Sea of ​​Ladoga. Open the left menu Ladoga lake. Lake Ladoga in works of art

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

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

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

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

A pattern is noticeable on Lake Ladoga: the steeper the shores, the greater the depths around them. The highest and steepest coasts are in the north, right next to the skerries. In the south, they are more gentle and the depths there are small.

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

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

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

The lake is rich in islands. Most of them are in the north. It's famous Ladoga skerries, a beautiful necklace of islands, which are separated from each other by a whimsical labyrinth of straits. An integral part of the Ladoga skerries is the famous Valaam archipelago, where the ancient Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located.

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

On the shore of Lake Ladoga.

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

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

Shore of Lake Ladoga.

At the end of the 17th century, the southern, northern and western shores of Lake Ladoga went to the Swedish Ingermanland. The Swedes rename the Russian Oreshek and Korela into Noteburg and Kexholm, and establish the settlement of Sortavala. Since the beginning Northern war Lake Ladoga becomes the scene of hostilities. The most famous battles of that period were the battle of ships near Kexholm and the capture of Noteburg. In 1721, the Ladoga coast again became Russian.

Lake Ladoga is rich in interesting places:

Ladoga skerries

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

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

Eastern beaches

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

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

Beach near Vidlitsa.

Priozersk

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

Fortress Oreshek

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

Balaam

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

Stormy waves of Lake Ladoga, which in windy weather looks like the sea, incredible sunsets and sunrises, sheer cliffs of skerries and sand dunes of eastern beaches. All this remains forever in the heart of everyone who has ever seen these magnificent scenery. It is worth coming here, because the harsh Ladoga is not only living history, but also one of the most beautiful places in Russia.

Lake Ladoga on the map.

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

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

A harsh land of sheer cliffs and amber pines, sandy beaches and emerald green birches along the banks. Streams breaking off the rocks into Ladoga, and tiny lakes on the islands, warming up already in mid-May.
...Nerpas carefully look from the wet stones at the approaching kayak and with a graceful jump disappear into the depths almost without a splash. The cries of seagulls in the sky and the rustle of coastal reeds. The warmth of granite under bare feet and the ghostly light of the white night over distant islands. The roar of a storm, the quiet splash of water overboard, the creak of a gray-haired spruce over the tent, the smell of fire smoke from a neighboring island, reflections rising sun on icy oars in the June night transition ...
Such impressions are the lot of anyone who wants to visit these amazing edges. They may find these notes helpful.

JOURNEY ON LADOGA LAKE

1. When
The northern part of Ladoga is very deep water and this has a direct impact on the climate of the coastal strip. Spring and summer in skerries come a few weeks later than a few tens of kilometers inland. So, for example, bird cherry is already blooming in Priozersk, and the first buds are just beginning to swell on the open banks of Ladoga.

Ladoga lake. View of Punakivensaari island
In May and early June, dense fog often comes from Ladoga. Get lost in it and go to open lake- dubious pleasure. And among all that a tourist waterman is used to taking with him, a compass is needed on Ladoga.
At this time of the year, the water in skerries and bays can be covered at night thin ice; the wind blowing from Ladoga is cold and damp. At the same time, in good sunny weather, a few hours after sunrise, a breeze begins to blow from the lake, waves near open coast and in straight bays they reach a meter height (although Ladoga itself, a few kilometers from the coast, can be completely calm). But there are absolutely no mosquitoes, and the water is so clean and tasty that you can drink it straight from the lake.

July and August - best months For comfortable rest. The water temperature rises to an acceptable level (you can safely swim), there are a lot of berries and mushrooms on the islands.
Autumn is the most beautiful time years in skerries, the shores of which are covered with gold and crimson. But starting from the second half of September, storms become more frequent, in addition, there are strong fogs in the mornings.
Plan your travel time with some margin for strong excitement. However, during the summer period, storms rarely last more than one or two days.

2. On what
You can travel around Ladoga on any watercraft - from a fragile rubber boat to a cruise liner. But the kayak is the best option. The speed is high enough to pass through all the most interesting places from Priozersk to Pitkyaranta in ten days, however, the landscapes will not “flicker outside the window”, but will smoothly open in front of the tourist. Landing on the shore is possible in almost any place you like, regardless of the bottom topography and its depth. Relative mobility can also be called a plus - routes can be started and ended where necessary. And not without reason, despite the fact that good motor boats and even yachts are becoming more accessible, the number of those who go to Ladoga in kayaks is increasing every year.
The choice of kayak in the first place will depend on what style of hiking is most interesting for you.

For supporters of long and high-speed transitions, the best solution may be a kayak with the symbolic name "Ladoga" - this is the fastest of the domestic serial kayaks today, besides, it holds a side wave and strong wind well. However, it is not very maneuverable, which can be a disadvantage when approaching the coast with a large number of pitfalls.
Close in its seaworthiness to the legendary Taimen, the Neva kayak is noticeably lighter (by 30%), which is very important for those who get to the water without a car. On long transitions, some ill-conceivedness becomes noticeable seat for the captain (unlike the Taimen, the legs do not rest against the frames).
"Vuoksa". With the same shortcomings as the Neva, it has noticeably better stability, and maneuverability, thanks to an almost flat bottom, is simply wonderful. This is a good kayak for leisurely rowing along the coast and frequent landings on the islands.

3. Where
Priozersk small town, located on the shores of Lake Vuoksa, a three-hour drive by electric train from the Finland Station in St. Petersburg. In Priozersk, from the platform to the water - a few meters. On a narrow strip of the beach it is convenient to collect kayaks. If there is free time, then things can be left for storage in the boat station and visit the well-preserved Karela Fortress, built by the Swedes at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries.
Vuoksu is connected with Lake Ladoga by a small river Tikhaya (the old name is Pärna). You should look for its source by going under railway bridge, located approximately 2 kilometers northwest of Priozersk. The river is calm, in the upper part there are several rifts. Approximately in the middle of its course, the Tikhaya passes under a road bridge. There is a small threshold in this place, but it is possible to land on the shore and encircle the obstacle by land. After the bridge, the river becomes noticeably wider, the current slows down; to Lake Ladoga, there are no more difficulties.
Ladoga lake. Pekkosaaret Islands Blacksmith's.
The next station after Priozersk. Almost all trains arriving from St. Petersburg are met by motorists who, for a small amount, can take them to the village of Berezovo. The advantage in this option of starting a trip is that in the event of a strong wind on the lake, you can still start the route, hiding behind the islands (while leaving Tikhaya for Ladoga with significant waves can be a very difficult and even risky undertaking).

Lake Ladoga, painting by Aivazovsky

Climate
The climate over Lake Ladoga is temperate, transitional from temperate continental to temperate maritime. This type of climate is explained geographic location and atmospheric circulation characteristic of the Leningrad region. This is due to the relatively small amount of solar heat entering the earth's surface and into the atmosphere.
Due to the small amount of solar heat, moisture evaporates slowly. There are an average of 62 sunny days per year. Therefore, during most of the year, days with cloudy, overcast weather and diffused lighting prevail. The length of the day varies from 5 hours 51 minutes at the winter solstice to 18 hours 50 minutes at the summer solstice. The so-called "white nights" are observed over the lake, coming on May 25-26, when the sun drops below the horizon by no more than 9 °, and the evening twilight practically merges with the morning. The white nights end on July 16-17. In total, the duration of the white nights is more than 50 days. The amplitude of the average monthly sums of direct solar radiation on a horizontal surface with a clear sky is from 25 MJ/m² in December to 686 MJ/m² in June. Cloudiness reduces, on average per year, the arrival of total solar radiation by 21%, and direct solar radiation by 60%. The average annual total radiation is 3156 MJ/m².

A noticeable impact on climatic conditions renders the lake itself. This is characterized by the smoothing of extreme values ​​of climatic characteristics, as a result of which the continental air masses, passing over the surface of the lake, acquire the character of maritime air masses. The average air temperature in the area of ​​Lake Ladoga is +3.2 °C. The average temperature of the coldest month (February) is −8.8 °C, the warmest (July) is +16.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 475 mm. The smallest monthly amount of precipitation falls in February-March (24 mm), the largest - in September (58 mm).
During the year, western and southwestern winds prevail in most of Lake Ladoga. The average monthly wind speed in the open part of the lake and on most of the islands from October to January-February is 6-9 m/s, in the remaining months 4-7 m/s. On the coast, the average monthly wind speed varies from 3 to 5 m/s. Calms are rarely observed. In October, storm winds with a speed of more than 20 m/s are often observed on Lake Ladoga, the maximum wind speed reaches 34 m/s. Breezes are observed along the entire coast in the summer in windless sunny days and clear nights. The lake breeze begins at about 9 am and lasts until 8 pm, its speed is 2-6 m/s; it extends 9-15 km inland. Fogs are observed most often in spring, late summer and autumn.

lighthouse on Ladoga at the source of the Neva

Shores, bottom topography and hydrography of the lake
The area of ​​the lake without islands is from 17.6 thousand km² (with islands 18.1 thousand km²); length from south to north - 219 km, maximum width - 138 km. The volume of the water mass of the lake is 908 km³. This is 12 times more than is annually poured into it by rivers and carried out by the Neva River. Seasonal fluctuations in the water level in the lake are small due to the large area of ​​the water surface of this reservoir and due to the relatively small annual variation in the amount of water entering it. The latter is due to the presence of large lakes within the watershed of Lake Ladoga and the presence of hydropower facilities on all major tributaries, which together provide a fairly uniform inflow of water throughout the year.
Coastline lakes over 1000 km. The northern shores, starting from Priozersk in the west to Pitkäranta in the east, are mostly high, rocky, heavily indented, form numerous peninsulas and narrow bays (fjords and skerries), as well as small islands separated by straits. The southern shores are low, slightly indented, flooded due to the neotectonic submeridional skew of the lake. The coast here is replete with shoals, rocky reefs and banks. In the southern half of the lake there are three major bays: Svirskaya, Volkhovskaya and Shlisselburgskaya lips. The eastern shore is not very indented, two bays protrude into it - Lunkulanlahti and Uksunlahti, fenced off from the side of the lake by one of the largest islands of Ladoga - Mantsinsaari. Here there are wide sandy beaches. The west coast is even less indented. It is overgrown with dense mixed forest and shrubs, coming close to the water's edge, along which there are scatterings of boulders. Ridges of stones often go far from the capes into the lake, forming dangerous underwater shoals.

The relief of the bottom of Lake Ladoga is characterized by an increase in depth from south to north. The depth varies unevenly: in the northern part it ranges from 70 to 230 m, in the southern part - from 20 to 70 m. Average depth lakes - 50 m, the largest - 233 m (to the north of. The bottom of the northern part is uneven, furrowed with depressions, and the southern part is calmer and more smooth. Lake Ladoga ranks eighth among deepest lakes Russia.

Transparency west coast Lake Ladoga 2–2.5 m, near the eastern coast 1–2 m, in the mouth areas 0.3–0.9 m, and towards the center of the lake it increases to 4.5 m. The lowest transparency was observed in (0.5–1 m), and the largest - to the west of the Valaam Islands (in summer 8-9, in winter over 10 m). There are constant disturbances on the lake. During severe storms, the water in it "boils", and the waves are almost completely covered with foam. In the water regime, surge phenomena are characteristic (fluctuations in the water level by 50–70 cm annually, up to a maximum of 3 m), seiches (up to 3–4 m), wave height during storms up to 6 m. The lake freezes in December (coastal part) - February (central part), opens in April - May. The central part is covered with solid ice only in very harsh winters. Due to the long and strong winter cooling, the water in the lake is very cold even in summer; it warms up only in the thin upper layer and in the coastal strip. Temperature regime differs in the central deep part of the lake and on the coast. The water temperature on the surface in August is up to 24 ° C in the south, 18-20 ° C in the center, near the bottom about 4 ° C, in winter under ice 0-2 ° C. The water is fresh and clean (except for areas polluted by industrial waste), minerals and salts are dissolved in negligible amounts. Water belongs to the hydrocarbonate class (low content of calcium and magnesium salts, slightly more nickel, aluminum).

Ladoga, Cape Rihiniemi

Basin and islands
35 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga. The largest river that flows into it is the one that carries water into it from Lake Onega. Water also enters the lake through the Vuoksa River from Lake Saimaa, and from Lake Ilmen. The rivers Morie, Avloga, Burnaya, Kokkolanioki, Soskuanjoki, Iijoki, Airajoki, Tohmajoki, Janisjoki, Syuskuyanjoki, Uksunjoki, Tulemajoki, Miinalanjoki, Vidlitsa, Tuloxa, Olonka, Obzhanka, Voronezhka, Lava, Ryabinovka, Naziia and others also flow into it. Neva - the only river flowing from Lake Ladoga.

The catchment area is 258,600 km². Approximately 85% (3820 mm) of the incoming part of the water balance comes from the inflow river waters, 13% (610 mm) - atmospheric precipitation and 2% (90 mm) - inflow groundwater. About 92% (4170 mm) of the expenditure part of the balance goes to the Neva runoff, 8% (350 mm) to evaporation from the water surface. The water level in the lake is not constant. Its fluctuations are clearly visible in a lighter stripe on the surface of the rocks that go into the water.
There are about 660 islands on Lake Ladoga (more than 1 ha in area) with a total area of ​​435 km². Of these, about 500 are concentrated in the northern part of the lake, in the so-called skerry region, as well as in the Valaam (about 50 islands, including the Bayevye islands), the Western archipelagos and the Mantsinsaari group of islands (about 40 islands). Most major islands- Riekkalansari (55.3 km²), Mantsinsaari (39.4 km²), Kilpola (32.1 km²), Tulolansari (30.3 km²) and Valaam (27.8 km²).
The most famous on Lake Ladoga are the Valaam Islands - an archipelago of about 50 islands with an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 36 km², due to its location on. Also known is the island of Konevets, on which the monastery is also located.

Flora and fauna
The northern and eastern shores of Lake Ladoga belong to the middle taiga subzone, while the southern and western coasts belong to the southern taiga subzone. The middle taiga is characterized by blueberry spruce forests without undergrowth, with a dense forest stand and a continuous cover of shiny green mosses. In the subzone of the southern taiga, dark coniferous species with undergrowth dominate, where linden, maple, and elm are sometimes found, a grass layer appears with the participation of oak grasses, and the moss cover is less developed than in the middle taiga. The most characteristic type of forest is sorrel spruce forests.
The islands of the lake are rocky, with high, up to 60-70 m, sometimes sheer shores, covered with forest, sometimes almost bare or with sparse vegetation. Southern and southwest coast lakes over 150 km overgrown with reeds and cattails. There are shelters and nesting places for waterfowl. There are many nesting gulls on the islands, they grow blueberries, lingonberries, and larger ones have mushrooms.
There are 120 species of higher aquatic plants in Lake Ladoga. Along the shores of the islands and the mainland stretches a strip of reed thickets 5-10 m wide. Various groups of macrophytes develop in bays deeply cut into the land. The width of the overgrowth belt in these places reaches 70-100 m. There is almost no aquatic vegetation along the eastern and western shores of the lake. IN open waters lake vegetation is poorly developed. This is hindered great depth, low temperature water, a small amount of dissolved nutrient salts, coarse-grained bottom sediments, as well as frequent and strong waves. Therefore, the most diverse vegetation is found in the northern - skerry - region of Ladoga. 154 species of diatoms, 126 species of green algae and 76 species of blue-green algae are common in the lake. The deep Ladoga waters contain only 60-70 thousand microorganisms per cm³, and in the surface layer - from 180 to 300 thousand, which indicates a weak self-cleaning ability of the lake.
In Lake Ladoga, 378 species and varieties of planktonic animals were identified. More than half of the species are rotifers. A quarter of the total number of species are protozoans, and 23 percent fall together on cladocerans and copepods. The most common zooplankton species in the lake are daphnia and cyclops. large group aquatic invertebrate animal lives at the bottom of the lake. In Ladoga, 385 species of them were found (mostly various crustaceans). The first place in the composition of the benthic fauna belongs to insect larvae, which account for more than half of all species of bottom animals - 202 species. Next come worms (66 species), water mites, or hydrocarines, molluscs, crustaceans, and others.

The lake is rich in freshwater fish, which go to the rivers to spawn. 53 species and varieties of fish live in Lake Ladoga: Ladoga slingshot, salmon, trout, char, whitefish, vendace, smelt, bream, cheese, blue bream, silver bream, rudd, asp, catfish, pike perch, roach, perch, pike, burbot and others . Human impact on the reservoir reduces the number of valuable fish - salmon, trout, char, lake-river whitefish and others, and the Atlantic sturgeon and Volkhov whitefish are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The most productive areas include shallow water South part lakes with depths up to 15-20 m, where the main fishery is concentrated, and the northern skerry region is the least productive. From the Gulf of Finland along the Neva for spawning to the Volkhov, to other rivers, the sturgeon passes through the lake. Pike perch is found along the southern and southeastern shores of Lake Ladoga. Salmon lives in the lake, which goes to the rivers in autumn, where it spawns. In Lake Ladoga and, Siberian sturgeon and other fish.

In the Ladoga area, 256 species of birds belonging to 17 orders are regularly found. More than 50 species of birds were recorded here during the transit migration in spring and autumn. The migration links of the Ladoga region cover the space from Iceland to India and from South Africa to Novaya Zemlya. The most attractive territories for birds are the southern Ladoga region. Grebes, swans, geese, ducks, waders, gulls, terns, cranes and shepherds are encountered here on migration, as well as nesting nests of river ducks, tufted ducks, red-headed pochards, gulls, terns, curlews, common and medium-sized curlews, black-tailed godwit, herbalist, golden plover and other shorebirds, the common crane, white-tailed eagle, osprey, red-footed falcon, eagle owl, gray owl, short-eared owl and a number of other birds. The northern skerries are nesting sites for the gray-cheeked grebe, large and medium-sized mergansers, gulls (including barnacle gulls and grouse), terns (including arctic tern), waders and many other species; accumulations of arctic ducks and waders are observed on migration.
The only representative of pinnipeds, the Ladoga ringed seal, lives in Lake Ladoga. The number of seals in the lake is estimated at 4,000-5,000 heads (according to 2000 data). The species is listed in the Red Book.

LADOGA Skerries
Since 2008, in the skerries of the north of Lake Ladoga on the territory of Karelia, a national park"Ladoga Skerries". The territory of the future park will be about 150 thousand hectares, approximately from the southern border with the Leningrad region to the village of Impilahti in the Pitkyaranta region. The Ladoga Skerries National Park is a territory with a unique landscape and climate, outcropping of Precambrian rocks, intact forests and rare plant species; the Ladoga seal lives here.

Northern part of the ladoga

History of LADOGA LAKE
Through Lake Ladoga from Scandinavia through Eastern Europe Since the 9th century, the waterway "From the Varangians to the Greeks" passed to Byzantium. In the 8th century, the city of Ladoga was founded near the confluence of Lake Ladoga, no later than the 12th century, the city of Korela arose on the northwestern shore, and in 1323, at the source of the Neva, the Oreshek fortress. At the end of the XIV century on, and on the island of Konevets - the Konevsky Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.

As a result of the defeat in the war with Sweden under the Stolbovsky Peace of 1617, the northern, western and southern coasts of Lake Ladoga became part of the Swedish Ingermanland. The Russian fortress Oreshek was renamed Noteburg (Nut City), and the Korela fortress was renamed Kexholm. On the northern shore of the lake in 1632, the Swedes founded the urban settlement of Sordvalla.
At the initial stage of the Northern War of 1700-1721, Lake Ladoga and its coast became the scene of hostilities. In 1702, a battle of ships took place in the area of ​​Kexholm. On October 11, 1702, the Noteburg fortress at the source of the Neva was taken by storm. Peter I, it was renamed Shlisselburg (Key City). By order of Tsar Peter I in 1704, the city of Novaya Ladoga was founded on the southern coast of Lake Ladoga. In 1705, Russian troops crossed the lake on ice and occupied the city of Sordvalla for three days. In 1710, the city of Kexholm was taken by storm. According to the Nystadt peace treaty of 1721, the coast of Lake Ladoga became completely Russian. To simplify navigation along the southern shore of the lake in 1718-1731, the Staroladoga Canal was built from the Neva to the Volkhov. In 1861-1866, the Novoladozhsky Canal was built instead of the shallowed canal.
From 1939 to 1944, the Ladoga military flotilla operated in Lake Ladoga as part of the Baltic Fleet. During the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1944, most of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by German and Finnish troops. In the southwestern part of the lake, from September 1941 to March 1943, the Road of Life operated, linking the blockaded city of Leningrad with the rest of the country. The road was organized in September 1941 from the port of Osinovets along Lake Ladoga: in navigation - water transport to Kobona (35 km) and Novaya Ladoga (135 km), by car to Cobon. During this time, 1.6 million tons of cargo was delivered along the Road of Life and evacuated to mainland about 1376 thousand people.

History of lake research
Novgorodians for several centuries had on Ladoga not only a merchant fleet, but also a navy. From them geographical information in different ways they got to Western European cartographers. On one of the first maps of the Moscow state, made by the medieval German scientist Sebastian Munster in 1544, Lake Ladoga is indicated. On the drawing of Rus' in 1600, compiled by Tsarevich Fyodor Godunov, Lake Ladoga is written with great accuracy in the outlines of the shores. In the middle of the 18th century, the “Map of Lake Ladoga and the Canal” was drawn up, which shows the coastline and the route of the canal, indicating its profiles.
In 1763-1765, on behalf of the State Admiralty Board, an expedition led by Captain-Lieutenant D. Selyaninov carried out a sounding in the middle part of the lake, explored its coastal part near Shlisselburg, and only reconnaissance was carried out along the remaining shores. A handwritten map was drawn up, which was not printed. Later, hydrographers M. P. Fondezin and S. I. Mordvinov conducted research in other areas near the shores of the lake. On the basis of this information, in 1812, the drawing room of the Admiralty Department compiled and published the first map of the entire Lake Ladoga. In 1858, the Naval Ministry ordered a systematic inventory of the lake, for which the Hydrographic Department equipped an expedition led by Staff Captain A.P. Andreev, which worked until 1866. As a result of the expedition, the Russian Geographical Society in 1875 awarded A.P. Andreev with a large gold and silver medal.

In the 1930s, the Office for Navigation Safety in the Baltic Sea organized the second expedition to conduct a systematic inventory of Lake Ladoga, created a new triangulation network on the shores of the lake to the border with Finland, and with the help of fishermen, the coastal and central parts of the lake were measured. A topographic survey was carried out in the coastal strip of land, a network of footstocks was deployed to observe fluctuations in the level of the lake, and many banks were examined. Based on these materials, maps and plans were drawn up at a scale of 1:100,000–1:25,000, and for individual bays at a scale of 1:10,000. which the old plans were updated and new plans appeared on a scale of 1:10,000.

Economic importance
The lake is navigable, it is part of the waterway, which is part of the Volga-Baltic waterway and the White Sea-Baltic Canal. The most intensive movement of ships is carried out in the south of the lake from the Neva River. Serious storms are not uncommon on Ladoga, especially in autumn time. Then, for safety reasons, passenger ships on Ladoga may be temporarily prohibited.
Since the founding of St. Petersburg, Lake Ladoga has been integral part into the water transport system northern part of Russia. In order to ensure the safety of navigation along the southern shore of the lake, a well-known hydraulic engineer, whose work was highly appreciated by Peter Minikh, laid a canal, later called the Staraya Ladoga Canal. When its size turned out to be small, the Novoladozhsky Canal was laid a little to the north for uninterrupted movement along the southern shore of the lake from the Neva to the Svir, the length of which is 169 km. Now the Staraya Ladoga canal is almost completely overgrown and dried up, and the Novoladozhsky canal is still used to this day for the passage of river vessels that are not adapted to lake conditions. As of 2000, about 8 million tons of various cargoes are transported across the lake. Oil and oil products (4 million tons per year), chemical raw materials (0.63), timber (0.39), building materials (0.13), other (0.41) are transported from the Volga to the Baltic. In the opposite direction building materials (1.2), other (1.11). In addition, about 77,000 passengers are transported annually on Lake Ladoga: 40,000 in the Volga-Baltic direction and 37,000 in the Baltic-Volga direction. in navigation 2010-2012 they work from April 30 to November 15.
From St. Petersburg, Moscow, Priozersk, Sortavala tourist cruises on and Konevets. When tourist ships enter the Valaam archipelago, the ship sails along the central water area of ​​Ladoga, while the coast is not visible. At strong wind quite sensitive pitching is possible. Regular passenger traffic there is no lake, but regularly several times a day during navigation along the routes Sortavala - Valaam, Pitkyaranta - Valaam and Priozersk - Konevets tourist boats, including hydrofoils, go.
Leading commercial importance are about 10 species of fish, among which the most massive were vendace, ripus and smelt. Pike perch and various forms of lake whitefish are also quite numerous.

The largest island (28 km²) in the Valaam archipelago. It is composed of basalts and diabases, covered with coniferous forests.
The monastic tradition says that the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the Enlightener of the Scythians and Slavs, having arrived from Kiev to Novgorod, along the Volkhov River reached Lake Ladoga, and then Valaam, where he blessed the mountains of the island with a cross.
On the island is the Valaam stauropegial monastery in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The monastery was founded in the X-XI century. The center of the ensemble of the monastery is the five-domed Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior in the Russian-Byzantine style (1887-1896, architects A. V. Silin, G. I. Karpov, N. D. Prokofiev). The Holy Gates (end of the 17th - beginning of the 19th centuries), the church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (1802-1809), the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity (1814, 1837), a hotel (1852, architect A. M. Gornostaev), a workhouse ( 1871, architect G. I. Karpov), hegumen cemetery with the Church of the Reverend Fathers (consecrated in 1876). Outside the main ensemble there are sketes, chapels, worship crosses.

Konevets Island
Konevsky Nativity-Bogorodichny Monastery
An island with an area of ​​8.5 km², in the west of the lake, 6.5 km from the shore. The Konevsky Nativity-Bogorodichny Monastery is located on the island. The name of the island comes from a boulder weighing more than 750 tons located here - the Horse-stone, which until the end of the 14th century served as a place of pagan sacrifices. The monastery was founded in 1393 by the Monk Arseny. The main attraction of the monastery is the building of the temple in the name of Christmas. Holy Mother of God(first half of the 19th century, architects S. G. Ivanov, I. B. Slupsky, A. M. Gornostaev), in which the relics of the Monk Arseny Konevsky are buried.

Memorial "Road of Life"
The complex of memorial structures in the "Green Belt of Glory of Leningrad" at the borders of the Leningrad Battle of 1941-1944 on the Road of Life route - the only transport communication linking Leningrad with the rest of the country.
The complex includes 7 monuments, 46 memorial pillars along the highway and 56 pillars along railway. Among them is the Flower of Life memorial complex at 3 km of the Road of Life (1968, architects A. D. Levenkov, P. I. Melnikov), a steam locomotive monument at railway station Lake Ladoga (1974, architect V. I. Kuznetsov), the Torn Ring memorial complex at 40 km of the Road of Life highway, on the shore of Lake Ladoga near the village of Kokkorevo (monument and anti-aircraft gun, 1966, architect V. G. Filippov, sk K. M. Simun, engineer I. A. Rybin), the “Crossing” monument near the village named after Morozov on the right bank of the Neva, dedicated to the pontoon soldiers (1970, architect L. M. Drexler, engineer E. N. Lutsk), the Steel Way stele at the Petrokrepost railway station, erected in honor of the railroad heroes who worked on the Road of Life (1972, architect M.N. Meisel, I.G. Yavein, designer G.D. Glinman) and other.

NEW LADOGA
The city is located on the left bank of the Volkhov River, at its confluence with Lake Ladoga. Novaya Ladoga was founded in 1704 by Emperor Peter I. Among the sights of the city: the Nikolo-Medvedsky Monastery (the temple of John the Evangelist (XVII century), St. Nicholas Cathedral (XV-XVI century), the remains of a wall and a moat), the Gostiny Dvor building (1841), barracks the former Suzdal regiment (XVIII century), a monument to A. V. Suvorov, the Staraya Ladoga Canal (first half of the XVIII century).

Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg is located on the left bank at the head of the Neva River near Lake Ladoga. The city was founded by Prince Yuri Danilovich of Novgorod in 1323, who laid a wooden fortress on Oreshek Island. In 1613, during the Swedish intervention, the fortress was captured by the Swedes and renamed Noteburg. In 1702, it was conquered from the Swedes by Peter I, who gave the city its current name.
Among the sights of the city: the Oreshek fortress (1323), the monument to Peter I (architect M. M. Antokolsky), the Staraya Ladoga Canal (the first half of the 18th century), the Annunciation Cathedral (1764-1795), St. Nicholas Church (1739).

Transfiguration Cathedral Valaam Monastery Konevsky Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery Memorial Complex
"Broken Ring" Church at the mouth of the Staraya Ladoga Canal in Shlisselburg Former church in Kharvia

Priozersk
The Karelian settlement at this place has been known since the 12th century. In 1310, the Novgorodians built the capital Korela fortress at the mouth of the Vuoksa. In 1580, the Swedes took the fortress and renamed it Kexholm. In 1710 it passed into the possession of the Russian Empire.
In the city there is a fortress Korela with round tower(1364), low defensive wall and earth ramparts, old (1591) and new arsenals, fortress gates; Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1847, architect L. Visconti), Church of All Saints (1890-1892, architect J. Arinberg), Lutheran church (1930, architect Armas Lindgren).

Ladoga in culture
Ladoga, as a place where Karelians and Russians live together, left a noticeable imprint on the formation of their worldview and culture. The legendary “path from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed along the southern part of Lake Ladoga, which to a large extent contributed to the rapprochement of the cultures of the peoples inhabiting this area.
In the region of northern Ladoga, events took place that were included in the Karelian epic "Kalevala", orally transmitted by folk storytellers - rune singers, who accompanied their story by playing the national instrument - kantele.

city ​​of Sortavala

In the city of Sortavala there is a monument to the most famous of them, Petri Shemeikka. The poetic size characteristic of the Karelian epic was used by Longfellow when presenting the epic of the Indians. North America in his Song of Hiawatha.
The nature of the Northern Ladoga region is reflected in the paintings of the classic of Finnish painting Akseli Gallen-Kallela, a contemporary of Nicholas Roerich, with whom he had a personal friendship, supported by a lively creative correspondence. Roerich in his early years(1899) walked along the Volkhov from Lake Ilmen to Lake Ladoga. In 1907 he visited Helsingfors (Helsinki), Imatra, Savonlinna, Turku and Lokhya, and from 1916 he generally settled in Sortavala and spent about two years there, visiting its picturesque surroundings and the islands of the Western archipelago. It was here that his specific worldview was formed, and he established himself as a creative person. About two hundred of his sketches and paintings were written here, including the painting “Overseas guests” noted by Leo Tolstoy. Almost all of his poems, a number of articles, the fairy tale "Giant Make-up Artist", the play "Mercy", as well as the only story "Flame" were written. Together with Gorky and Repin, he played a significant role in the development of Russian-Finnish cultural ties.
Ladoga occupies special place in Russian painting. The picturesque nature of the lake and especially the Valaam Islands has attracted Russian landscape painters since the middle of the 19th century. Primordial nature served as nature for the works of such famous masters as I. I. Shishkin, A. I. Kuindzhi, F. A. Vasiliev, N. K. Roerich.

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO
Team Nomads
Nezhikhovsky R. A. The Neva River and the Neva Bay. - L .: Gidrometeoizdat, 1981.
Kravchuk P. A. Records of nature. - Lyubeshov: Erudit, 1993. - 216 p. ISBN 5-7707-2044-1.
Great Russian Encyclopedia. T. 16. - M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2010. S. 576-578.
Boguslavsky O.I. Southern Ladoga region in the system of trans-Eurasian relations in the 9th—12th centuries
Resource potential of the meadows of the Western Ladoga region
Pospelov E. M. place names World: Toponymic Dictionary. - 2nd ed., stereotype. - M .: Russian dictionaries, Astrel, AST, 2001. S. 106-107.
Mamontova N. Toponymy of the Ladoga Region
Jackson T. N. Aldeigya. Archeology and toponymy // Monuments of medieval culture: Discoveries and versions. SPb., 1994. S. 77-79.
Kalesnik S. V. Lake Ladoga
Darinsky A. V. Leningrad region. L .: Lenizdat, 1975. S. 40.
Ladoga lake. Navigational and geographical outline
I. F. Pravdin. Lakes of Karelia / Alexandrov B. M., Zytsar N. A., Novikov P. I. et al. - Petrozavodsk: State Publishing House of the Karelian ASSR, 1959. - S. 361-385. — 618 p.
Atlas of the Leningrad region. - M .: GUGK at the Council of Ministers of the USSR, 1967. - S. 24-25.
V. A. Kirillov, I. M. Raspopov. Lakes of the Leningrad region. L.: Lenizdat, 1971
Atlas "Lake Ladoga". — Institute of Lake Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences. - SPb., 2002. - S. 120. - 128 p.
Wikipedia website
http://www.laatokka.info/

Lake Ladoga is located in the northwest of Russia.

Lake Ladoga has ancient history, unique nature and a rich natural world.

Its shores, islands and water area have importance for the development of the economy and tourism of the region. This is the largest European freshwater lake.

How did the lake

It is believed that for hundreds of millions of years there was a sea on the site of modern Lake Ladoga. Its modern appearance is the result of the movement of the glacial cover.

Researchers believe that the basin on which the lake arose began to free itself from ice about 14 thousand years ago. First, a periglacial lake arose, which had a drain into a glacial lake, on the site of which the Baltic Sea later arose.

Over the next several thousand years, the water level in the lake, the area of ​​​​its surface changed repeatedly. Later, as a result of a change in the profile of the bottom, the lake basin was oriented to the south.

The bed of the Neva gradually formed in its modern form. After the formation of this river, the water level in the reservoir, which belongs to the Baltic basin, decreased by 12-13 meters.

Historical events

On the southern part of its coast in the 8th century, the city of Ladoga was founded, which gave the name to the lake. It played an important role in the waterway of the Varangians from Scandinavia to Byzantium discovered in the next century. In the 13th century, the name Ladoga Lake became common. In 1617, after the defeat of Russia in the war with the Swedes, most of the lake coast and coastal fortresses and settlements were ceded to the Swedes.

At the beginning of the 18th century, as a result of the victory for Russia, the shores of the lake became completely Russian. After that, shipping channels were arranged. During , most The Ladoga coast was occupied by German and Finnish troops. To maintain communication between Leningrad, blocked by the Nazis, and the non-occupied part of the Soviet state, from the autumn of 1941 to the spring of 1943, a "" was organized.

Over one and a half million tons of food and other goods were delivered to the city for navigation by ships and cars on hard ice, over 1.3 million residents of the city were evacuated. An important role here was played by the ships of the Ladoga military flotilla, created at the beginning of the Soviet-Finnish war.

Ladoga lake. road of life photo

A big mark in the history of Ladoga was left by the islands located on the lake. The island of Valaam gained worldwide fame with its foundation, founded in the 10th-11th centuries. According to legend, the holy apostle overcame the path from Kyiv and Novgorod. When he reached the island, he blessed it with a cross. Prominent Russian architects took part in the construction of the monastery buildings.

On small island Konevets in the XIV century, the Monk Arseniy founded the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.

Characteristics and environmental conditions

Together with the islands, the area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 18.3 thousand square meters. km. It stretches from north to south for 219 km, with a width of 125 km. The lake is located 4.84 m above sea level. The shores of the lake, stretching for more than a thousand kilometers, have a varied and rich relief. On the south coast, they are not high, they have many shallows, interspersed with rock reefs and small bays. On this side of the lake there are three large bays.

Lake Ladoga Valaam Island, Valaam Monastery photo

Its northern shores are predominantly rocky and high. There are many peninsulas, fjords and skerries, separated by straits of small islands. From the eastern side, two bays, fenced off by a large island, protrude into the coast. The coastal strip is relatively flat, with wide sandy beaches. Even more gentle is the western coast of Lake Ladoga. It is distinguished by a dense forest that comes directly to the water, formed by coniferous and deciduous trees, and a variety of shrubs. There are frequent accumulations of boulders along the coast, which can ridge into the water, creating a danger to navigation.

There are a huge number of islands on the lake, of which 660 have an area of ​​​​more than a hectare and occupy about 435 square meters. km. More than half a thousand are located in the area of ​​skerries in the north of the lake. Dozens of islands form archipelagos, the largest of which is Valaam with 50 islands. Most of the islands are distinguished by high cliffs and sheer shores. They may be heavily forested or sparsely vegetated.

In the region of Lake Ladoga, there is a specific climate, which has signs of temperate continental and temperate maritime. This is due to the features of the region, expressed in. relatively small amount of heat from the sun that enters the earth and the atmosphere. During the year, only two months in total are sunny. Overcast days with cloudiness and scattered light prevail throughout the year.

The average annual air temperature here is + 3.3 degrees. In February it is - 8.8, and in warm July +16.3. The lake freezes over from December to February. Its middle is covered with ice only at extremely low temperatures. In April-May it is freed from ice. Due to constant unrest, Lake Ladoga is not calm. Storms are not uncommon here, characterized by foam-covered waves reaching six meters in height. Sometimes there are phenomena of surge and surge of the water mass, leading to changes in the water level.

Flowing rivers, cities, ecology

The full flow of Lake Ladoga is provided by the many rivers flowing into it, which provide about 85% of its water balance. Among them, the largest are the Svir, which flows from Lake Onega, the Volkhov, which originates in Lake Ilmen, and Vuoksa, which connects Ladoga with Lake Saimaa. In total, 35 rivers and many streams carry their waters into the lake. Only the Neva, flowing out of it, flows into the Baltic Sea. It accounts for about 92% of the water flow from the lake.

city ​​Priozersk fortress Korela photo

On the shores of the lake there are such cities with Russian and Karelian names:

• Lakhdenpokhya
• Novaya Ladoga
• Pitkyaranta
• Priozersk
• Sortavala
• Shlisselburg.

These settlements are centers of coastal economic life. The activities of their industrial enterprises are largely provided by lake navigation. A waterway runs through Ladoga from the Volga to Baltic Sea. Millions of tons of cargo move across the lake every year. These are oil products and oil, building materials, chemical raw materials, etc. Tens of thousands of passengers are transported, including as part of tourist cruises.

Economic activity on the shores of the lake has led to pollution natural environment. Many enterprises, instead of effectively cleaning production waste, dump it into the lake and the rivers flowing into it. Radiation and nuclear hazardous enterprises and test sites for testing radioactive components operate near the lake. As a result, contaminated areas have formed on some islands.

Ladoga skerries photo

In some parts of the water area, the content of dissolved heavy metals is seriously exceeded. Some coastal locations have high levels of toxicological and microbial contamination.

Animal world

Over 250 species of birds are found in the region of Lake Ladoga. A fifth of them annually in spring and autumn fly here in transit. According to ornithologists, Ladoga birds reach Novaya Zemlya and Iceland, South Africa and India. Among them:

• geese
• ducks
• swans
• seagulls
• waders
• cranes and others.

Many other birds, including those belonging to rare species, arrange their nests on the shores. On the southern coast, waterfowl nest in reed thickets. There are many freshwater fish in the lake. During the spawning period, she goes to spawn in the flowing rivers. In total, there are over fifty species of various fish, including such as:

• trout
• salmon
• zander
• perch
• pike and others.

About ten fish species are harvested, among which ripus, vendace and smelt predominate. Fishing is most effective in the south of the lake at depths of up to 20 m. For spawning in the Volkhov and other rivers flowing into the lake, sturgeon comes from the Baltic through Ladoga along the Neva. Here they catch pike perch near the southern shore. In Volkhov and near the coast of the lake, there are fish breeders of Siberian sturgeon, whitefish, trout, and other valuable fish.

Lake Ladoga and seagulls photo

However, the negative impact on nature reduces the population of valuable commercial fish, such as whitefish, trout, salmon, etc. Volkhov whitefish and Atlantic sturgeon were included in the Russian Red Book. In addition, this book contains a unique seal, which is called the Ladoga ringed seal. The number of these animals in the lake does not exceed five thousand individuals.

• annually on May 25-26, “white nights” can be observed over the lake, which last more than fifty days and end on July 16-17;
• in 2002, an atlas of Lake Ladoga was published with the participation of domestic and foreign experts;
• for the first time, the lake was marked in 1544 on a map made by the German scientist S. Munster;
• Since 2002, the state register of ships, aircraft and other underwater objects located at the bottom of the lake has been compiled;
• after the war, experiments were made on some islands with chemical warfare and radioactive substances, new types of weapons and explosives were developed
• in the 1970s, according to the then standards, the waters of the lake were the cleanest and were marked with the I class of quality, while today the moderately polluted water of the lake is assigned only the III class;
• among the deepest Russian lakes, Ladoga ranks eighth.

general characteristics

The relief of the bottom of Lake Ladoga is characterized by a gradual increase in depth from south to north. The bottom of the northern part is uneven, furrowed with depressions. Depths exceeding 100 meters prevail here. It is in the north, near the islands of Kilpisaret, that the maximum depth of the lake is 230 meters. The depth of the depression against the Kurkijoki skerries reaches 220 meters. Not far from Priozersk, as well as near the Sortaval skerries, depths of up to 150 meters are known. The bottom relief of the southern part is calmer and more smooth. The depths in this part of the lake range from 20-50 meters and are close to the average depth of the entire reservoir - 51 meters.

The total area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 18,135 square kilometers, 457 of which are islands. Only islands exceeding 1 hectare in area, there are more than 650, of which about 500 are located off the northwestern coast. The bizarre outlines of rocky islands, sometimes reaching a height of 60-70 meters, are combined with the indented coast of the mainland, into which numerous bays deeply cut. The largest of them - Lekhmalakhti, Naismeri, Kurkiyoksky, Yakimvarsky, Sortavala - have a length of more than 10 kilometers.

From the steep shores, a delightful panorama of islands opens up, towering above the silvery surface of the lake. The figures speak eloquently about the ruggedness of the shores of northern Ladoga: out of the total length of the lake's coastline of 1,570 kilometers, 790 belong to the skerry region.

The high northern coast drops to the south and gradually passes into the calmer western and eastern shores. The eastern shore is not indented, only two large bays protrude into it - Lunkulanlahti and Uksunlahti, covered from the side of the lake by one of the largest islands of Ladoga - Mantsinsari. The eastern coast (in the southern part) is surrounded by wide sandy beaches. The west coast is even less indented. It is overgrown with dense mixed forest and shrubs, coming close to the water's edge, along which placers of boulders of various shapes and sizes predominate. Ridges of stones often go far from the capes into the lake, forming dangerous underwater reefs.

The western shore passes into the low and swampy southern shore, bordered, like a curb, by thickets of aquatic plants. The coast here is replete with shoals, rocky reefs and banks. Therefore, the shallow southern part is fraught with many dangers for navigation.

Thirty-two rivers carry their waters to Ladoga. This is the full-flowing Svir, fraught with a huge reserve of energy, and small rivers of the northern coast, lost among the forests and meadows, and the rectilinear Volkhov, and flowing through many lakes of Vuoksa. There are short rivers, the sources of which lie 20-40 kilometers from Ladoga. Others stretched out for more than one hundred kilometers, and their waters overcome a long way before they join the lake.

No matter how the rivers of the Ladoga basin differ from each other in their size, together they serve as the main source of nutrition for the lake. Every year the rivers bring here about 68 cubic kilometers of water. In high-water years, this figure can increase to 100. The share of rain and snow involved in replenishing water reserves in the lake accounts for 15 percent, groundwater - only 2 percent of the total inflow.

River waters flow into Ladoga fairly evenly throughout the year. In this, the main role is played by the artificial regulation of the flow of large rivers, which became possible after the construction of a number of structures and hydroelectric facilities.

In the spring, the southern river, the Volkhov, is opened before anyone else. It carries a huge mass of water at this time of the year. By winter, its value in the total inflow decreases. The flow of the Vuoksa (Burnaya) River is most evenly distributed over the seasons, followed by the Svir. This leads to the fact that in winter, when many rivers are depleted, the filling of the lake occurs due to these two tributaries.

Only the full-flowing Neva flows out of Ladoga. Every second it takes about 2500 cubic meters of water, which in less than a day manages to go all the way from the source to the Gulf of Finland. The length of the Neva is 74 kilometers. Throughout its length, the bottom of the river lies below the surface of the Baltic Sea. If, for some reason, the water level in Ladoga fell 4.5-5 meters below the average, then the Neva would flow back, and the waters of the Gulf of Finland would enter the lake.

The lake itself has a significant impact on climatic conditions. This is characterized by the smoothing of extreme values ​​of climatic characteristics, as a result of which the continental air masses, passing over the surface of the lake, acquire the character of maritime air masses. The average air temperature in the area of ​​Lake Ladoga is +3.2 °C. The average temperature of the coldest month (February) is ?8.8 °C, the warmest (July) is +16.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 475 mm. The smallest monthly amount of precipitation falls in February - March (24 mm), the largest - in September (58 mm). During the year, western and southwestern winds prevail in most of Lake Ladoga. The average monthly wind speed in the open part of the lake and on most of the islands from October to January - February is 6-9 m/s, in other months 4-7 m/s. On the coast, the average monthly wind speed varies from 3 to 5 m/s. Calms are rarely observed. In October, storm winds with a speed of more than 20 m/s are often observed on Lake Ladoga, the maximum wind speed reaches 34 m/s. Breezes are observed along the entire coast in summer on windless sunny days and clear nights. The lake breeze starts at about 9 am and lasts until 8 pm, its speed is 2-6 m/s; it extends 9-15 km inland. Fogs are observed most often in spring, late summer and autumn.

The relief of the bottom of Lake Ladoga is characterized by an increase in depth from south to north. The depth varies unevenly: in the northern part it ranges from 70 to 230 m, in the south - from 20 to 70 m. The average depth of the lake is 50 m, the greatest is 233 m (to the north of Valaam Island). The bottom of the northern part is uneven, furrowed with depressions, while the southern part is calmer and more smooth. Lake Ladoga ranks eighth among the deepest lakes in Russia. Transparency near the western coast of Lake Ladoga is 2-2.5 m, near the eastern coast 1-2 m, in the mouth areas 0.3-0.9 m, and towards the center of the lake it increases to 4.5 m. The lowest transparency was observed in the Volkhov Bay (0.5-1 m), and the largest - to the west of the Valaam Islands (8-9 in summer, over 10 m in winter). There are constant disturbances on the lake. During severe storms, the water in it "boils", and the waves are almost completely covered with foam. In the water regime, surge phenomena are characteristic (fluctuations in the water level by 50-70 cm annually, up to a maximum of 3 m), seiches (up to 3-4 m), wave height during storms up to 6 m. The lake freezes in December (coastal part) - February (central part), opens in April - May. The central part is covered with solid ice only in very severe winters. Due to the long and strong winter cooling, the water in the lake is very cold even in summer; it warms up only in the thin upper layer and in the coastal strip. The temperature regime differs in the central deep part of the lake and on the coast. The water temperature on the surface in August is up to 24 °C in the south, 18-20 °C in the center, near the bottom about 4 °C, in winter under ice 0-2 °C. The water is fresh and clean (except for areas polluted by industrial waste), minerals and salts are dissolved in negligible amounts. Water belongs to the hydrocarbonate class (low content of calcium and magnesium salts, slightly more nickel, aluminum).

In Lake Ladoga, 378 species and varieties of planktonic animals were identified. More than half of the species are rotifers. A quarter of the total number of species are protozoans, and 23 percent fall together on cladocerans and copepods. The most common zooplankton species in the lake are daphnia and cyclops. A large group of aquatic invertebrates lives at the bottom of the lake. In Ladoga, 385 species of them were found (mostly various crustaceans). The first place in the composition of the benthic fauna belongs to insect larvae, which account for more than half of all species of bottom animals - 202 species. Next come worms (66 species), water mites, or hydrocarines, molluscs, crustaceans, and others. The lake is rich in freshwater fish, which go to the rivers to spawn. 53 species and varieties of fish live in Lake Ladoga: Ladoga slingshot, salmon, trout, char, whitefish, vendace, smelt, bream, cheese, blue bream, silver bream, rudd, asp, catfish, pike perch, roach, perch, pike, burbot and others . Human impact on the reservoir reduces the number of valuable fish - salmon, trout, char, lake-river whitefish and others, and the Atlantic sturgeon and Volkhov whitefish are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The most productive areas include the shallow southern part of the lake with depths up to 15-20 m, where the main fishery is concentrated, and the least productive - the northern skerry area. Sturgeon passes through the lake from the Gulf of Finland along the Neva for spawning to the Volkhov and other rivers. Pike perch is found along the southern and southeastern shores of Lake Ladoga. Salmon lives in the lake, which goes to the rivers in autumn, where it spawns. Whitefish, Siberian sturgeon and other fish are bred in Lake Ladoga and Volkhov. In the Ladoga area, 256 species of birds belonging to 17 orders are regularly found. More than 50 species of birds were recorded here during the transit migration in spring and autumn. The migration links of the Ladoga region cover the space from Iceland to India and from South Africa to Novaya Zemlya. The most attractive territories for birds are the southern Ladoga region. Grebes, swans, geese, ducks, waders, gulls, terns, cranes and shepherds are encountered here on migration, as well as nesting nests of river ducks, tufted ducks, red-headed pochards, gulls, terns, curlews, common and medium-sized curlews, black-tailed godwit, herbalist, golden plover and other shorebirds, the common crane, white-tailed eagle, osprey, red-footed falcon, eagle owl, gray owl, short-eared owl and a number of other birds. The northern skerries are nesting sites for the gray-cheeked grebe, large and medium-sized mergansers, gulls (including barnacle gulls and grouse), terns (including arctic tern), waders and many other species; accumulations of arctic ducks and waders are observed on migration. The only representative of pinnipeds, the Ladoga ringed seal, lives in Lake Ladoga. The number of seals in the lake is estimated at 4000-5000 heads (according to 2000 data). The species is listed in the Red Book.