Baikal is located in a very ancient basin. The lake is 15-20 million years old (other lakes are usually 5-15 thousand years old). It is of tectonic origin. The shape of the lake is oblong, corresponding to the fault. The length of the lake is about 620 km, and the width is from 24 to 79 km.
Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. The greatest depth is 1620 m, the average is the level of the world ocean, and the level of the water surface is 453 m higher. The reason for the great depth of the lake is in its origin (tectonic fault). Despite the fact that the age of the lake is very ancient, there is still movement on the territory of the basin and its shores. crust... The earthquake has been observed to this day. The Buryats witnessed the discharge of a part of the lake shore. The Proval Bay was formed. The earthquake was magnitude 9.
The rocks of the shores of Lake Baikal are crystalline, the shores are mountainous. There are 27 islands on Lake Baikal, the largest island, Olkhon (73 km long and 11 km wide)
Lake Baikal, unique in its nature, has picturesque shores and islands. The lake is a recreational facility in Siberia. Clean air, mineral springs, clean, clear water of the lake attract many tourists.
Cedar is valuable nuts, pine nut oil is used in medicine and optics, serves as food for the inhabitants of the taiga and for humans.
In the 20th century, pulp and paper mills were built on the shores of Lake Baikal, which largely pollute the water of the lake. An Irkutsk hydroelectric power station was built on the Angara River, thereby dampening Lake Baikal, which led to a rise in the water level by a meter, to washout of mud from the banks, to cloudy water, to the death of the main filter of Baikal water - plankton.
Environmental measures are required: - To regulate the felling of forests in the basins of rivers flowing into the lake. -Prohibit logging on the slopes of the ridges facing Lake Baikal. -Prohibit the molten rafting of timber along the rivers. -Build treatment facilities at enterprises located on the shores of the lake and rivers flowing into Lake Baikal. -Create recreation centers with organized visits to the lake by tourists (“wild tourism” is dangerous) -Raise the ecological culture of the population.
Science studies lakes limnology Lake Baikal has uniquely clean clear water. The white disc, which is used to determine the degree of transparency of the water, is visible when immersed in the lake to a depth of 40 meters. By chemical composition water is close to distilled (less than 0.1 g of salts in 1 liter, i.e. water salinity is 0.1%) and is rich in oxygen. The uniqueness of the Baikal water is in its purity and transparency.
The lake is rarely calm. At the coast, the waves crash against the rocks with noise and roar. The storm on the lake is raised by a sarma-hurricane wind blowing from the northwest from the mountains across the lake. Baikal is also unique for its huge volume of water, which can be compared with the volume of water in the Baltic Sea. Baikal contains 1 \ 10 of the planet's fresh waters.
The Buryats call Baikal “Baigal-Dalai”, which means “Baikal-Sea”. Russians appeared on the shores in 1643 - one of the winterers, a Cossack Pentecostal Kurbat Ivanov went to Lake Baikal and discovered Olkhon Island. After the founding of Irkutsk in 1661, the Russians finally strengthened their position on Lake Baikal.
In the 18th century, Irkutsk became the center of the development of Eastern Siberia by the Russians. The records "Life of Archpriest Avvakum" contain interesting information about the lake. Protopop Avvakum was exiled to Transbaikalia and was on the lake in 1656.
Lake Baikal is a World Natural Heritage Site and has the status of a lake-reserve. Scientists still have not come to a common opinion about the origin of the basin of Lake Baikal: some believe that this is a tectonic fault, others believe that the basin of the lake is the result of a slow subsidence of the earth's crust.
The organic world of Lake Baikal is unique. In the lake there are about 1,500 species of animals and more than 1,000 species of plants, most of the plants are algae.
70% of the inhabitants of the lake are endemic, i.e. Organisms that are not found anywhere else, only in Lake Baikal. These types include golomyanka - viviparous fish that does not have scales. Pinkish-white, translucent, composed mainly of fat. Previously, golomyanka was collected from the surface of the water (dead it does not sink, because fat is lighter than water) and fat was melted from it, which was used for lighting and for medicinal purposes.
GOLOMYANKA - a deep-sea fish, it can descend to a depth of 1000 m, but most often swims at a depth of 250-500 m, and at night it rises to a depth of 50-100 m.The length of the fish is 18-20 cm.
Omul is caught more than other fish (about 70% of the catch is omul). They catch it both in summer and in winter from under the ice. Nets made of strong nylon thread are 1.5-2 km long, and 4-5 m high. meter layers of water), they are tied to floats. In the evening they throw nets and wait for dawn, in the morning they are picked. Omul is small in size: the length of the fish is -30-40cm, and the weight is -2-4kg
The Baikal seal also lives in the lake. It is exactly like a seal that lives in the seas of the Arctic Ocean. The freshwater seal is a mystery to zoologists. The seal was exterminated because of its valuable fur, and it became a rarity on Lake Baikal.
The shores of Lake Baikal are occupied by taiga - from cedar, pine, larch. The taiga is inhabited by musk deer, sable, fox, chipmunk, brown bear, elk and others.
On the territory of Russia, on the border between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia, and the hills there is a wonderful, amazing and mysterious world created by nature itself, Lake Baikal - the pearl of Siberia.
Surrounded by majestic mountains for 636 km, the water surface is spilled in the form of a blue giant crescent. The width of the lake ranges from a minimum of 27 km to a maximum of 81 km. The surface area of Lake Baikal is approximately equal to the area of Belgium or Denmark. This is the deepest of all lakes in the world, its maximum depth 1642 m. Its volume is greater than the volume Baltic Sea.
Why Baikal is called the pearl of Siberia
Baikal stores one fifth of all fresh water reserves on the planet. More than 300 rivers and streams flow into this lake, and only takes its source from Baikal - Angara.
Baikal is rightfully considered the only lake in the world from which you can drink water without pretreatment. Once in the lake, water remains in it for hundreds of years. Weak mineralization of tributaries, the vital activity of the flora and fauna of the lake and low temperature provide exceptional water purity and high oxygen saturation. There are no more open reservoirs with water of this quality preserved in the world. In spring, the waters of Lake Baikal are so transparent that you can see the bottom of the lake at a depth of 40 meters.
The indigenous people call this grand reservoir the sea. Baikal has 30 islands, many capes and bays. Each bay and each bay is unique and attractive for its beauty.
Due to the gigantic volume of water, in the Baikal region than in the rest Eastern Siberia... This circumstance explains the richness of the flora and fauna of the lake. Many species of flora and fauna are found nowhere else in nature. Baikal waters are inhabited by omul fish, one and a half meter sturgeon weighing more than 100 kg and a seal - a freshwater seal.
Dippers live on the shores of the lake - birds that dive into the water and run along the bottom, getting food. In the reserves, you can see the smallest Siberian deer - musk deer and a massive exit of brown bears to the water after hibernation. Among the plants, there is a 550-year-old cedar and a larch of the same age. The uniqueness of this lake is also in the fact that cloudless weather reigns over it most of the year.
Baikal is considered. Scientists give it 25 million years.
The variety and splendor of the landscapes around this huge reservoir is amazing. The purest transparent water surface of turquoise color, surrounded by picturesque mountains covered with forest. Baikal is the pearl of Siberia, a true treasure of the region. This is a special world, where to this day the nature of the lake has preserved its pristine nature, where harmony and beauty reign.
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The beauty of Lake Baikal is stunning from the very first day. Of course, much more depends on the weather. As a rule, Olkhon has clear weather - there are an average of 300 sunny days a year. But sunsets with bright colors do not happen so often ...
2.
Locals do not say about Baikal, that it is a lake. For them, Baikal is a sea. In ancient times, this lake was called Bei-Hai (North Sea) and was mentioned in Chinese written monuments. In Mongolian, Baikal was called Baigaal-Dalai, which translates as "rich fire", and in Turkic languages - Bay-Kul, which means "rich lake".
3. 
Baikal is the world's largest freshwater reservoir. A quarter of all the world's reserves! So you understand that in general there is not enough fresh water on our ball ...
4.
The water in the lake is so clean that you can drink it right away, without pretreatment. The clarity of water is determined as follows: a white disk the size of a plate is immersed in water. So, in Baikal this plate can be discerned at a depth of 40 meters! 
If water suddenly disappeared in Lake Baikal, all the world's rivers would need a year of work to refill the lake to this level.
5. 
The water in Lake Baikal is delicious.It contains little dissolved and suspended mineral substances, negligible organic impurities, and a lot of oxygen. In terms of mineral composition, the water is perfectly balanced and therefore useful for health.
6.
By the end of winter, the ice thickness on Lake Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays - 1.5–2 m. In severe frost, the cracks, which are locally called “back cracks,” break the ice into separate fields. This picture was taken in the area of Cape Khoboy.
7. 
The length of such cracks is 10-30 km, and the width is 2-3 m. Breaks occur annually in approximately the same areas of the lake. They are accompanied by a loud crash, reminiscent of thunder or cannon shots. Thanks to cracks in the ice, fish on the lake do not die from a lack of oxygen. Open cracks are dangerous, there are often cases when fishermen or tourists fall into the water. The chances of survival are slim. If you are walking or skiing, you can make a bridge. To do this, you need to crumble into a crack of ice. It is best to break off the edge of the crack with a hatchet. In literally half an hour, this icy crumb is seized by the frost - that's it, you can go.
8. 
Baikal is the oldest lake on Earth. According to scientists' calculations, it may be up to 35 million years old. Despite such a venerable age, the lake is still young by geological standards: its shores are still actively moving, shifting up to 2 cm per year.
9. 
Baikal is the deepest lake in the world today. The maximum distance from the bottom to the surface is 1642 meters. But, perhaps, the lake is even deeper, the study continues.
10. 
The Baikal rift zone belongs to the territories with high seismicity: earthquakes regularly occur here, the strength of most of which is one or two points. However, there are also strong ones; Thus, in 1862, during the ten-point Kudara earthquake in the northern part of the Selenga delta, a land area of 200 sq km with 6 uluses, in which 1,300 people lived, went under water, and Proval Bay was formed. The last strong earthquakes on Lake Baikal occurred in August 2008 (9 points) and in February 2010 (6.1 points). A brick factory was built on Olkhon. However, not many houses were built from that brick; it turned out that the stone could not withstand earthquakes, the walls cracked. Wooden houses remain undamaged even with strong shocks.
11. 
The village of Khuzhir, the main one on Olkhon.
12.
By the number of unique animals, Baikal resembles the Australian continent. More than 3600 representatives of flora and fauna live in the lake and on the shores, about 70% of which are not found anywhere else. Baikal is home to one of the most ancient animals on the planet - sponges. The famous Baikal sturgeon lives in its waters: a one and a half meter handsome man weighing more than 100 kg. On the shores of Lake Baikal, a cedar tree, which celebrated its 550th anniversary, grows, and a real old-timer among larches - a tree that is more than 700 years old!
13. 
Baikal is a favorite place for photographers all over the world.
14.
Sometimes it feels like you are on another planet. Here is a completely different attitude.
15.
In 1996, Baikal was added to the List of Objects World heritage UNESCO.
16.
Handsome Burkhan - famous place strength. Third place in the world in terms of power, after Kailash and Parabola. People have been using the energy of this place for tens of thousands of years!
17. 
Shamanism is widespread here. Scientists have only now come close to understanding the abilities of shamans.
18.
If someone has not yet visited Baikal, then in vain.
19.
Lake Baikal on the map looks like a small blue sickle located in Siberia. This is one of the most extraordinary miracles not only in the Russian Federation, but throughout the entire Earth.
The people have composed many legends and songs about him. The Yakuts called this lake Baikal, which means “rich lake”. It is located in a large stone pit, which is surrounded by grassy mountain ranges. Baikal is located from northeast to southwest at a distance of 636 kilometers, which is almost equal to the distance Moscow - St. Petersburg. The width of the lake is 79 kilometers. The area is approximately the same as the Western European countries - the Netherlands and Belgium, and in terms of size it confidently ranks eighth among the lakes of our planet.
Baikal is a unique lake. Its surrounding mountains and coastline with beautiful flora, fauna and microclimate, and the lake itself has huge reserves of fresh water - this is an invaluable gift of nature.
Everyone knows that Baikal is the deepest lake in everything the globe... Its depth is 1620 meters. However, in 1991, hydrologists made an amendment, they found a mark even deeper - at 1657 meters.
Lake Baikal contains 20 percent of all fresh water on Earth. This is about 23 thousand cubic kilometers. In order to desalinate so much moisture from sea water would need to spend 25 times more funds than the cost of gold mined for all time on Earth.
Just imagine: all the water of the Baltic Sea can be placed in the bowl of Lake Baikal, but its area is 10 times larger.
About 92 seas such as the five American Great Lakes can be poured into the basin of this lake; their total area is 8 times larger than the area of Lake Baikal and the Sea of Azov.
1123 rivers carry their waters into the lake. The largest of them are: Barguzin, Selenga, but only one follows, but very powerful - Ankara. The level of Lake Baikal rises above the Mouth of the Angara River by 378 meters, which creates a great fall energy. A cascade of power plants has been built in this area. There are 27 islets on the lake, they are small. The largest is Olkhon, it is located in the middle of the lake, and its area is 729 square kilometers.
This high-water reservoir could not but affect the climate of the surrounding area. In winter, there are severe Siberian frosts, but in summer Baikal moderate the heat well. Because of this, the climate here is much milder than in neighboring areas. For example, Peschanaya Bay is the only place in all of Siberia where average temperature is equal to 0 degrees. Baikal freezes only in January. However, even in summer, the water temperature does not exceed 12 degrees.
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Due to the fact that the difference between atmospheric pressure and the air temperature in the surrounding mountains and the surface of the lake is significant; storms are often played out on Lake Baikal. There are more sunny days in this area than, for example, in some areas of the Black Sea region.
There is no lake on the globe, the water in which would be clearer than in Lake Baikal. Once a white disk was lowered into it in order to determine the transparency of the water. It was visible from a depth of 40 meters.
Lake water tastes good. Siberians say that if you have taken a sip of Baikal water at least once, you will definitely come back for a second sip.
Baikal is the oldest lake on our planet. Its basin was formed about 25-30 million years ago. Over a million years old is the age of modern outlines. The structure and origin of the bottom of the lake, and the processes that take place, scientists were able to study with the help of the device "Pysis". Unique photographs were taken from the bottom of the lake at a depth of 1410 meters. Scientists have proved the increased seismicity of the basin, and that the change coastline the lake is directly related to this fact.
It has been established that the shores of the lake are annually moved apart by about 2 centimeters, and the area itself increases by almost 3 hectares. There are sometimes about 2000 earthquakes a year, however, they are small. Sometimes there are very tangible ones, for example, in 1862, during an earthquake, a part of the coast collapsed, and a bay was formed, which was called the Failure. But as a result of an earthquake in 1958 near Olkhon Island, the bottom of the lake sank by 20 meters.
The active life of the subsoil is also indicated by the presence of a large number of hot springs in the adjacent mountains and on the shores of the lake, the temperature of which ranges from 30 to 90 degrees. However, it has been established that the age of the rock around Lake Baikal is about 2 billion years.
One of the unusual features of the lake is its unique wildlife. There are about 1,500 different species here, and 75 of them live only on Lake Baikal. There are even much more fish here than in many seas - about 50 species, and almost all of them are indigenous "Baikals", for example, omul. A local proverb says: There is no Baikal without omul. An interesting fish is the viviparous golomyanka. It is so fat that if a storm throws it ashore, it almost completely melts under the rays of the sun. Its fat contains many vitamins and medicinal compounds, which is why it is often called "medical fish".
More than 80 species of crustaceans live in Lake Baikal, among which the most valuable for the ecology is the epishura. It is small in size, when this kid gets his own food - he works for the good of the whole lake. Through its special organ, it filters water, cleans it from various algae and bacteria. Throughout the year, these little "orderlies" have time to filter more than 1400 cubic meters. km of water to a depth of 10 meters, and this is almost ten times more than that falls into Lake Baikal from all adjacent rivers, and annual flow the Angara River has only 60 cubic meters. km. Only thanks to the continuous activity of the Epishura crustacean, the purity of Lake Baikal is still maintained.
The coastal forests are rich in mushrooms, berries, herbs and flowers. The famous Barguzin sable adorns the fauna.
“Those who have not seen Baikal have never been to Siberia,” say the Siberians.
Baikal is unique lake, one of the unique wonders of the planet, a truly natural shrine not only for Russians, but for all mankind. Baikal is a giant, a hero, a handsome man to match Mother Siberia.
"Baigal-Dalai" - the Buryats call it, which means "Baikal-Sea". There is no other on Earth so deep lake... Its maximum depth reaches 1637 m, and the average one is 730 m. The bottom of Lake Baikal is 1167 m below the level of the World Ocean, and its water surface is 453 m higher.
This is the deepest depression in the land. There is no other such an ancient lake on Earth. Baikal is 15-20 million years old, while other lakes are no more than 5-15 thousand years old. In length, the lake stretches for 620 km with a width of 24 to 79 km.
Due to its great depth and length, a colossal amount of fresh water has been collected in Lake Baikal - 1/10 of the fresh water of the entire planet.
A complete change of water in Lake Baikal has been going on for 332 years.
More than 336 rivers flow into the lake, and one Angara flows out. It is understandable why Angara is in one of the first places in Russia in terms of water energy reserves and far exceeds the energy capacity of the Volga, Kama and Don combined.
Rice. 127. Scheme of the Baikal rift
The water of Lake Baikal is unique. Baikal surpasses alpine lakes in its transparency. The white disc used to determine the transparency of the water is visible in the lake at a depth of 40 m! The main value of Baikal water is in its hydrochemical properties and quality. It can be used both for domestic purposes and in a number of industries. Baikal water is chemically very pure, slightly mineralized (less than 0.1 g of salt in 1 liter), rich in oxygen. The ancient age of Lake Baikal allowed it to preserve living organisms of long-extinct times. 3/4 of the species of living organisms of the lake are endemic, that is, they are not found anywhere else. The most interesting endemics of Lake Baikal are golomyanka, omul, sculpin goby. Golomyanka is a pinkish-white translucent fish that does not have scales. Golomyanka is a viviparous fish, that is, it does not spawn, but gives birth to live cubs. There are very valuable game fish and animals in the lake. First of all, this is the famous omul - an unusually tender and pleasant-tasting fish, as well as whitefish, sturgeon, grayling.
Of the mammals, the Baikal seal is found in the lake - the seal, which has excellent fur.
The history of the development of Baikal... Russian explorers came to Lake Baikal in the 17th century. The first Russian reports about Baikal appear in 1640. Curious data about it are contained in the "Life of Archpriest Avvakum", who was exiled to Transbaikalia and visited the lake in 1656. Many prominent scientists (ID Chersky), academicians of the Russian Academy (I. G. Gmelin, P. S. Pallas, V. A. Obruchev, L. S. Berg). But there is still no single point of view on the origin of the Baikal depression. Some argue that it arose as a result of deep faults and the subsequent subsidence of the earth's crust. Others believe that the Baikal depression is a consequence of the slow subsidence of the earth's crust.
Rice. 128. Lake Baikal
Features of the nature of Baikal... The lake and the surrounding mountains are in a seismically active zone. The strongest earthquake occurred on Lake Baikal at the end of 1861, when Proval Bay was formed.
Of the 27 islands of Lake Baikal, the largest is Olkhon (73 km long and 11 km wide). The island is located almost in the center of the lake off its northwestern coast.
Baikal is calm and gentle in calm weather, but harsh, unapproachable and dangerous in storms. The sarma wind was especially fierce. It swoops in from the northwest at a speed of over 60 m / s and sweeps away everything in its path. The narrow and elongated basin of Lake Baikal, sandwiched between high mountains, river valleys in coastal ridges affect the direction of the wind over the lake. Local winds also include Barguzin, Verkhovik, Kultuk.
By the duration of sunshine, the Baikal region surpasses such famous resorts, like Zheleznovodsk, Davos, etc., and is not inferior to the Mediterranean countries.
By climate maps determine what temperatures are typical for the vicinity of Lake Baikal in summer and winter, what amount of precipitation falls in this area. How do you explain the minimum for Siberia annual amplitude temperatures in this area from -31 to + 32 ° C?
The mountain taiga surrounding Lake Baikal has long been known for its valuable tree species and the wealth of fur-bearing animals. Baikal sable provides the most valuable fur in Siberia.
The value of Baikal... The unique beauty of Lake Baikal, its picturesque shores and islands have attracted and continue to attract tourists from our country and abroad.
Rice. 129. Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal
The healing air, numerous thermal and mineral springs can serve as a good base for creating resorts and recreation areas.
Huge scientific significance Baikal. The bright, peculiar nature contributes to the understanding of many general questions of natural science. Unique animal and vegetable world the lakes make it a "museum of living antiquities". Some scientists propose to declare Baikal a state reserve. However, it is clear that Baikal is not only unique a natural phenomenon, a natural shrine of Russia, but also a powerful economic complex... Reserves have been created on the shores and islands of Lake Baikal, the oldest of which is the Barguzinsky Reserve.
Construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, the Selenginsky cardboard mill, various industrial enterprises in Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, negatively affects the nature of Lake Baikal. Unfortunately, both in the 1950s and 1960s, and even now, not everyone understands the need for a careful attitude to nature, the need to preserve both individual components of nature and the entire natural-territorial complex. Only reasonable development based on modern technologies natural resources Baikal will help both to obtain economic benefits, and to preserve this natural shrine for our descendants.
Questions and tasks
- Tell us why Baikal is considered a unique natural phenomenon.
- Give a characterization natural conditions and natural resources of Baikal.
- Find materials about the ecological problems of Lake Baikal in periodicals.
- Suggest your forecast for the development and protection of Lake Baikal in the XXI century.
