What is the area near Lake Baikal. Report on the topic of Lake Baikal message. Unique fresh water tank

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- the greatest on our planet. It is inextricably linked with Russia and is one of its symbols. Located near the center of Asia, Lake Baikal is known far beyond this continent.

The Baikal basin was formed by tectonic processes: the lake lies in deep depression surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges. - ancient lake Earth. He is about 25 million years old. During all this time, the shores of Baikal diverged from average speed 2 cm per year, and in the distant future, Baikal may turn into real ocean. Baikal is the deepest lake on Earth. His maximum depth is 1620 meters. This allows Baikal, with a relatively small surface area (31,500 km 2.), to contain 20% of the world's reserves fresh water: 23 thousand km 3. About the same amount contain all five Great Lakes North America together taken - Upper, Michigan, Erie, Ontario and Huron. In order to fill the empty basin of Baikal, it would take the volume of water that all the rivers of the planet bring into the world ocean in 300 days. And another “Great Giant”, the Amazon River, would need to feed Baikal for four years to do this.

336 rivers flow into the lake, but the main role in the water balance of the lake is played by Selenga, contributing to the basin 50% of the annual inflow of water. At the same time, the lake gives life to only one river - Angara, on which the dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station was built in 1959, which raised the water level in Baikal by a meter. It is on the Angara, which is called the “daughter of Baikal”, that the largest Bratskoye reservoir on our planet with a volume of 169.3 km 3 was created. The water in Baikal is dark blue and so transparent that in June, when transparency reaches its maximum, one can observe forty-meter depths with the naked eye. It is curious that the water in the lake is fresher than the water of the rivers flowing into it, and its mineralization decreases with depth. Scientists have put forward a hypothesis about the existence of a permanent powerful superfresh source at the bottom of Lake Baikal. Until it is proven or disproven.

Water exchange of Lake Baikal

Speaking of exceptional purity, one of its inhabitants should be mentioned, thanks to which water from the lake can be safely drunk without any additional purification. This is a tiny crab epishura, which is one of the endemics of the lake (that is, it is not found anywhere except Baikal). It is this crustacean, repeatedly passing the waters of the lake through itself, and cleans them. Epishura is not the only Baikal endemic. Two thirds of the flora and fauna of the lake live only in Baikal. The most famous are the Baikal seal, the Baikal omul, the Baikal seal, some species of gobies, as well as the golomyanka viviparous fish. In total, 2.6 thousand species and varieties of plants and animals live in the lake.

Ecology of Lake Baikal

In the 20th century unique world The lake is faced with a problem that threatens the possibility of the continued existence of nature. In the early 1960s, on south coast lake, the construction of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill (PPM) began. In this regard, a discussion immediately unfolded. Scientific expeditions were sent to the Baikal region, the purpose of which was to find out how the environmentally negative activity of the plant affects unique nature lakes. Newspapers actively discussed the possibility of creating "clean" technologies for pulp and paper production. The problem was reflected even in art: in 1970, director S. A. Gerasimov shot the film “ At a lake", whose heroes are looking for a compromise between the need to create a plant and the desire to preserve Baikal. Despite harsh criticism, the pulp and paper mill was built and put into operation in 1966. Its effluents, as well as the effluents of the pulp and paper mill (PPM) on the Selenga River, contain toxic phenols, chlorides, sulfates and suspended matter in large quantities.

Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill

As a result, back in 1994, in the area of ​​the Baikal pulp and paper mill, the water pollution zone extended to 10 km2, and the area of ​​the polluted bottom area was 70 km2. The Selenga River, which plays an important role in the water balance of the lake, also brings the runoff of the city of Ulan-Ude into its basin. An increased concentration of phenols was found in its waters, and the content of oil products exceeds the MPC (maximum permissible concentration) by 3–15 times. The forces of the lake are still coping with the misfortunes that have fallen, however, the resources of Baikal are not unlimited, and if nothing is done, they will run out sooner or later. Then the life of the lake, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, will be in danger, and it is possible that, after many years, our descendants, having come to the water surface

Baikal is not only the largest, but also the most mysterious and mysterious lake planets. With its appearance, and there are 35 million years old, many legends and traditions are associated. As soon as it is not called - the pearl of Siberia, mighty water, great fire, the sea. Where is Lake Baikal located? The oldest body of water spreads freely in the southern part Eastern Siberia.

Geography

The length of the lake, located at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level, is 636 kilometers, and the coastline stretches for almost 2,000 kilometers. Most of it is nature reserves and parks under state protection. The width of Lake Baikal, due to its unusual shape in the form of a crescent, reaches 81 km in the central part and 27 km at its narrowest point.

The northwestern part of the huge reservoir is located in Irkutsk region, southeastern - in Buryatia. Assessing the depth of Lake Baikal, which ranks first in the world, experts call an indicator of 1640 meters with an allowable error of 2%. The second deepest is Lake Tanganyika on the African continent, which loses to the leader as much as two hundred meters. More than three hundred rivers and streams replenish the supply of fresh water in the lake, a good half of the total volume comes from the Selenga. But only one follows from it, Angara. There are twenty-two islands on the lake, the largest of them is Olkhon.

Map can be enlarged by clicking on it with the left mouse button.

Why Baikal is called Baikal

According to ancient legend, the "oldest" lake on the planet appeared as a result of a volcanic eruption. But researchers are still arguing about the origin of its name. Several guesses:

• Bai-Kul - translated from Turkic means "rich lake";
• Baigal - from the Mongolian "rich fire";
• Baigal Dalai - in the same Mongolian means " big lake»;
• Beihai - in Chinese means "North Sea";
• Baigal-Nuur is a Buryat name;
• Lamu is the name of the Evenki lake.

It is believed that the first explorers who appeared here in the seventeenth century called Baikal an Evenk name. Later, switching to the Buryat name, they softened the letter "g", giving the name its current form.

Waters of Lake Baikal

The purity of lake water is amazing. Its transparency is 40 meters, and its oxygen saturation and unique composition, slightly mineralized and close to those of distilled water, make it extremely healing.

At the time of algae bloom, the transparency decreases slightly, but remains quite high. Of great interest to tourists is the observation of the immersion of a coin thrown into the waters of the lake, which can be seen quite long time. Visit famous lake- the dream of almost every Russian. Where Lake Baikal is located is already known, but what kind of weather prevails there?

Climate

If you look at where Baikal is located on the map of Russia, it can be noted that Irkutsk is only 70 kilometers from it. However, it is rash to assume that the climate is the same there and there. Typical for these places, it is sharply continental, it is significantly softened in the lake area by the abundance of water and dense forests. Air temperature on Baikal in winter time warmer, and in summer it is colder by almost 10 degrees. In addition, rainy weather here can be considered a rarity. A slight evaporation of water does not contribute to the formation of clouds, and their counterparts coming from behind the mountains heat up and dissipate.

Sometimes, of course, you can get caught in the rain, but the amount sunny days on the island of Olkhon, for example, much more than on the Riga coast or in the Caucasian Abastumani. The rather cold water of Lake Baikal warms up to 16-17 degrees in summer, but only close to the shore. At a depth, the water temperature in summer is only 4-5 degrees. The period from June 15 to August 15 is considered the most successful for a trip to Baikal - warm and sunny.

Fauna and flora

vegetable and animal world Baikal are unique. The lake serves as a safe haven for almost three thousand species of animals and thousands of plants, many of which are found only here. And this despite the fact that, as scientists suggest, more than 20% of the living organisms living in it, from the surface to the maximum depths, are still unknown to science. Grayling, whitefish, taimen, sturgeon, omul, lenok, golomyanka - far from complete list fish species that inhabit the lake. There are about sixty of them in total, which makes fishing in a pond an extremely exciting and productive activity. Until now, there are heated debates about how the Baikal seal got to Baikal and comfortably settled down here - especially marine mammal. It is assumed that she came here in ancient times. ice age, moving from Arctic Ocean along the Angara and the Yenisei. Now tens of thousands of animals live here.

How to get to Baikal?

Resting on the lake is interesting and attractive all year round, each season has its own positive sides. At first, many people are a little afraid of a long journey, but after learning how to get to Baikal, they are determined to set off. Every day, flights to Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk depart from Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports. The flight time is almost the same - the liner flies six hours to the first destination, twenty minutes less to the second. Irkutsk airport is located six kilometers from the center.

Road by railway takes a little longer, the distance of 5192 km train Moscow - Irkutsk will overcome in 3 and a half days. However magnificent scenery and decent service will help brighten up the travel time. From regional center getting to Baikal is easy - from the central bus station they go fixed-route taxis and buses from railway station- electric trains and trains, from the pier "Rocket" in the summer you can go on a yacht or boat. A short distance of 70 kilometers will not seem too long and boring.

Listvyanka

At the source of the Angara is the oldest Baikal village of Listvyanka, which is about three hundred years old. Previously, local residents hunted and, now it is quite developed here. tourism infrastructure with comfortable hotels, inns, cozy restaurants and entertainment establishments, saunas and baths with Baikal water. From this locality acquaintance with the region begins, here is the only one in Russian Federation Lake Museum. It is invariably visited by domestic and Foreign tourists getting acquainted with the history of the famous reservoir, its flora and fauna, the results of numerous scientific studies.

The village has many attractions worth visiting:

• "mini-zoo" with bears and foxes,
• nerpinary,
• Art Gallery,
• shaman stone,
• observatory.

Dive centers operating in the village offer tourists an unforgettable experience - diving into clear waters. unique lake Baikal to a depth of three to forty meters. This is possible at any time of the year, as the water temperature at the dive sites is from 3 to 12 degrees. IN summer time many water excursions depart from Listvyanka - to the nearby village big cats, to the Sandy Bay, to the port of Baikal. You can take the opportunity to ride on the water surface of Lake Baikal on your own, on a rented boat.

seasonal holiday

The flow of tourists to Baikal does not weaken, but grows every year. If you look at where Lake Baikal is located on the map of Russia, you can clearly see that it is located in a cozy environment of mountain ranges and forests. Unique beauty local places are beautiful in their own way at any time of the year.

In winter, lovers of ice fishing, ski trips and travel on iceboats and bicycle races on the thick ice of the reservoir come here. The majestic awakening from winter hibernation and the rescue of Baikal from ice captivity can be seen by those who came here at the end of spring. At this time, there are not very many tourists and you can enjoy unity with nature without interference. In spring, you can even meet clubfoot inhabitants of the Baikal-Lensky and Barguzinsky reserves that go to the water. colorful and riot of colors close to the lake forests. However, the end of October and November are characterized by inhospitable weather and possible mudslides.

Interesting and mysterious sights of Lake Baikal

• Shaman stone - according to legend, it has miraculous powers. The owner of the Angara, Ama Sagaan noyon, lived here, magical shamanic rites were performed and criminals were left overnight to repent of their deeds and admit their guilt.
• Cape Khoboy on the island of Olkhon is a petrified Buryat woman punished for her envy. Many legends are associated with the cape. In winter, a real delight is a visit to the grottoes located here, exquisitely decorated with transparent icicles.
• Rock Shamanka, located on Cape Burkhan, is made of granite, quartz and snow-white marble. The through cave located in it was the center of cult worship of the Buryats, who considered it the place of residence of the owner of Baikal. The entrance here was closed to mere mortals, and women bypassed the rock by the farthest path. Various rituals and ceremonies were held in the cave, which caused sacred awe among the local population. Pagan priests removed family curses here, relieved ailments and predicted the future, falling into a trance.

What city is Baikal in?

Having firmly decided the next one and a trip to Baikal, a potential tourist begins to develop a route and asks a completely understandable question - where is the lake

• Babushkino;
• Listvyanka;
• Big Cats;
• Pankovka;
• Nizhneangarsk;
• Baikalsk;
• Severobaikalsk and many others.

You can stay with a tent in a campsite, use the services of a well-equipped tourist base to rent a room in cozy house at local residents. And also, if all family members are completely independent and are not afraid of hiking difficulties, you can go hiking with backpacks and a tent. independent travel, stopping for the night and rest in the most picturesque places of Baikal. Such a vacation will surely become the most memorable and significant event in family life.

Baikal - freshwater lake in the south of Eastern Siberia, it stretched from 53 to 56 ° N. and from 104 to 109°30’ E Its length is 636 km, and the 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 most deep lake in the world (1620 m). It contains the largest fresh water reserves on earth - 23 thousand cubic kilometers, which is 1/10 of the world's fresh water reserves. A complete change of such a huge amount of water in Baikal takes 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, Upper Angara, and only one Angara flows out. Baikal has 27 islands, the largest of which is Olkhon. The lake freezes in January, 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 relief. Near Baikal, the band of mountains expands noticeably. The mountain ranges here stretch parallel to one another in the direction from the northwest to the southeast and are separated by hollow-shaped depressions, along the bottom of which rivers flow and in some places there are lakes. The height of most of the ridges of Transbaikalia rarely exceeds 1300 - 1800, but most high ridges reach high values. For example, xr. Khamar-Daban (Sokhor peak) - 2304 m, and the Barguzinsky ridge. about 3000 m.

Tectonic movements continue here even now. This is evidenced by frequent earthquakes in the region of the basin, outcrops of hot springs, and, finally, subsidence of significant sections of the coast.

The waters of Baikal have a blue-green color, are distinguished by exceptional purity and transparency, often even greater than in the ocean: you can clearly see stones lying at a depth of 10-15 m and thickets of greenish algae, and a white disk lowered into the water is visible at a depth of 40 m.
Baikal lies in the temperate zone.

Geography of Lake Baikal.

Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. In the form of a crescent being born, Baikal stretched 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 maximum 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. Length coastline about 2000 km. The area of ​​the water mirror, determined at the water's edge of 454 m above sea level, is 31,470 square kilometers. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 m, average depth- 730 m. 336 permanent rivers and streams flow into Baikal, while half of the volume of water entering the lake comes from the Selenga. flows out of Baikal the only river— Angara. However, the question of the number of rivers flowing into Baikal is rather 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, African lake Tanganyika, lags behind by as much as 200 meters. There are 22 islands on Baikal, although, as mentioned above, there is no unanimity on this issue. The largest island is Olkhon.

Age of Lake Baikal.

The age of the lake is usually given in the literature 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 the age gives values ​​from 20-30 million to several tens of thousands of years. Apparently, the first estimate is closer to the truth - Baikal is indeed a very ancient lake.
It is believed that Baikal arose as a result of the action of tectonic forces. Tectonic processes are still going on, which is manifested in the increased seismicity of the Baikal region. If we assume that the age of Baikal is indeed several tens of millions of years, then this is the oldest lake on Earth.

Origin of name.

Numerous scientific studies have been devoted to the problem of the origin of the word "Baikal", which indicates a lack of clarity in this matter. There are about a dozen possible explanations for the origin of the name. Among them, the most probable is the version of the origin of the name of the lake from the Turkic-speaking Bai-Kul - a rich lake. Of the other versions, two more can be noted: from the Mongolian Baigal - a rich fire and Baigal Dalai - a 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 - the North Sea.

The Evenki name Lamu - the 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, for the fact that the far opposite shore is often hidden somewhere in the haze ... At the same time, the Small Sea and the Big Sea are distinguished. Small Sea - what is located between north coast 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, pure and saturated with oxygen. In not so ancient times, it was considered healing, with its help, diseases were treated. In spring, the transparency of Baikal water, measured using the 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 a massive algae bloom begins, the transparency of the water decreases, but in calm weather, the bottom can be seen from a boat at a fairly decent depth. This high transparency is due to the fact that Baikal water, due 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 unusual microclimate. Baikal works like a big thermal stabilizer - in winter it is warmer in Baikal, and in summer a little cooler than, for example, in Irkutsk, located at a distance of 60 km from the lake. The temperature difference is usually around 10 degrees. A significant contribution to this effect is made by forests growing on almost the entire coast of Lake Baikal.

Baikal's influence 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 the land heat up when passing the coastal mountains, and the clouds dissipate. As a result, the sky over 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 seashore in 1839, in Abastumani (Caucasus) - 1994). You should not think that the sun always shines over the lake - if you are not lucky, then you can run into one or even two weeks of disgusting rainy weather even in the sunny place Baikal - on Olkhon, but this is extremely rare.

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 on Baikal blows almost always. More than thirty local names of winds are known. This does not mean at all that there are so many different winds on Baikal, just that many of them have several names. Peculiarity Baikal winds in that almost all of them almost always blow along the coast and there are not as many shelters from them as we would like.

Prevailing winds: northwest, often called mountain winds, northeast (barguzin and verkhovik, also known as angara), southwest (kultuk), southeast (shelonnik). The maximum wind speed recorded on Lake Baikal is 40 m/s. In the literature, there are also large values ​​- up to 60 m / s, but there is no reliable evidence for this.

Where there is wind, there, as you know, there are waves. I note right away that the opposite is not true - the wave can be even with complete calm. Waves on Lake 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, as a rule, 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 the summer on Lake Baikal, strong excitement is rare, and calm often occurs.

Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful and scenic spots not only in the Asian part of our country, but all over the planet. This ancient lake (its age is approximately 25-35 million years), lying in a rift basin, is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. It is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, 22% of all fresh water is concentrated here. the clearest water worldwide and 85% of Russia. The volume of water is 23 thousand km 3 (these are the five Great Lakes in the United States taken together). In addition to the value of huge reserves of fresh water, which, due to its low mineralization (100 g/l), can be safely equated with distilled water, it should also be noted that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and has been on the list since 1996. world heritage UNESCO.

Geographical position

Lake Baikal, which has the shape of a crescent elongated from southwest to northeast, is located almost in the very center of the Eurasian continent, in Central Asia, in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. ancient rift basin glacial origin, in which the lake basin is located, lies in the Baikal mountain region, surrounded by high peaks mountain ranges and hills overgrown with dense forests (border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation).

Characteristics of Lake Baikal

The area of ​​the lake is 31.7 thousand km 2, this is the seventh place in the world after the Caspian Sea-lake, lakes Victoria, Taganika, Huron, Michigan, Upper or the area of ​​the countries of Belgium or the Netherlands. The lake is 636 km long, it is widest in the center (81 km), narrowest - near the delta of the Serenga River (27 km).

The average depth of the lake is 744.4 m higher than the maximum depths of many lakes in the world, its maximum depth, measured by Soviet scientists Kolotilo and Sulimov in 1983, was 1640 m, which made Baikal the deepest lake in the world.

The lake lies in a glacial rift basin, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. The length of the coastline is 2 thousand km, west coast rocky and steep, the eastern one is more gentle, the mountains are located tens of kilometers from the coast. The water area of ​​​​the lake has six bays (Barguzinsky, Chivyrkuisky, Proval, Posolsky, Cherkalov, Mukhor), two dozen bays (Listvennaya, Peschanaya, Aya, many closed shallow bays called sory. The only river flows out of the lake - the Angara, flows into more than 336 rivers and rivulets, among the large ones one can name the Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Snezhnaya, Kichera, etc.

Temperature regime of water

Water, due to its low mineralization, is distinguished by amazing purity, transparency (can be seen to a depth of 40 meters), oxygen saturation. In spring, the water is especially transparent and has a rich blue-blue color; in summer, as a result of the development of organic matter, the transparency decreases and the waters acquire a blue-green tint. The average annual temperature of the water surface is about +4°С, in summer the water is +16, +17°С, in the sors it reaches +22,+23°С.

Baikal is almost completely covered with ice (1-2 meters) from January to May (with the exception of a small area 15-20 km at the source of the Angara). One of amazing riddles lake Baikal is the appearance in winter period huge dark rings on the ice, which are visible only from a height. Presumably, they are formed as a result of the release of methane from the depths of the lake, and this contributes to the formation of huge steams with a diameter of hundreds of meters with a very thin layer of ice.

Winds on Baikal

The distinguishing features of Baikal's climate are its winds, they blow almost always, their maximum speed wind - 40 m/s. There are more than 30 names of the winds blowing there: the wind of the northwestern direction is mountainous, the northeastern wind is barguzin, verkhovik), the southeastern wind is shelonnik, the southwestern wind is kultuk, the sarma is the wind blowing in the center of Baikal. They blow mainly along the coast, on which there are practically no places to hide from such a piercing and strong wind.

Nature of Lake Baikal

The flora and fauna of the lake is diverse and unique. Oxygenated water allows you to live here a large number living organisms, more than 2600 species and subspecies of aquatic inhabitants live here, most of them are endemic. More than 58 species of fish live in the water column, such as omul, grayling, whitefish, taimen, Baikal sturgeon, lenok, golomyanka (a unique fish consisting of 30% fat).

The coast is covered with more than 2,000 species of plants, about 2,000 species of birds nest here, a unique marine mammal lives here - the Baikal seal, in the mountainous part of the Baikal region - the smallest deer in the world - the musk deer.

(Olkhon - largest island Lake Baikal)

The northeastern coast of the lake is part of the protected area of ​​the Barguzin State Natural biosphere reserve Since 1996, Baikal has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Settlements and cities

Large cities located a few dozen kilometers from the lake are Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude (130 km east of the lake) and Severobaikalsk (in the northern part of the lake coast). From Irkutsk (70 km from Baikal), the closest to the oldest Baikal settlement at the headwaters of the Angara - Listvyanka, it is over three hundred years old. The tourist infrastructure is well developed here and there is the Lake Museum dedicated to the history of Baikal, its flora and fauna. Also in the village there is a nerpinarium, where they show an exciting water show with the participation of Baikal seals and the legendary Shaman-stone, a reserved rock at the source of the Angara, ancient shamanic rites were held here in ancient times.

Climate and seasons

(Clear water of Lake Baikal in summer)

Eastern Siberia lies in a temperate sharply continental climate zone However, the huge masses of water contained in Lake Baikal have a special effect on the climate of the coast and due to this, unusual microclimate conditions are formed with warm mild winters and cool summers. The water masses of the lake act as a huge natural stabilizer and make winters warmer and summers cooler than, for example, in the same Irkutsk, located at a short distance from the lake (70 km). The air temperature in summer can reach up to +35°C.

(Transparent ice on Lake Baikal in winter)

In winter, the waters of Lake Baikal are bound by incredibly transparent and smooth ice. The temperature above the surface of the lake in the middle of winter is about -21°С, and on the coasts it is 5-10 degrees higher, on average -10°С - 17°С. Due to the slight evaporation of cold water from the surface of the lake, clouds are very rarely formed here, so the area of ​​​​Lake Baikal is characterized by a high total duration of sunshine, cloudy and cloudy days are infrequent.

Baikal is located almost in the center of Asia within 51°29′–55°46′ north latitude and 103°43′–109°58′ east longitude. The length of the lake is 636 km, the maximum width is 81 km, the length of the coastline is about 2000 km. The area is 31,500 km2. In terms of area, Baikal ranks 7th among the world's lakes after the Caspian, Victoria, Tanganyika, Huron, Michigan and Upper. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world - 1637 m, its average depth is 730 m.

In terms of water mass (23,000 km 3), Baikal ranks first among fresh lakes world, containing 20% ​​of the world and 80% of Russia's water reserves. There is more water in Baikal than in all the Great American Lakes combined.

If we assume that the flow of water into the lake due to tributaries has stopped, then a river equal to the water content of the Angara would begin to flow out of Baikal in 383, and to fill the bowl of Baikal with all rivers the globe it would take more than six months (about 200 days). The level of the lake after its regulation by the Irkutsk reservoir is maintained at 456–457 m above sea level. 336 rivers flow into Baikal (according to I. D. Chersky) and one Angara flows out. The area of ​​the drainage basin is 588 thousand km 2, with 53% of it falling on the territory of Russia and 47% on Mongolia.

Islands

In the northeastern part of the lake, near the Svyatoy Nos peninsula, there is an archipelago of the Ushkany Islands, consisting of four islands. The largest of them is Bolshoi Ushkanii, with an area of ​​9 km 2 and the highest elevation of 671 m. It rises 216 m above the lake level. The three Small Ushkanii Islands are small in size and height. According to V. V. Lomakin (1965), the Ushkany Islands rose relatively recently above the level of Baikal, as evidenced by wave-cut niches preserved in the rocks at a height of 200 m and a series of lake terraces.

Svyatoy Nos is the only peninsula on Baikal. Its length is 53 km, width up to 20 km, area 596 km2. The peninsula is a continuation of the Barguzinsky Range and rises 1000 meters above the level of Lake Baikal. Western slopes rocky, slightly dissected, in some places steeply dropping into the water. The eastern ones, on the contrary, are strongly dissected, replete with numerous bays and capes.

gulfs

Bay, like the bay, is a part of the lake that goes into the land, but it is more open. There are about two dozen bays on Baikal (Listvennichnaya, Goloustnaya, Peschanaya, Aya, etc.).

Sora. On Baikal, closed shallow bays are called sors. The depths of sors usually do not exceed 7 m. They are formed when coastal shallow waters or bays are cut off by moving coastal sediments, which form spits, embankments with breaks (straits). These formations local population calls a hag. The largest sor is Upper Angara or North Baikal. Part of its water area is swampy, covered with aquatic vegetation. The largest sors in terms of open water surface area are the Arangatuisky and the Posolsky and Cherkalov bays mentioned above. Sors warm up well in summer and are the richest fishing grounds (Galaziy, 1987).

Straits

The Olkhon Gates strait washes Olkhon from the west and southwest. Its length in the middle part is more than 8 km, and the width at its narrowest point is 1.3 km, and at its widest point it is 2.3 km. The depth in the middle part is about 30–40 m.