Baikal is unique as a lake.
The lake is located in a large depression with a relief bottom. She's going through earth's crust and immersed in the mantle. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. Its depth is 1642 m. In this parameter, it is ahead of two other lakes of outstanding size, including the Caspian Sea. This basin contains huge volumes of fresh water. This represents almost 20% of the world's freshwater reserves.
Wonderful water
Dozens of rivers and streams flow into Baikal, but only one flows out - the Angara. The main feature of Baikal water is its purity and transparency. The amazing beauty of the stones, natural world visible through a huge thickness of water. This is due to the fact that it contains few suspended substances. A clean source of water is not rivers. The water is purified by some living organisms in the lake itself. Water is like distilled water. It contains a lot of oxygen.
Note! The lake is cold. Even in summer time The water is cool and warms up to about +9 °C, in the lower layers - +4 °C. However, in some bays it is quite comfortable to swim, since the water temperature can reach 23 °C.
In spring, the clear water surface of the lake is especially good. It appears blue, and the transparency is the highest - up to 40 m. This is due to the fact that the inhabitants of the lake in cold water have not yet reproduced enough. By summer, the water will warm up a little, and a lot of living organisms will develop. The water will turn green, and visibility in the water column will decrease by 3-4 times.
Many people express their wish to spend a vacation on the coast of Lake Baikal - there are stunning picturesque places, many different recreation centers. But how to get to this tourist oasis and how many km to Lake Baikal? It all depends on where you are going from, what road and what type of transport.
How many km from Moscow to Lake Baikal
There are two main routes from the capital to Lake Baikal - through the cities of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. Many people prefer the first option, since the second route is at least 60 km longer, and planes fly to Ulan-Ude less often. There are three ways to get to your final destination:
- by plane;
- by train;
- by car.
Let's say you decide to go by car. From Moscow to Irkutsk you will need to cover 5030 km. This is about a hundred hours' drive. Seventy kilometers is how many kilometers from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal. If we are talking about the nearest locality– Listvyanka, then it’s 66 km. That is, another hour’s drive from Irkutsk. By the way, electric trains constantly run from this city to the lake coast. There is also transport from Ulan-Ude, including taxis.
It must also be taken into account that the length of Lake Baikal is more than six hundred kilometers, so if you are planning to get to its furthest point, add on the additional mileage.
By the way, you can also get to Baikal by plane from other cities - for example, from St. Petersburg, Yekateringburg, Vladivostok, and so on.
If you travel by plane, you will spend five to six hours in the air. But you need to take into account that by mid-summer ticket prices rise significantly.
Baikal: length in km
As you know, this is the most deep lake in the world and one of the most ancient. According to scientists, this lake is about 25-30 million years old.
The length of Baikal is 636 km. This is as much as the length of Lake Baikal from north to south. The widest part is in the central part, 81 kilometers, the narrowest part is from 25 kilometers. The length of the coastline is more than two thousand kilometers. By the way, there is data on the length of Lake Baikal from northeast to southwest - 620 km.
Numerous scientific studies have been devoted to the problem of the origin of the word “Baikal,” which indicates a lack of clarity on this issue. There are about a dozen possible explanations for the origin of the name. Among them, the most probable version is considered to be the origin of the name of the lake from the Turkic-speaking Bai-Kul - rich lake.
Of the other versions, two more can be noted: from the Mongolian Baigal - rich fire and Baigal Dalai - large lake. The peoples who lived on the shores of the lake called Baikal in their own way. Evenks, for example, - Lamu, Buryats - Baigal-Nuur, even the Chinese had a name for Baikal - Beihai - North Sea.
The Evenki name Lamu - Sea was used for several years by the first Russian explorers in the 17th century, then they switched to the Buryat Baigal, slightly softening the letter “g” by phonetic replacement. Quite often Baikal is called the sea, simply out of respect, for its violent temper, because the distant opposite shore is often hidden somewhere in the haze... At the same time, a distinction is made between the Small Sea and the Big Sea. The Small Sea is what is located between the northern coast of Olkhon and the mainland, everything else is the Big Sea.
Baikal water
Baikal water is unique and amazing, like Baikal itself. It is unusually transparent, clean and saturated with oxygen. In not so ancient times, it was considered healing, and diseases were treated with its help. In spring, the transparency of Baikal water, measured using a Secchi disk (a white disk with a diameter of 30 cm), is 40 m (for comparison, in the Sargasso Sea, which is considered the standard of transparency, this value is 65 m). Later, when massive algae blooms begin, the transparency of the water decreases, but in calm weather the bottom can be seen from a boat at a fairly decent depth. Such high transparency is explained by the fact that Baikal water, thanks to the activity of living organisms living in it, is very weakly mineralized and close to distilled.
The volume of water in Baikal is about 23 thousand cubic kilometers, which is 20% of the world's and 90% of Russian fresh water reserves. Every year, the Baikal ecosystem reproduces about 60 cubic kilometers of clear, oxygenated water.
Age of Lake Baikal
Usually in the literature the age of the lake is given as 20-25 million years. In fact, the question of the age of Baikal should be considered open, since the use of various methods for determining age gives values from 20-30 million to several tens of thousands of years. Apparently, the first assessment is closer to the truth - Baikal is indeed a very ancient lake. If we assume that Baikal is actually several tens of millions of years old, then it is the oldest lake on Earth.
It is believed that Baikal arose as a result of tectonic forces. Tectonic processes also occur in present time, which manifests itself in increased seismicity in the Baikal region.
Climate in the area of Lake Baikal.
The climate in Eastern Siberia is sharply continental, but the huge mass of water contained in Baikal and its mountainous surroundings create an extraordinary microclimate. Baikal works as a large thermal stabilizer - in winter it is warmer on Baikal, and in summer it is a little cooler than, for example, in Irkutsk, which is located 70 km from the lake. The temperature difference is usually about 10 degrees. A significant contribution to this effect is made by forests growing almost along the entire coast of Lake Baikal.
The influence of Baikal is not limited to regulation temperature regime. Due to the fact that evaporation cold water from the surface of the lake is very insignificant; clouds cannot form over Baikal. In addition, the air masses that bring clouds from land heat up when they pass over the coastal mountains, and the clouds dissipate. As a result, the sky over Lake Baikal is clear most of the time. This is also evidenced by the numbers: the number of hours of sunshine in the area of Olkhon Island is 2277 hours (for comparison - on the Riga seaside 1839, in Abastumani (Caucasus) - 1994). You should not think that the sun always shines over the lake - if you are unlucky, you can end up with one or even two weeks of disgusting rainy weather even in the sunniest place of Lake Baikal - on Olkhon, but this happens extremely rarely.
The average annual water temperature on the surface of the lake is +4°C. Near the coast in summer the temperature reaches +16-17°C, in shallow bays up to +22-23°C.
Wind and waves on Baikal.
The wind almost always blows on Lake Baikal. More than thirty local names of winds are known. This does not mean that there are so many different winds on Baikal, just that many of them have several names. The peculiarity of the Baikal winds is that they almost always blow along the coast and there are not as many shelters from them as we would like.
Prevailing winds: north-west, often called mountain, north-east (Barguzin and Verkhovik, also known as Angara), south-west (kultuk), south-east (shelonnik). Maximum wind speed, registered on Baikal, 40 m/s. In the literature there are also higher values - up to 60 m/s, but there is no reliable evidence for this.
Where there is wind, there are, as you know, waves. Let me immediately note that the opposite is not true - a wave can occur even with complete calm. Waves on Baikal can reach a height of 4 meters. Sometimes values of 5 and even 6 meters are given, but this is most likely an estimate “by eye”, which has a large error, usually towards overestimation. The height of 4 meters was obtained using instrumental measurements in the open sea. The excitement is strongest in autumn and spring. In summer, strong waves on Lake Baikal are rare, and calm often occurs.
Ichthyofauna of Baikal.
Depending on their habitat conditions, fish can be divided into several groups. Sturgeon, pike, burbot, ide, roach, dace, perch, and minnow occupy the coastal shallows and river deltas of Lake Baikal. Fish of Siberian mountain rivers: grayling, taimen, lenok inhabit small tributaries of the lake and its coastal zone. Omul, since ancient times considered a symbol of Baikal, inhabits its open and coastal part, whitefish, another famous resident of Baikal, inhabits only the coastal part.
The most remarkable group of Baikal fish are gobies, of which there are 25 species. The most interesting of them are the golomyankas. This miracle of Baikal is not found anywhere else in the world. Golomyanka is incredibly beautiful, shimmers blue and pink in the light, and if you leave it in the sun it will melt, leaving only bones and a greasy stain. It is the main and most numerous inhabitant of Lake Baikal, but rarely gets caught in fishermen’s nets. Its only enemy is the seal, for which it is the main food.
To preserve rare and endangered animals, there is a strict and complete ban on hunting, maximum conservation of the habitat, the creation of special nurseries, national parks, nature reserves and sanctuaries
Baikal is a freshwater lake in the south of Eastern Siberia, it stretches from 53 to 56° N latitude. and from 104 to 109°30’E. Its length is 636 km, and its coastline is 2100 km. The width of the lake varies from 25 to 79 km. The total area of the lake (mirror area) is 31,500 sq. km.
Baikal is the deepest lake in the world (1620 m). It contains the largest reserves of fresh water on earth - 23 thousand cubic km, which is 1/10 of the world's fresh water reserves. A complete change of such a huge amount of water in Baikal takes place over the course of 332 years.
This is one of the oldest lakes, its age is 15 - 20 million years.
336 rivers flow into the lake, including the Selenga, Barguzin, and Verkhnyaya Angara, and only one river flows out, the Angara. There are 27 islands on Lake Baikal, the largest of which is Olkhon. The lake freezes in January and opens in May.
Baikal lies in a deep tectonic depression and is surrounded by taiga-covered mountain ranges; The area around the lake has a complex, deeply dissected topography. Near Baikal, the mountain range noticeably expands. Mountain ranges here stretch parallel to one another in the direction from northwest to southeast and are separated by basin-like depressions, along the bottom of which rivers flow and lakes are located in places. The height of most ridges of Transbaikalia rarely exceeds 1300 - 1800, but the highest ridges reach higher values. For example, hr. Khamar-Daban (peak Sokhor) - 2,304 m, and Barguzinsky ridge. about 3000 m.
Tectonic movements continue here today. This is evidenced by frequent earthquakes in the area of the basin, the release of hot springs and, finally, the subsidence of significant sections of the coast.
The waters of Baikal are blue-green in color and are distinguished by exceptional purity and transparency, often even greater than in the ocean: you can clearly see stones and thickets of greenish algae lying at a depth of 10 - 15 m, and a white disk lowered into the water is visible at a depth of 40 m.
Baikal lies in the temperate climate zone.
Geography of Lake Baikal.
Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. In the shape of a nascent crescent, Baikal stretches from southwest to northeast between 55°47′ and 51°28′ north latitude and 103°43′ and 109°58′ east longitude. The length of the lake is 636 km, the greatest width in the central part is 81 km, the minimum width opposite the Selenga delta is 27 km. Baikal is located at an altitude of 455 m above sea level. The length of the coastline is about 2000 km. The area of the water surface, determined at the water line of 454 m above sea level, is 31,470 square kilometers. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 m, the average depth is 730 m. 336 permanent rivers and streams flow into Baikal, while half of the volume of water entering the lake is brought by the Selenga. The only river that flows out of Baikal is the Angara. However, the question of the number of rivers flowing into Baikal is quite controversial; most likely there are fewer than 336. There is no doubt that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world; the closest contender for this title, the African Lake Tanganyika, lags behind by as much as 200 meters. There are 22 islands on Lake Baikal, although, as mentioned above, there is no unanimity on this issue. The largest island is Olkhon.
Age of Lake Baikal.
Usually in the literature the age of the lake is given as 20-25 million years. In fact, the question of the age of Lake Baikal should be considered open, since the application various methods age determinations give values from 20-30 million to several tens of thousands of years. Apparently, the first assessment is closer to the truth - Baikal is indeed a very ancient lake.
It is believed that Baikal arose as a result of tectonic forces. Tectonic processes are still ongoing, which is manifested in increased seismicity in the Baikal region. If we assume that Baikal is actually several tens of millions of years old, then it is the oldest lake on Earth.
Origin of the name.
Numerous studies have been devoted to the problem of the origin of the word “Baikal”. scientific research, which indicates a lack of clarity on this issue. There are about a dozen possible explanations for the origin of the name. Among them, the most probable version is the origin of the name of the lake from the Turkic-speaking Bai-Kul - rich lake. Of the other versions, two more can be noted: from the Mongolian Baigal - rich fire and Baigal Dalai - large lake. The peoples who lived on the shores of the lake called Baikal in their own way. Evenks, for example, - Lamu, Buryats - Baigal-Nuur, even the Chinese had a name for Baikal - Beihai - North Sea.
The Evenki name Lamu - Sea was used for several years by the first Russian explorers in the 17th century, then they switched to the Buryat Baigal, slightly softening the letter “g” by phonetic replacement. Quite often Baikal is called the sea, simply out of respect, for its violent temper, because the distant opposite shore is often hidden somewhere in the haze... At the same time, a distinction is made between the Small Sea and the Big Sea. The Small Sea is what is located between the northern coast of Olkhon and the mainland, the rest is the Big Sea.
Baikal water.
Baikal water is unique and amazing, like Baikal itself. It is unusually transparent, clean and saturated with oxygen. In not so ancient times, it was considered healing, and diseases were treated with its help. In spring, the transparency of Baikal water, measured using a Secchi disk (a white disk with a diameter of 30 cm), is 40 m (for comparison, in the Sargasso Sea, which is considered the standard of transparency, this value is 65 m). Later, when massive algae blooms begin, the transparency of the water decreases, but in calm weather the bottom can be seen from a boat at a fairly decent depth. Such high transparency is explained by the fact that Baikal water, thanks to the activity of living organisms living in it, is very weakly mineralized and close to distilled. The volume of water in Baikal is about 23 thousand cubic kilometers, which is 20% of the world's fresh water reserves.
Climate.
The climate in Eastern Siberia is sharply continental, but the huge mass of water contained in Baikal and its mountainous surroundings create an extraordinary microclimate. Baikal works as a large thermal stabilizer - in winter it is warmer on Baikal, and in summer it is a little cooler than, for example, in Irkutsk, which is located 60 km from the lake. The temperature difference is usually about 10 degrees. A significant contribution to this effect is made by forests growing almost along the entire coast of Lake Baikal.
The influence of Baikal is not limited to temperature regulation. Due to the fact that the evaporation of cold water from the surface of the lake is very small, clouds cannot form over Baikal. In addition, the air masses that bring clouds from land heat up when they pass over the coastal mountains, and the clouds dissipate. As a result, the sky over Lake Baikal is clear most of the time. The numbers also speak to this: the number of hours of sunshine in the area of Olkhon Island is 2277 hours (for comparison, on the Riga seaside 1839, in Abastumani (Caucasus) 1994). You should not think that the sun always shines over the lake - if you are unlucky, you can run into one or even two weeks of disgusting rainy weather even in the sunniest place of Baikal - on Olkhon, but this happens extremely rarely.
The average annual water temperature on the surface of the lake is +4°C. Near the coast in summer the temperature reaches +16-17°C, in shallow bays up to +22-23°C.
Wind and waves.
The wind almost always blows on Lake Baikal. More than thirty local names of winds are known. This does not mean that there are so many different winds on Baikal, just that many of them have several names. The peculiarity of the Baikal winds is that they almost always blow along the coast and there are not as many shelters from them as we would like.
Prevailing winds: north-west, often called mountain, north-east (Barguzin and Verkhovik, also known as Angara), south-west (kultuk), south-east (shelonnik). The maximum wind speed recorded on Lake Baikal is 40 m/s. In the literature there are also higher values - up to 60 m/s, but there is no reliable evidence for this.
Where there is wind, there are, as you know, waves. Let me immediately note that the opposite is not true - a wave can occur even with complete calm. Waves on Baikal can reach a height of 4 meters. Sometimes values of 5 and even 6 meters are given, but this is most likely an estimate “by eye”, which has a very large error, usually towards overestimation. The height of 4 meters was obtained using instrumental measurements in the open sea. The excitement is strongest in autumn and spring. In summer, strong waves on Lake Baikal are rare, and calm often occurs.