How many rivers flow into Lake Baikal. How many rivers flow from Baikal? Where are the deepest places of Baikal

Lake Baikal differs from many other reservoirs not only in its extraordinary depth, but also in the incredible purity and transparency of the water. So great depth it is due to the fact that it is located in a crevice of tectonic origin. Many rivers flow into the lake, but only one river carries the Baikal water with it. Quite often there is confusion about which rivers flow into Baikal and how many there are in total. But, as it turned out, these rivers were counted together with streams, and sometimes without them. Some of the shallow streams may periodically disappear due to weather conditions. It is now believed that about one and a half hundred of these streams could have disappeared altogether due to the anthropogenic factor.

According to official data, Baikal now has 336 watercourses, one of which, and a very large one, is the river flowing from Baikal - the Angara. Among the tributaries are major rivers like Selenga, Turka, Barguzin and Snezhnaya. Among the large tributaries of the lake there is also a river, which, with its name, introduces another confusion - this is the Upper Angara. Many confuse it with the Angara, and therefore the latter is considered a tributary instead of a drain. Smaller rivers of Baikal sometimes have very funny names: Cheryomukhovaya, Naked, Cat, Fool. The latter, however, does not flow into the lake itself, but into the Kotochik River, which, in turn, flows into Turku, and it already flows into Baikal. Nevertheless, the fact that Fool carries its waters into the "Glorious Sea" remains an irrefutable fact. And there are more than a thousand such rivers and streams! Therefore, if you walk around the entire basin, it will be problematic to count how many rivers flow into Baikal in total. Therefore, we will describe the largest rivers of Baikal.

Naughty daughter of Angara

Breaking down from the heights, the river flowing from Baikal - Angara runs away. At its source is the rock Shaman-stone. Legend has it that Father Baikal threw this stone after his runaway daughter. Love for the bogatyr Yenisei inspired her to this escape, and in fact her father predicted another bogatyr for her, whose name was Irkut. In fact, such a powerful runoff is only beneficial for Baikal. The aforementioned streams flowing into the lake bring unpolluted water, making their way through forest thickets, located far from large industries and highways.

Baikal has another secret of cleanliness - its plankton, teeming with epishura crustaceans that process organic matter. The work of these microscopic creatures is comparable to the action of a distiller. This is where such an unprecedented transparency of water comes from, in which there are very few even dissolved salts.

Angara - clean and beautiful river with transparent and clean water. Its length is 1779 km. Wide species composition fish fauna makes Angara a very attractive object for recreational fishing. More than 30 species of fish are found in the river.

Large tributaries of the Angara:

• Taseeva;
• Ilim;
• Chadobets;
• Kamenka;
• Kata and others.

Now it's time to talk about which rivers flow into Baikal. The largest of them is the Selenga. This river flows through the territory (mostly flat) of two states: first Mongolia, and then Russia. She completes her journey, breaking up into a delta near the lake. Almost half of all the water that enters Baikal is brought by the Selenga. It owes its high water to tributaries:

• Jide;
• Temnik;
• Orongoy;
• Chikoya;
• Ude and others.

Of the most major cities on this river are Ulan-Ude - the capital of Buryatia, as well as the Mongolian city of Sukhe Bator. The Mongols are thinking about power plants on the Selenga, and as for the Russian part of the river, they decided not to build hydraulic structures on it, since both the flat course of the river and the absence of large agglomerations cast doubt on the need to block the Selenga with a dam.

If you look at this river on the map, then the elongated shape of Baikal will create such an illusion that the lake is a continuation of the Upper Angara, only in the form of a reservoir. Who knows, maybe millions of years ago, nature itself arranged this wonderful reserve for itself. fresh water, opening up such a deep crevice just downstream of the river. At first, it could have been a small flowing lake on the general path of the Angara, but this fact, apparently, has yet to be proved by Baikal researchers.

The river itself upstream is of a complex nature. It is mountainous, fast, rapids, and even then, when it reaches the plain, it does not stop winding, breaking up into channels, then again uniting in all its might into a single channel, then again there are gaps, but the oxbow lakes do not form from them. The Upper Angara approaches Baikal already quiet and calm: at the northernmost part of the lake it forms a bay with a small depth, which is called the Angara Sor.

A large part of the Baikal-Amur Mainline runs along the Upper Angara. The river itself is navigable, but only in the lower reaches. Among its tributaries are:

• Koter;
• Churo;
• Yangchui;
• Angarakan.

If someone has not heard such a name near the river of Lake Baikal, then they probably saw this name on board a minibus (a shortened "Gazelle") or heard about the famous Barguzin sable. This furry animal just lives in the vicinity of the Barguzin River. The river itself flows in Buryatia. At first, it breaks down from the mountain slope - the Ikat Range, carrying its fast waters along the rapids. It is mostly fed by rain. It has tributaries - Inu, Gargu, Argadu and Ulyun. In the Amut Basin, Barguzin forms a flowing lake called Balan-Tamur.

Max Depth the lake reaches 1642 m. The volume of water in Baikal is 82 times higher than Lake Onega and 26 times the Ladoga reservoir. The endemicity of the fauna and flora of Baikal is 65%. About 1800 species of animals and plants are not found in any other reservoir on Earth. According to some scientists, Baikal is an emerging ocean, its age is about 25 million years.

If nature stores a huge supply of the purest water in such a lake, then our planet needs it, and ruining or wasting it would be a huge crime.

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The address: Russia, Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk region
Square: 31,722 km²
Maximum depth: 1642 m
Transparency: 40 m
Coordinates: 53°43"36.9"N 108°27"32.4"E

Short description

The cleanest and, without a doubt, the most beautiful Lake Baikal, rightfully took its place in the list of 7 wonders of Russia, according to a vote held in 2008.

bewitching pristine nature and the mysteriousness of the lake, is located almost in the very center of Asia on the border of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. The water surface, which shimmers with mystical light, stretches for 620 (!) Kilometers from the northeast to the southwest.

If we consider pictures of Lake Baikal taken from space, we can note that it looks like a crescent. The width of the lake in its various places ranges from 24 to 79 kilometers.. These dimensions allow local residents and many tourists call Baikal not a lake, but a sea.

No matter how much one would like to call this majestic reservoir of fresh water a sea, it is still a lake, which is surrounded on almost all sides by picturesque mountains and hills of extinct volcanoes. By the way, the supply of fresh water in Lake Baikal is 90% of the total supply. drinking water Russia and almost 20% of the total stock of the purest and, according to the results of many scientific experiments, healing water in the world. Speaking of Lake Baikal, one cannot fail to say that it is considered the deepest in the world: the mirror of the lake is located 453 meters above the level of the World Ocean, and its bottom is almost 1170 meters lower. True, many researchers are skeptical that Baikal is the deepest lake on our planet. When calculating the depth of lakes, many scientists forget about those reservoirs of fresh water that are under eternal ice Antarctica, one of which is called Vostok. True, it is hidden by an almost 4-kilometer layer of ice, and the calculation of the depth of lakes and the ocean in glacier conditions should be carried out using completely different parameters.

Unique Ecosystem

Alas, modern science cannot yet accurately answer the question of how old Baikal is, however, as well as other questions that this amazing lake constantly poses to scientists. AT this moment It is generally accepted that Baikal, whose area is almost 32,000 square kilometers, originated at least 25 million years ago. There are more bold assumptions, some scientists believe that the age of the lake exceeds 35 million years. This is a long period of time, even by the standards of the existence of our planet. True, it is these figures that pose a new problem: how, for so many years, the lake has remained practically in its original form? The thing is that any lake does not “live” for more than 15, maximum 20,000 years. Its bottom is covered with silt and with the passage of time it turns into an ordinary swamp. This is not observed in Lake Baikal. Perhaps it is worth paying special attention to the point of view of the authoritative scientist Tatarinov, who in 2009 put forward the idea that Baikal has existed “for now” for “only” 8,000 years.

Which theory is considered reliable, everyone decides for himself: the conclusions of most experts suggest that the whole point is in the unique ecosystem of the lake in its tributaries and the only outflow, as well as in constant earthquakes, as a result of which a vacuum arises at the depths, filled with "fresh » groundwater.

Due to its purity, Lake Baikal and its environs are a favorite habitat for a huge number of species of birds and mammals. Many of the animals, birds and fish are endemic, meaning that they only live in this ecosystem and are not found anywhere else in the world. Special attention ichthyologists are attracted by golomyanka fish, which belongs to the family of viviparous. And this fish is another mystery of Lake Baikal. Firstly, the entire body of this fish is more than 30% fat, and secondly, this fish lives on very great depths, and goes to shallow water for food. This is not at all typical for deep sea fish, after all sharp drops pressure in almost all species lead to death. Another representative of the ichthyofauna is the smallest crustacean, called epishura. It is also endemic to the lake. Without it, life in Baikal would surely perish, because it is the main food for many fish, and it is he, who breeds in incredible quantities, that filters the Baikal water, purifying it of organic matter. Maybe it is in this crustacean that the secret of such a long “life” of the lake lies ...

Lake Baikal water

Even elementary school students know about the purity of the water of Lake Baikal. Teachers who talk about the nature of our planet often emphasize that you can drink water from Baikal without even boiling it. By the way, the opinion is quite controversial. Naturally, there are many places where the water in the lake not only does not pose a threat to human health, but is also considered healing. The tourism infrastructure, which is constantly developing and thousands of tourists who want to see the great Baikal, like many other lakes around the world, is getting bigger and bigger. Only an experienced guide living near the lake can indicate where it is safe to drink from Baikal. Surprisingly, despite the presence of stone deposits and tributaries at the bottom, which include the Selenga River, which is constantly polluted on the territory of Mongolia, the water in Baikal practically does not contain dissolved salts and minerals. Simply put, it is almost identical to distilled water, which undergoes multi-level purification in special laboratories.

The lake is so transparent that, according to some researchers, in some parts of the lake the bottom can be seen from a boat in great detail at a depth of 40 meters.

Such transparency of water can be observed after the ice has melted: usually in early spring, the water of Lake Baikal becomes bright of blue color. In summer and autumn, when the water warms up, microplankton and algae begin to develop in it in small quantities: naturally, at this moment it is already quite difficult to distinguish pitfalls at a depth of 40 meters, but the transparency is amazing even at these times of the year. True, its color changes: it does not turn into muddy green, on the contrary, it becomes soft turquoise.

Immerse yourself in the gentle and purest waters of Lake Baikal ... - a dream! True, a dream only for those who know very little about this lake. The thing is that the water here does not warm up even in summer above +9 degrees Celsius. Only in small and shallow bays can one expect that the water will warm up to +16 under the sun. Therefore, swim in Baikal and see undersea world through the crystal-clear water is possible only in a wetsuit. In winter, the water mirror is almost completely covered with thick ice, so thick that in the 19th century sleepers were installed on the ice and steam locomotives were transported across Lake Baikal with the help of horses. The ice on the lake is an amazing sight: during severe frosts, cracks pass through it, the length of which is sometimes 30 (!) Kilometers, and their width is 3 meters.

During the formation of such a crack, a strong sound is heard throughout all the surroundings of Lake Baikal, which can only be compared with a howitzer shot or a thunderclap from lightning that hit the ground a few meters from a person. Such a phenomenon was foreseen by nature itself, thanks to the formation of such cracks, the water is constantly saturated with oxygen and the flora and fauna of Baikal do not die in severe frosts.

Origin of the name of the lake

Just as with the age of Lake Baikal, confusion arose with its name in scientific circles. In any case, some historians agree that the name "Baikal" comes from one of the Asian languages: Mongolian, Yakut, or Turkic. However, there are versions that the lake was first seen and named ... by the Chinese. The Chinese word, which sounds like "Bei-Hai", is translated literally - "North Sea". This opinion also deserves attention: after all, doesn’t the majestic lake look like the North Sea? Most experts trying to unravel the mystery of the origin of the name of the deepest lake in the world believe that it came from the Buryat language.

The Buryats called the endless expanse of water "Baigal", but the members of the Russian expedition, who participated in the campaign to the lake back in the 17th century, could hardly cope with the letter "g" and, without thinking twice, replaced it with "k". This is how the name of Lake Baikal came to be. Although, as mentioned above, none of the listed versions not recognized scientific world reliable and proven.

On Baikal

No matter how many legends and myths are associated with this lake, no matter how many scientific disputes about its name and origin, all this instantly loses its meaning when you find yourself in front of the amazing mirror of Baikal. He is calm, then suddenly rears up in waves. Surrounding nature defies description, here on a calm day, despite the singing of birds and a barely audible breath of the wind, comes the realization of what real silence, peace and tranquility is. It seems that Baikal communicates on a subconscious level with everyone who comes to see this majestic lake. No wonder many travelers who have explored Baikal are looking forward to the moment when they can return to this wonderful world, which is over 25 million years old.

Baikal is not even an ecosystem, it is the whole world, a world in which everything exists in harmony with each other. It is impossible not to listen to the words of P.N. Kozlov, who writes that when a person communicates with nature, he becomes purer, his soul becomes whole and sensitive.

Lake Baikal is a unique and amazing creation of nature. Its beauty, majesty and transparent depth of water conquer at first sight.

Siberians call the deepest lake on the planet the sea for its vast expanses. Baikal was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Several figures characterizing Baikal

The history of Lake Baikal begins 25–30 million years ago. The water basin of the lake was formed under the influence of tectonic processes. Earthquakes periodically occur in the vicinity of Lake Baikal and hit thermal springs. Natural transformations are still taking place in the lake. Every year it increases by 2 centimeters in width.

Baikal location on the map of Russia - southern part Eastern Siberia. The territory of the lake is crossed by the borders of the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. If you look at Baikal from space, it will look like a depression in the shape of a young moon, located in the very center of Asia.

The length of the lake is 620 km. The width is 24 km at its narrowest point and 79 km at its widest. And the water surface area is 31,722 km², which puts Baikal in seventh place in the world among the largest lakes.

The bottom of the lake is 1167 m below the ocean level, and the surface of its waters is 455.5 m higher.

According to the latest research, the maximum depth of the lake is 1642 m, which makes Baikal the most deep lake peace. And the volume of water in the lake is simply gigantic - 23615.39 km³. Baikal contains 1/5 and 9/10 of Russian freshwater reserves. There are 27 islands in the water area of ​​Lake Baikal. About 336 permanent rivers feed the lake with their water, and only one flows out - big river Angara.

Natural uniqueness

Baikal water is unique, like the lake itself. Its transparency reaches 40 m and decreases slightly with the onset of algal blooms. The transparency of water is explained by the fact that it is very weakly mineralized, has a lot of oxygen in its composition and has the properties of distilled water.

Despite the fact that a continental climate prevails in Eastern Siberia, the weather on Baikal differs significantly from other regions. This is explained by the fact that the basin of the lake is surrounded by ridges, overgrown with forest along the entire coast. Thanks to this protective barrier, the lake has its own unique microclimate. The temperature difference reaches 10 degrees. It is cooler in summer on Lake Baikal, and warmer in winter than in nearby cities and towns. The depth of the water does not allow the lake to warm up much, which is why evaporation is negligible, so there are not a lot of clouds here. As a result, the sun shines over Baikal most of the time.

Flora and fauna

ancient origin, geographical features and unique climate contributed to the development great variety plants and animals on Baikal. Siberian scientists count 2630 species of fauna and flora in the lake, of which 84% are endemic, that is, found only in Baikal.

coastal nature

The flora of the lake coast is rich and varied. More than 2,000 plant species grow here, some of which are striking in their originality:

• Siberian cedar, the famous Siberian pine, Siberian larch - are known for their healing power;
• Daurian rhododendron - a plant of the heather family of rare beauty;
• the famous walking or walking trees are another miracle of Baikal. The trunks and roots of trees are raised above the ground to a height of up to 3 m, and it seems that they are standing on stilts.

In the coastal forests of Lake Baikal, there are many mammals: bears, lynxes, wolverines, red deer, famous Barguzin sables and other animals northern latitudes. And on the shore of Lake Baikal you can meet the smallest deer in the world - musk deer.

The aquatic flora of Lake Baikal is represented by a wide variety of algae, as well as flowering and bryophyte plants, of which 79 species have been identified. Underwater flora plays important function in the life of the lake. Its thickets are a place of concentration of zooplankton, feeding and breeding of fish. Growing along the circumference of the reservoir, they create a kind of filter and prevent pollutants from entering the lake. aquatic plants accelerate the process of self-purification of water from oil products, and some of them are able to absorb radioactive isotopes.

Animal world

Surprisingly rich and varied aquatic fauna Baikal. About 2600 representatives of aquatic fauna live in the depths of the lake. Almost 1000 of them are endemic. This diversity is explained by the fact that in the Baikal water great content oxygen. 27 species of fish live in the lake, which are not found anywhere else in the world. The most famous of them:

• Baikal sturgeon;
• Baikal omul;
• golomyanka is a viviparous fish. Consists of 35% fat and lives at great depths.

Unique invertebrates

The most large group living world of Baikal - invertebrates. The lake is also home to all sorts of species. freshwater shellfish, barnacles and oligochaetes. A special place in the aquatic environment of Lake Baikal is occupied by the crustacean epishura, which is also found nowhere else in the world. It's amazing little creature 1.5 mm in size plays an important role in the Baikal ecosystem. Epishura, passing Baikal water through itself, filters and purifies it. Thanks to it, Baikal has such clean water. In addition, the crustacean is the main zooplankton biomass of the lake and plays a significant role in the food chain of the reservoir.

Another miracle of Lake Baikal is the unique Baikal seal living in fresh water (seals, as a rule, live only in the seas and oceans).

This is the only mammal lakes.

According to scientists, the Baikal seal got into the lake during ice age. It is under state protection.

Ecology

As in other parts of the world, environmental problems have not bypassed Baikal. For centuries, people have been using the riches of Baikal: they get furs, fish, harvest berries, pine nuts, and cut down forests. Due to thoughtless use Natural resources Baikal simply does not have time to recover.

Beyond exhaustion natural resources, exists As the world's water reserves decrease, Baikal's huge reservoir of fresh water is becoming increasingly important in the world. Sources harmful effects on the aquatic environment several lakes:

• settled on the shores of Baikal seven settlements that do not have treatment facilities;
• water transport leaves oil waste in the water;
• numerous tourists contribute in the form of an endless stream of garbage;
• significant damage to the ecosystem of Baikal was caused by the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill. In December 2013, by decision of the Russian government, it was closed;
• the Selenga river carries its dirty waters into the crystal clear waters of the lake. Her path begins in Mongolia and flows past large cities, which pollute the water.