Everything about Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal. An interesting journey. Why Baikal consider the awesome creation of nature

Security events

Throughout the twentieth century, some efforts were made to preserve Baikal: the fight against poaching, with illegal cutting down, laws were made to protect the Baikal Territory. Reservations appeared in the Baika national parks. In 1916, the first Barguzinsky reserve was created. As scientific survey on the protection of the Baikal nature was carried out.

The turning point in preserving the unique lake occurred when on December 5, 1996 it received the status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Russia has been imposed on the savings of a unique ecosystem. Currently, a lot of work is being done on the protection of the Baikal Nature:

• about 97 organizations are engaged in Baikal's problems, 400 dissertations are written on the subject of protection of the lake;
• 3 institutes are responsible for monitoring the state of Lake Baikal;
• to the most important work on protection a unique corner Nature connected numerous environmental societies and environmental organizations;
• in 2012, the federal program "Protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic development of the Baikal Natural Territory for 2012-2020" was created.

The unique ecosystem of Baikal, the richest sources of resources of the Baikal flora and fauna, the beauty of his immense expanses is simply vital to preserve and protect.

Great Baikal is unusually important to preserve natural equilibrium on planet Earth. And there is hope that the common efforts of the state, science and society this primevalistly beautiful natural corner will live and develop further.

Traveling on Baikal on the kayak, the least you think about the fact that under you 20% of the world's reserves of the purest fresh water ...

On the old round-bay railway

This section provides basic information about the lake, and are given links to the pages of Baikal's magic, where you can get more detailed information. In the process of collecting information, I encountered that the data from different sources diverge, sometimes substantially. For example, there is still no generally accepted opinion regarding the number of islands on Baikal, the number of rivers flowing into the lake, etc. The origin of the names of the capes, islands, bays and other objects is often a mystery covered with darkness. I tried to take information from sources deserving trust, and point out the available discrepancies and their causes.

Geography of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. In the form of a born crescent Baikal stretched from the southwest to the northeast between 55 ° 47 "and 51 ° 28" northern latitude and 103 ° 43 "and 109 ° 58" Eastern longitude. Lake Lake 636 km, the largest width in the central part of 81 km, the minimum width opposite the Selenga delta is 27 km (between capes naked on the West Bank of Baikal and medium on East). Located Baikal at an altitude of 455 m above sea level. Length coastline About 1850 km (excluding part of the coast of the north of the island of Bright). More than half of the coastline of the lake is included in the territory of nature reserves, reserves and national parks.

The area of \u200b\u200bthe aqueous mirror, determined by the water cut of 454 m above sea level, 31470 square kilometers.

Baikal flows 336 permanent rivers and streams, while half of the volume of water entering the lake brings Selenga. From Baikal flows the only river - hangar. However, the question of the number of rivers flowing into Baikal is rather controversial, most likely them are less than 336. There is no doubt that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, the nearest applicant for this title, the African lake Tanganyka lags behind as much as 200 meters. On Baikal, 30 islands, although, as mentioned above, there is no unanimity in this matter. The largest is Olkhon Island.

Baikal depth

Maximum depth of the lake 1637 m, medium depth - 730 m. Sometimes the literature meets the assertion that the maximum depth of Baikal is 1642 m. What is the right thing? The answer to this question is several paradoxal - both are right. The fact is that the error of measurements of such depths is about 2%, i.e. 30 meters. Therefore, it is correct to say that the greatest depth of Baikal is 1640 m, but not forget about a possible error in several tens of meters.

Lake Lake Baikal

Usually in the literature is the age of Lake 20-25 million years. In fact, the question of the age of Baikal should be considered open, since the use of various methods for determining age gives values \u200b\u200bfrom 20-30 million to several tens of thousands of years. Apparently, the first estimate is closer to the truth - Baikal is in fact very ancient lake. If we assume that the age of Baikal is really a few tens of millions of years, then this is the oldest lake on Earth.

In Southeast Siberia on the border between Buryatia and the Irkutsk region, there is the deepest freshwater lake in the world - Baikal.

Geography and hydrography

It has the shape of a crescent. Its length is about 630 km, the width ranges from 24 to 80 km. The surface area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is just over 31.7 thousand km. KV., Which is comparable to the area of \u200b\u200bcountries such as Denmark, Belgium or the Netherlands.
The lake is located in a gigantic bowl-basin, surrounded in the West by rocky ridges, in the east - gentle hits. The maximum depth of the lake is 1642 m, the average - 745 m.
Baikal is the most significant reservoir in the world's reserves of freshwater - 23.6 thousand km cubic meters. This is also the lake is the most ancient on earth. His age according to scientists estimates fluctuates within 25-30 million years. The most amazing thing is that the shores of the lake are gradually diverged, expanding with a speed of 2 cm per year.
The lake nourish about 350 rivers and streams (the data was not specified since the late 19th century), the largest of which are the upper hangar, Selenga, Barguzin, Sarma, Snow and Turk. Only 1 river follows from Baikal - Angara.
The lake is in the seismically active zone.

Water, Flora and Fauna

Baikal water, despite the complex ecological situation of the region, remains the most pure in the world today. It has very little dissolved minerals, organic matter and a lot of oxygen. In its composition, it is practically distilled. This is the only reservoir on the planet, from which today you can drink water without cleaning and boiling.
Water is so transparent that in the spring, when the vegetation of the lake has not yet awakened, the bottom is good, like through the glass, can be seen at a depth of 40 m.
With its purity, the lake is obliged to microscopic raff - Baikal epishie. The maximum size of 1 of the wipe is not more than 1.5 mm, they are endemics, dwell solely in the waters of Baikal. Are the most important component of the lake ecosystem. A year to 10 times passes the entire gigantic mass of lake water through itself, filtering and cleaning it.
The water temperature in the lake ranges from 0 to +20 degrees.
More than 2600 species of plants and animals live in the lake itself, almost all are endemics, i.e. There are no more anywhere in the world - Nerpe, Omul, Golomanka, Baikal Ostr, Sig, Harius, Yolter, and Others.
The coastal zone is also extremely rich in various representatives of flora and fauna - Cedar Siberian, wounded trees, relict fir, Barguzinsky Sable, Olkhon Polevka, Kabagra, Asian Veretnik and many other unique inhabitants.

Riddles Lake Baikal

The lake is a unique natural range in its characteristics. Not only Russian, but also American, European and Japanese scientists are lost in guess, facing unusual phenomena:
Ice hills in the form of hollow cones, characteristic only for Lake Baikal,
migrating huge dark rings formed under struggle ice,
Mirage - an optical illusion that has not yet been able to find a satisfactory explanation.

The same thing ...

Baikal - most
deep
full-breeding
old
pure
meaningable in fresh water reserves
Lake in the world.

Posted Sun, 12/10/2014 - 08:27 by Cap

Which boy since the time of the ramped childhood does not dream to visit this glorious sea! From the school lessons of geography, we all knew that fate did not offend our Motherland, giving Lake Baikal !!!

And here, the long-standing dream of the wisers was accomplished - after walking and the water part.) - 4 days spent on the shores of the legendary Baikal, about between the villages of Slyudyanka and Listvyanka.

I repeat a little, and tell about our journey along the shores of the blessed Baikal!

We spent the night in the camp of the Ministry of Emergency Situations on the shore of Baikal in Slyudyanka.

With Slyudyanki, we went on the KBD - the Transsiberian took place on KBD, but then the branch from Irkutsk was hidden, and brought directly on Slyudyanka. And KBD - now a tourist single road! We recommend to ride it all!

Sergey Karpeev
Miracle of Russia and the Glorious Sea!
There is no limit to your shores!
The wind bumbles in the endless space,
Slides are ascended by islands.

Waves caress careless stones
Dorming for centuries forgotten volcano.
In the smack of infrequent forest ridges
The chain of Hamar-Daban is stretched.

Rocks, sunbeats, Taezhni Dali,
Sopgia will rest the cedar bias.
Ancient Buryat shrine manit
Marvelous, mysterious Island Olkhon.

Li, the leader, Viedro, bad weather
What foreshadows us with a bubble shaman:
In a rabid dance, mutters under the rule
Spirit that all called Burkhan.

Pink-tender sunset blush
Sound in your cloud mirrors.
Melting, blue, evening fog
Hidden the other side of the coast.

The water, like a crystal, deep and transparent.
Rybar throws his merry.
Zar-charge, grief fussy,
Pulls the crimson in the sky.

The night begins with the stars full:
The bucket semitarily spurla.
Heart and vision supervised
Scroll: beautiful and great our Baikal!

Train around Baikal

The train goes on it 4 times a week, and also back. From the windows of the wagons open wonderful views of the Baikal and the surrounding mountains!

At the station, it is desirable to come an hour before the train, but we did not. There was no longer a train tickets - I had to go to cars where you can agree with the guides to go on the train standing.

The train itself is several comfortable wagons, where everything is decorated for the inturist, and there are televisions for which movies about Baikal, well, and more minibars with drinks!

For simple touag - there are other wagons, ordinary Sovkovskie, but we were very pleased with them, as in steep cars the price was more than 700 rubles. With a person, and in a simple car we agreed on the same price, but in the whole team!

More in addition, we managed to successfully storm the train - so it's almost almost everyone got seats! The car was packed almost before the failure! In pinch, no one began to understand - who has any places, and we rolled along Baikal!

However, it did not have to sit for a long time, after Kultyka, the train stopped near the Rhus Museum. There was also a museum of clean water! View cost literally 10 rubles! We looked at the pictures with interest and listened to the lecture!

The train went slowly enough, the road was old, but very interesting, except for the types of lake, the train passed through a whole system of tunnels that pierced mountain ridges, and then again took us on steep and scenic shore Sacred Lake!

A couple of times the train did stop, so that the passengers could get out of the wagons and sfotkat on his shore!

Baikal souvenirs are usually sold in parallel, as a rule, from local gems.

lake Baikal

On the way, we met with one woman and talked to her - she went on a visit for one half-hour. She advised us to go together with her, because there is very beautiful place! In my opinion, it was the 146th km., There were several houses there. In this place there was a distribution - from the mountains flowed down, there were houses, sheds and gardens. Lived mainly pensioners. Lake Baikal

The place, indeed, it was worth! From here, a picturesque view of Baikal was opened, meters of 500 from the stationery was a good tourist parking with a fire and a table, and also an excellent view of the lake. The descent to water was steep enough, it was necessary to either descend along the steep slope on the wire (which someone pulled out), or bypass through the lower parking lot.

But the main thing is the real natural silence, even nearby was a railway, but the train here was 1 time per day, and only the splashes of waves and screams of chaps are heard!

lake Baikal - Sunset

Lake Baikal - Miracle of Russia

Baikal. The amazing beauty of the lake, the unique creation of nature, crystal clear water ... Probably every person is more or lesser by the heard about the deepest lake on our planet. And what else do you know about Baikal?
Baikal is almost in the very center of Eurasia, among the high ridges of the Baikal mountain region. The lake length extended 636 km, in width - 80 km. Baikal Square is 31,470 km2, which is comparable to the Belgian area (in this european country Almost 10 million people live with major cities and industrial centers). The maximum depth of the lake - 1637 km - rightfully allows you to call Baikal the deepest in the world (the average depth is 730 m). The African Tanganic Lake, which is among the deepest lakes on the planet, "lags behind" from Baikal by 200 m. Of the thirty islands, Olkhon is the largest.

Baikal fill three hundred thirty-six permanent rivers and streams ,. It follows from the lake one. To evaluate the volume of Baikal, imagine that in ideal conditions (despite the fact that no drop from the surface does not appear and will not evaporate), hanging 60.9 km3 of water every year, you will need 387 years of continuous work to dry the lake!

In addition, Baikal is the most ancient lake on our planet, its age according to different estimates is 20-30 million years.
Clean, transparent Baikal water saturated with oxygen, has long been considered healing. Thanks to the activities of living microorganisms living in it, water is weakly mineralized (practically distilled), which explains its crystal transparency. In the spring, the transparency of water reaches 40 meters!
Baikal is a repository of 20% of world and 90% of Russian freshwater reserves. For comparison, it is more than water reserves in five great american lakes Together! Baikal ecosystem gives about 60 km3 clean water in year.

The animal and vegetable world of Baikal is amazing and diverse, which makes it unique in this respect among other freshly lakes. Who did not hear about the famous Baikal Omul? In addition to him, Sig, Lenok, Taimen are located in the lake - representatives of the salmon family. Sturgeon, charous, pike, carp, somedo, cod, ocupal - here is not the entire list of fish families living in Baikal. It is impossible not to mention the Baikal Narre, which is the only mammal representative in the lake. In the fall on stony shores, you can see numerous seals of these Baikal seals. Nerp is not the only inhabitant of coasts, many cases, croches, Gahols, Turpanov, Ogars, Oblanes-Belochvostov, Skops and other birds nests along the shores and on the islands. In addition to all of the listed on Baikal, you can observe a massive way out on the shores of brown bears.
Flora and Fauna Baikal Endemic. 848 species of animals (15%) and 133 types of plants (15%) are not found in any water reservoir.
The uniqueness and beauty of Baikal every year attracts an increasing number of tourists, including foreign ones. This also contributes to the developing infrastructure. Therefore, the main task is to maintain the integrity of the lake ecosystem. Lake Baikal

Baikal - Miracle of Russia
A narrow blue sickle abandoned in the Mountain of Eastern Siberia, looks like geographic map One of the amazing miracles not only Russia, but also the whole globe - Lake Baikal.
Many songs and legends folded about him. Yakuts called Lake Baikal, which means "rich lake". It is splashing in a huge stone basin, surrounded by the sword taiga mountain ranges. The lake extends from the northeast to the southwest of 636 km, which is approximately equal to the distance between Moscow and St. Petersburg. The biggest width of Baikal is 79 km. By its area (31.5 thousand square meters), it is approximately the same as the Western European countries Belgium or the Netherlands, and in magnitude takes the eighth place among the lakes of the globe.
Baikal - truly unique lake. His coast and the surrounding mountains with peculiar fauna, flora and microclimate, as well as the lake itself with rich stocks of clean fresh water - the invaluable gift of nature.
Of course, you know that Baikal is the deepest lake of our planet. Its depth reaches 1620 m and exceeds the depth of some seas of the globe. However, as reported in 1991, the hydrologists have made amendment, revealing a deeper mark in 1657 m.
It contains 20% of freshwater reserves on the globe (23 thousand cubic meters. Km). In order to clean the same moisture from sea water, it would be necessary to spend 25 times more than the cost of gold mined until this time on Earth.
Imagine: All water can fit in the Baikal Bow Baltic SeaAlthough its area is more than Lake Square at about 10 times.
In the basin of Baikal, you can pour water 92 of the seas such as Azov or the water of all five American great lakes, the total area of \u200b\u200bwhich is 8 times more than the Baikal Square.
This waters carry their waters, according to the latest information, 1123 rivers, the largest of the Barguzin, the upper hangar, and flows out.
The lake level towers over the mouth of the hangars at 378 m, which creates greater incidence of falling. A cascade of powerful power plants was built here. There are 27 islands on the lake, they are all small. Only Olkhon, which is located almost in the middle of the lake, has an area of \u200b\u200b729 square meters. km.

olkhon Island Lake Baikal

Such a multi-water reservoir cannot not affect the climate of the surrounding area. In the summer, Baikal dies heat, and in winter - harsh Siberian frosts. Therefore, the climate is softer here than in neighboring areas. For example, sandy bay is the only terrain in Eastern Siberia, where mid annual temperature The air is about 0 G.s (more precisely +0.4 gr.). Baikal freezes only in January. However, even in the heat of water no more than +12 gr.
Since the difference between air temperatures and atmospheric pressure above the surface of the lake and in the surrounding mountains is very large, storms often play on Baikal. Sun days a year here is more here, for example, in some resort areas of the Black Sea region.
There is no lake on the globe, water in which is more transparent to Baikal. White disc, lowered here to determine the transparency of water, is visible from the depth of about 40 m.
In addition, lake water is very pleasant to taste. "Who at least once swallowed the Baikal Water," Sibiryaki say, "he will definitely return after another sip."

Baikal is the oldest lake on Earth. His brand began to form 25-30 million years ago. The age of contemporary outlines is over a million years. The origin and structure of the bottom of the lake, as well as the processes that occur there, scientists have recently studied with the help of a deep-water "Pysis" apparatus. Unique photos of the Baikal bottom at a depth of 1410 m. Proven reinforced seismicity of the brand and the associated change in the coastline of the lake.
It has been established that annually the shore of the lake is moving on average by approximately 2 cm, and its area increases by 3 hectares.
Earthquakes, and sometimes they are here until 2000 a year, mostly small. There are also quite tangible, as for example, in 1862, when part of the coast failed and the bay was formed, called failure. And during the earthquake of 1958, the bottom of the lake near Olkhon Island fell 20 m.
The existence of numerous hot springs adjacent to it on the banks of the lake and in the temperatures from +30 gr. up to + 90 gr. And at the same time, the age of the mountain terrain around Baikal is approximately 2 billion years.

And Lake Baikal

One of the amazing features of the lake is his truly unique animal world. It has more than 1,500 species, and 75% of them live only on Baikal. Only fish here are more than in some seas - 49 species, and almost all the indigenous "Baikal", for example, the famous Omul. "No Baikal without Omul" is such a local saying. Very interesting is the boring fish Golomanka. It is so fat that the storm thrown onto the shore, almost completely melts under the sunny rays. There are many healing organic compounds and vitamins in its fat, so it is called "medical fish".
Of the other types of Baikal fauna - 80 alone crustaceans, among which is very valuable for the ecology of the lake is the episyhura poking. Small in size (the mass of thousands of rahes is only 1 mg), this kid, extracting food, is working tireless for the benefit of the lake. It filters water through a special organ, cleaning it from various bacteria and algae. During the year, these microscopic "Sanitary" managed to profite about 1,500 cube several times. km of water to a depth of 5-10 m, which is 10 times more than it enters the lake from all the rivers, and the annual stock of the lake through the hangar is only 60 cube. km. It is thanks to the tireless activities of the Episircraft, the unusual purity of the Baikal waters is maintained.
In coastal taiga forests, many berries, mushrooms, colors and herbs are growing. Animal decoration is a famous Barguzin sable.
Unfortunately, in connection with the development of the industry in Siberia, including in areas adjacent to Baikal, the construction of a number of large enterprises of woodworking, timber and other industries, as well as non-ferrous metallurgy, often with rich disorders of the environmental situation, a fatal threat was hung over a unique lake. Save the Lake Baikal from pollution - the urgent task of our time.

Geography of Lake Baikal
Baikal (Bail. Baigal Dalai, Baigal Nuur) - Lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water.
The lake and coastal territories are distinguished by a unique variety of flora and fauna, most of the types of animals endemic. Local residents and many in Russia are traditionally called Baikal by the Sea.
Baikal is located in the center of the Asian continent at the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation. The lake stretches from the north-east to the southwest of 620 km in the form of a giant crescent. Baikal width ranges from 24 to 79 km. The bottom of Baikal is 1167 meters below the level of the world's ocean, and its water mirror is 455.5 meters above.
Baikal's water surface area - 31,722 km² (excluding islands), which is approximately equal to the area of \u200b\u200bcountries such as Belgium or the Netherlands. On the area of \u200b\u200bthe water mirror, Baikal occupies a sixth place among the largest lakes of the world.
The length of the coastline is 2100 km.
The lake is in a kind of basin, from all sides with mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the west coast is a rocky and rolling, the relief of the Eastern coast is more gently (places of the mountain retreat from the shore on tens of kilometers).
Baikal is the deepest lake on Earth. Modern value maximum depth Lakes - 1642 m - was established in 1983 L. G. Kolotilo and A. I. Sulimov during the performance of hydrographic works by the Expedition of Gunio MO of the USSR at the point with coordinates 53 ° 14'59 "with. sh. 108 ° 05'11 "in. d. (G) (O).

Inflows and Stoke Baikal
According to the studies of the XIX century, 336 rivers and streams fell into Baikal, this number took into account only constant tributaries. There are no more modern data on this issue, but sometimes the figures are given in 544 or 1123 (which are given as a result of the calculation of the spacing, and not constant watercourses). It is also believed that due to the anthropogenic impact and climate change on Baikal from the XIX century modern time Could the abyss of about 150 watercourses.
The largest of the tributaries of Baikal is the upper hangar, Barguzin, Turk, Snow, Sarma. It follows from the lake. Total 336 permanent watercourses. Lake Baikal

Ice Lake Baikal
In the period of the ice station (on average, January 9 - 4), Baikal freezes the entirely, except for a small section of 15-20 km long of the hangary. The period of shipping for passenger and cargo ships is usually opened from June to September; Research vessels are beginning to navigate after the opening of the lake from ice and complete it with freezing Baikal, that is, from May to January.
By the end of the winter, the ice thickness on Baikal reaches 1 m, and in the bays - 1.5-2 m. With a strong frost of cracks, having the local name "stuck gaps", tear the ice into separate fields. The length of such cracks is 10-30 km, and the width is 2-3 meters. The ruptures occur annually in about the same areas of the lake. They are accompanied by a loud cod, resembling grommets or shots from cannons. A man standing on the ice seems to be bursting just under their feet and now fall into the abyss [source is not specified 539 days]. Thanks to the cracks in the ice, fish on the lake does not die from the lack of oxygen. The Baikal ice, besides, are very transparent, and the sun's rays penetrate it, so plankton algae, separating oxygen, is growing rapidly in water. On the shores of Baikal, you can observe the winter grotto and spray.
Baikal Loda presents a lot of mysteries to scientists. So, in the 1940s, the Specialists of the Baikal Limnological Station found unusual forms of ice cover, characteristic only for Baikal. For example, "Sings" - cone-shaped icy hills up to 6 m high, hollow inside. The appearance they resemble ice tents, "open" in the opposite side of the side. Sopgia can be located separately, and sometimes form miniature "mountain ranges". Also on Baikal there are several more types of ice: "Fuck", "Bobbler", "Ossena".
In addition, in the spring of 2009 on the Internet were distributed satellite pictures Different sites of Baikal, on which dark rings were found. According to scientists, these rings occur due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the surface layer of water in the central part of the annular structure. As a result of this process, anti-cyclonic (clockwise arrow) is formed. In the zone, where the flow reaches the maximum speeds, the vertical water exchange is enhanced, which leads to the accelerated destruction of the ice cover.

island Olterek, Small Sea, Baikal

Islands and Peninsula
On Baikal 27 islands (Ushkanya Islands, Olkhon Island, Bright Island and others). The largest of them is Olkhon (71 km in length and 12 km wide, is located almost in the center of the lake from his west coast, an area of \u200b\u200b729 km², according to other data - 700 km²). The largest peninsula is holy nose.

Seismoactivity
Baikal District (T.N. Baikal rift zone) refers to territories with high seismicity: earthquakes are regularly occurring, the force of most of which is one or two points on the MSK-64 intensity scale. However, strong; So, in 1862, with a decade-bullion, the Selenga, a plot of sushi with an area of \u200b\u200b200 km² with 6 ulus, in which 1,300 people lived, was gone under water, and a failure was formed. Strong earthquakes were also noted in 1903 (Baikal), 1950 (Mondinskoye), 1957 (Muyskoye), 1959 (Medneshabaikalskal). The epicenter of the Medneshabaital earthquake was located at the bottom of the Baikal in the area of \u200b\u200bthe dry village (south-east coast). Its strength reached 9 points. In Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk, the power of the main shock reached 5-6 points, cracks and minor destruction in buildings and buildings were observed. Last strong earthquakes on Baikal took place in August 2008 (9 points) and in February 2010 (6.1 points).

lake Lake Baikal

The origin of the lake
The origin of Baikal still causes scientific disputes. The age of the lake scientists traditionally determine 25-35 million years. This fact also makes Baikal unique natural objectSince most lakes, especially glacial origin, live on average 10-15 thousand years, and then filled with or fertilize and fear.
However, there is also a version of the youth of Baikal, nominated by Dr. Geological and Mineralogical Sciences A. V. Tatarinov in 2009, which received indirect confirmation during the second stage of the Expedition of the "worlds" on Baikal. In particular, the activity of mud volcanoes at the bottom of Baikal allows scientists to assume that the modern coastline of the lake is only 8 thousand years old, and the deep-sea part is 150 thousand years old.

There is no doubt that the lake is located in the rift depressure and on the structure is similar, for example, with a stratia pool. Some researchers explain the formation of Baikal by its location in the zone of the transform fault, others suggest the presence of a mantle plum under Baikal, the third explains the formation of a fear of passive rifting as a result of the Eurasian Plate and Industan collisions. Be that as it may, the transformation of Baikal continues until now - the earthquakes constantly occur in the vicinity of the lake. There are assumptions that the seeding of the depression is associated with the formation of vacuum foci due to the exhaustion of basalts to the surface (quaternary period).

borg-Dagana grotto, Olkhon Island

Flora and fauna
About 2600 species and subspecies of aquatic animals live in Baikal, more than half of which are endemics, that is, they only live in this reservoir. These include about 1000 endemic species, 96 genera, 11 families and endemics subfaming. 27 species of Baikal fish are no longer found anywhere. Such an abundance of living organisms is due to the large content of oxygen in the thicker of the Baikal water. 100% endemism is observed among the nematodes of the Mermitidae family (28 species), the worms of Polychaeta (4 species), Lubomirskiidae sponges (14), Gregarina Gregarinea, Isopoda's rack-isopoda (5), Plecoptera's spring. Almost all sorts and subspecies of the amphipod rachkov (349 of 350, 99%) and the rapid-like fish (31 of 32, 96%) of the endemics of the lake. 90% of types of worms of turbellarium (130 out of 150) and seashell racks (132 of 150) endemic. Endemic for Baikal Many fish: 36 of 61 species and subspecies (59%), 2 families (13.3%) and 12 clans (37.5%).
One of the endemics, an episyashura wrap is up to 80% of the biomass of the lake zooplankton and is the most important link in the food chain of the reservoir. It performs the function of the filter: passes through itself water, cleaning it.
Baikal oligochettes, 84.5% of which are endemics, account for up to 70-90% of the biomass of Zoobenthos and play an important role in the processes of self-cleaning of the lake and as a forage base of fanfophagi and predatory invertebrates. They are involved in the aerations of soils and the mineralization of organic substances.
The most interesting in Baikal is a boring fish Golomanka whose body contains up to 30% fat. She surprises biologists with daily stern migrations from depths in shallow water. Baikal Omul, Harius, Sig, Baikalensis (Acipenser Baeri Baicalensis), Nami, Tymen, Pike and others are found. Baikal is unique among the lakes that freshwater sponges grow here at great depths.

The origin of toponym "Baikal
The origin of the name of the lake is definitely not established. Below are the most common versions of the origin of the toponym "Baikal":
From the name of the nation and the country, Bayarka (Bayek, Bairku, Bayurka)
From the Buryat Bai- "stand" and Gal "Fire" (according to legend, Baikal was formed on the site of the fire-haired mountain)
From Buryat "Mighty standing water"
From Buryat Bayhaa "Natural, natural, natural, existing"
From Buryat "rich fire"]
From the Yakut Baai "Rich" and Kuyul "Lake"]
From Yakut bayhel, Baigal "Sea", "big, deep water"]
From the Arab Bahr-al-tank "Sea, born a lot of tears", "a sea of \u200b\u200bhorror"
From Buryat "Baigal Dalai", "extensive, big reservoir, similar to the sea, "where Dalai also means" Unbovable, Universal, Supreme, Almighty ".
From Yukagir Vaigol "Finnik: Forest, thrown aside with water"
The first Russian landlords of Siberia consumed the Evenki name "Lama" (sea). From the second half of the XVII century, Russians are transferred to the name, adopted by Buryat, - Boer. Baigal. At the same time, they adapted him to their language, replacing the "K" characteristic for the Russian language "K", as a result of which the modern name was completely developed.

Neutrino telescope
A unique deep-water neutrine telescope NT200 was created on the lake, built in 1993-1998, with the help of which the detection of high energies neutrino is detected. Since 2010, the NT1000 neutrine telescope has been maintained with an effective amount of 1 km3, the construction of which is supposed to be completed no earlier than 2017.

"Worlds" on Baikal
In the summer of 2008, the Foundation for the Promotion of Lake Baikal was held a research expedition "Mira" on Baikal. 52 immersions of deep-water inhabited devices "Peace" were held at the bottom of Baikal.
Scientists were taken to the Institute of Oceanology named after P. P. Shirshov RAS Samples of water, soil and microorganisms raised from the bottom of Baikal.
The expedition was continued in 2009 and 2010.

lake Baikal, Cape Hoea

Tourists on Baikal
You can get on Baikal in different ways. As a rule, wishes to visit it first go to one of the nearest large cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude or Severobaykalsk, so that from there you have to plan your route in more detail. Driving along the Trans-Siberian highway between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, you can admire the views of the lake, stretching right outside the train window.
70 km from Irkutsk, on the shore of Baikal near the source of Angara, the village of Latvyanka is located - one of the most popular places of tourism on Baikal. You can get here from the regional center by bus or ship in just an hour with a little. Rest in Listvyanka is valued due to the huge number of excursions and active rest, It is here that most cruises on the sea-lake originate. The most popular routes pass from the village to large cats, on the Holy Nose Peninsula, Olkhon Island and other places.
Also on the shore of Baikal are the cities of Slyudyanka and Baikalsk. Located in Slyudyanka train StationFully built from marble. In Baikalsk is available ski Route, in the summer, a lift is running; In sunny weather you can see the opposite side of the lake with the spurs of the Baikal ridge.
On the eastern Bank The Barguzinsky Bay is especially popular, the construction of the Baikal Harbor tourist and recreational zone continues. In the village of Maximiha, you can take a tour with a visit to the Peninsula Holy Nose. In stock Horse and hiking. South are the villages of New Ankhaluk, Drying, dry. Here, individuals organized receptions of guests, including in yurts, there were comfortable holiday homes. Between Enhaluk and dry is a hydrogen sulfide thermal source of the caign.
who is rich picturesque covesMysterious islands, healing sources. Good view The bay opens from the vertices of the Holy Nose, which can be reached from the village of Ust-Barguzin.

Thirty kilometers south of the mouth of the Selenga River is the Bay of the Embassy Sor, where two tourist camps settled - Cultured and Baikal surf. Many tourist services are provided there tourist services.
Almost at the very north of the lake, there is a resort of the hacks, to get to which it is possible only on the ship from P. Nizhneangarsk or the city of Severobaykalsk or in winter on ice.
In various sites around the lake, a large Baikal trail passes - a system of environmental trail and one of the most beautiful ways for tourists to see a unique nature and enjoy the exciting views and panoramas of Baikal.

sights
On Baikal and around it there are many monuments of nature, culture, as well as historical and archaeological attractions. Only some of them are listed below.
North Baikal
Rock shaman stone

Barguzinsky Bay
Ushkanya Islands
Sandy bay
Cape Scal Shamanka on Olkhon Island
Cape Ltander
Cape Ryt
Pic Carsky - 2090 m above sea level
Krugobaikal railway
Frolich (tract)

port Baikal

Interesting Facts
If all the water contained in Baikal (23,615,390 km³), divided into all citizens of Russia (141,927,97,97 people), then each will have about 166.4 thousand cubic meters of water, which is approximately 2773 railway tanks of 60 tons each.
According to the famous researcher of Lake K.G.N. L. G. Kolotilo "The price of Baikal", the utilitarian cost of water in the lake is 236 trillion dollars. Its article aroused certain interests, including the Greenpeace of Russia, and its main provisions on November 27, 2012 were announced (without reference to the author) in an interview with V. V. Zhirinovsky on the TV channel "News 24".

Myths and Legends about Baikal
There is a legend that Baikal's father had 336 sons rivers and they all went to the Father, in order to replenish his water, but his daughter loved the River Yenisei and began to endure their father's water to her beloved. In response, Baikal's father threw a huge piece of rock in his daughter and cursed it. This cliff, called the shaman-stone, is at the origin of the hangary and is considered it.
In another variation of the legend it is said that Baikal had the only daughter - hangar. She fell in love with Yenisei and decided to escape to him. Baikal, having learned about it, tried to block her path, throwing to the source of the stone, but the hangar ran further, then Baikal sent her nephew behind her - Irkuta, but he regretted the hangar and turned off the way. The hangar met with Yeniseem and drove further with him.

large Kylthej Island (shaggy)

Krugobaquica pedestrian trail
Information for tourist
Plot 1: pos. Cool - Art. Marituy - Port Baikal, 84 km, 22 hours of pure time, average speed - 4 km / h.
There is no more such place on Baikal - there are no bias on it, and from the very beginning, the 156th kilometer to the port and station Baikal at the 73rd kilometer, the traveler is theoretically not rising any meter. It was about this plot that Irkutan P. Taimen said in travel notes "a few words about the Siberian Railway", published in the magazine "Nature" and people in St. Petersburg in 1890: "In our deep, unshakable conviction, the Siberian Railway is an uncomplicable monument The culture of the 19th century, this is a manifestation of Russian national greatness, this is the fulfillment of the moral debt of contemporaries in the face of the coming generations, this is one of the best pages of modern Russian history, this is an entry into the threshold of the twentieth century. "
No matter how surprisingly, the tourist boom on this segment of the Krug-Baikal Railway began only after its "discoveries" near the newspaper publications in the Irkutsk regional newspapers in the seventies. This is partly due to the development of climbing on the shores of Baikal. Previously, it was the most exotic portion of Transsib only for passengers of trains, especially those next to the east, for which Baikal Station sacred Lake Dropped suddenly and immediately, in all its gigantic beauty and power. It would still be, this is still unlikely to see not only with us, but also abroad: on the one hand, the raised aquamarine trees of the surf literally lick the carriage wheels, with the opposite, no matter how trying, you will not see the top of the vocal cloth. And the train and the point dived into the darkness of endless tunnels, in short stops on numerous half-stands there was a browse trade in a no less exotic omel "with a shirt".

The builder, who came here in 1899, the Valley of the Angara, met an extraordinary technical difficulty. Olkhinskoe plateau throughout the plot is broken here in the lake, the shore largely retained its tectonic relief. Folded by very durable crystal rocks - granites, gneises, crystal slates, - it was relatively short to change over millions of years, it is cut to little on the configuration and practically does not have deep and comfortable bays for reception and sludge ships. Nevertheless, harsh climatic conditions that contribute to intensive physical weathering processes, high seismic activity favors the development of rocky collaps and odors.
That is why the line had to be laid on the shelves cut down in the rock slopes, sometimes with the strengthening of the stone facing of the Nagorn slopes to a large height. Often, this required such a significant amount of work that the track was more profitable to put on embankments using retaining high height walls, sometimes on bridges through bays and pads, and most often it was necessary to build these structures in combination. Often the construction of the tunnel was the only way out (the route was created from two ends). They were built at once under two ways, applying cladding from a natural stone, and today the circular vaults of portals of tunnels with castle stones, on which the dates of the construction are forever, hit the thoroughness of decoration and beauty, fused in harmony with the surrounding wildlife. A lot of troubles delivered the place of passage of the stonepads - the canvas of the road was then reinforced by reinforced concrete or stone laying gallery. Waves - Volactolates and the destructive work of waves - vololates, wapy walls repeat the outlines of the coast almost all over.

ust-Anga Bay, Lake Baikal

Sometimes not only in one place - in one context! - I had to build up to ten facilities. It is such a place in front of the Maritu station station: the watercourse was necessary to carry out the structures and take to Baikal, but it was not easy to do it on the break. And today, when you approach the port of Baikal to this brilliantly from a engineering point of view embodied in the stone and concrete puzzle, with an involuntary admiration, you can follow the path of the stream: Highly upstairs, where it is not that building construction structures, materials and mechanisms - stand, it seems no place - He was sent to concrete speed, then he got into a stone walled well, from where the portal of the tunnel was enclosed in the tray speed, then placed in the channel, and since there was a high retaining channel on the way, and then the wave-wizard, it had to be held over them Console reinforced concrete water supply.
Weekend hiking is a great future of the Bagobaician road. In the meantime, good transport links makes it available to the main residents of the cities of Shelekhov, Irkutsk, Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirsky, as well as Cheremhov and Sayansk. If you use Friday evening for the entrance, then in two days you can make short travel, starting from the stations and stopping points of the Translation Plot (Calm, Eagleka, Taiga, Podcaming, Moving, Andrianovskaya, Angasolki, etc.) and transitions with the intersection of the Olkinsky plateau and the coast exit. In winter, ski travel is reduced to a very popular one-day "family" route from moving along the river valley Large steep lip to the stopping point Dark Pad or to the city of Slyudyanka with the intersection of Baikal in his southern part. In the tradition of Irkutkan firmly includes one-day throws-transitions (cross-country and skiing in ice) from the source of the hangars to Slyudyanka (the old hangasolka) is 70 to 80 km.

So, whatever the type of tourism, we choose, the task of us in the campaign of the day off is one thing - the need to pass the area in two days. Start preferably in the port of Baikal. With Irkutsk, it is connected by the numerous ways of the message (ships, ships on underwater wings, buses to the foliage), and it is convenient to travel from Cooltuk to Irkutsk by train in the evening (the stopping point "Strawberry"). It remains to add that water trip Provides an excellent opportunity in an unusual perspective to look at the panorama of coastal structures. The magnificent arched bridges are particularly impressive across the rivers of Shumilihu, greater half, Martuy, a big cool lip, the hangasol, with its outlines resembling Roman aquedels. As for the organization of Bivakov, here in almost any place you can organize "and the table, and the house" - convenient sites within the excavation canvases a lot. You can count on true Siberian hospitality local population On numerous posts and villages, by whom, by the way, has repeatedly had to use. In walking, it will save it from the need to carry with me for two overnight stay a tent and sleeping facilities. Apparently, mass interests should take into account the administration and build huts and shelters.

It is worth a little linger in the port of Baikal, the end point of the route marked by a kilometer column "73" (for the 19th-bay bank, the former kilometer starting from Irkutsk) is preserved. It was from here that the construction offensive on the rock "fortifications" of Baikal in 1898 was unfolded, here the famous ferry crossing over the Baikal was equal to which was not all over the world and which was designed to provide a journey to Kultuk to Kultuk to Kultuk throughout the Translation to Vladivostok. To this end, in England, two icebreakers were collected in the factories; For the transport of Savors - "Baikal" and passengers - "Angara".
According to its size icebreaker "Baikal" was considered the second in the world: its length is 100 m and width of 16 m, the team was 200 people. On three railway tracks there were 27 biaxial wagons with cargo and locomotive. Three main steam machines and 20 auxiliary served two fodder and special nasal screws, the distance from the station Baikal to the Zadovaya station at 72 km he overcame in 4.5 hours and was able to crack the ice of the meter thickness. For five years actions ferry crossing Only once, in the harsh frosts of January 1904, the icebreaker could not cope with his duties. I had to build an ice railway. The wagons on it moved by horses that were mobilized with the owners from the villages of Transbaikalia and the Irkutsk province. "Baikal" died in a civil war on the fighting post, "Angara" lived to this day: the decision of the Irkutsk regional communion of the WLKSM is proposed to create a museum of combat and revolutionary fame on it.

cape Small Bell, Baikal

Nature monuments
White excavation is a wonderful geological monument of nature, an object of excursions of the 27th International Geological Congress, located 105 km. To go past her without noticing, it is simply impossible: especially on a sunny day its slopes will be blindd by powerful radiance, the marble bottom is not immediately lost in the blue blue blue. For the convenience of studying and inspection, all exploration and wells are numbered by red paint, lovers of mineralogy in recent years it becomes more and more known due to the presence of numerous precious spinel crystals, solid mineral reaching a few centimeters. Located 104 km of the 19th Siberian Bay of the Baybaikal section. J.D. The release of marbles with a rare combination of rocks and minerals in the coastal part of the lake, the place of excursions of the International Geological Year (MGG), the monuments of the All-Russian meaning.
Bird bazaar - so decided to refer to this zoological monument of nature, the only nesting site of the silver seagull on the sheer 300-meter rock in the southern half of the lake, located 133 km. For local residents The arrival at him in May is the right to make the fact that the Baikal will soon disappear (that is, the ice melts). From the boat or kayaks, it is clearly seen from May to August, as the whole cliff, from a water riva to a wooded painty, is dotted with white bird columns, the gomon stuns on a high distance. And naturally, in the period of nesting and the growth of chicks, the colony can not be disturbed by visits. Located in the area of \u200b\u200bArt. Sharayggiy Krugobaikal plot (133 km) Vost.-Sib. g. D. Place of constant mass nesting Silver Seagull, the only location of the nests on the coastal walls on the South Baikal.

In recent years, in connection with the restriction of shooting along the coast, the flocks of NarP are often appear. And although this is a sure sign that with the composition of the water here everything is safe here, and the factor of anxiety is small, should not be seduced by this (the mass death of animals in 1987 leads to disappointing thoughts).
On February 25, 1985, among the 26 natural facilities, the decision of the Irkutsk Regional Executive Committee approved the monument of nature and the source of the Angara River, the only watercourse, which carries out the entire water coming to Baikal.
The source of Angara is a monument of the nature of republican significance. The width of the river here reaches a kilometer, and it is here, at the outdoor of the lake, there is a kind of ledge in the form of a rock threshold, over which water depth on average is only 3.5 m and water velocity 12 - 15 km / h. Relatively warm bottom waters of Baikal, entering the threshold, do not allow to freeze the surface of the source in winter. At the same time, the source is a kind of wind pipe that serves as an invasion of the lake of cold northwestern air flows, in the opposite direction it flows cooled air. baikal brand. This climatic feature of the source is noticeably restrains here the course of the development of phenological phenomena. However, it is included in the "Zoological Monuments of Nature" section, and this has made it only in all of Northern Asia, the massive constant wintering of plastiflowers, numbering annually 8 - 12 thousand waterfowl. On a huge cavity stretching for 3-5 km and existing thanks to a high speed and constant positive water temperature, crochals and ducks are dominated, and the Olenyki is constantly wintering. Severe winters can significantly reduce the size of the crawl (winter of 1983), but only once in 200 years has been canceled by a short-term complete freezing. The rare in the north-east of Asia is filled with plastics, different from the environment, climatic features are different from all seasons. All-Russian meaning.
According to scientists, waterfowl wintering - the same historically ancient phenomenon, as well as the existence of the birds in the source, and the peculiar behavior of the birds wintering here suggests that a special environmental group has been wintering, which has long adapted to extreme living conditions (established, for example, Ducks overnight in peasic ice). That is why the scientific interest in this wintering is exceptional.

The output of marbles in the port of Baikal. Located in the port of Baikal, on the coastal cliff of the Olkhin plateau. Rests of marbles in the oldest Precambrian complexes of the world of 3.4-3.7 billion years. Object excursions of international and all-union geological forums.

Kroogububsk exposure. Located in the mouth of the river. Large cool lip on Olkhinsky plateau. Petrograph and mineralogical object.

The Shamansky Stone is a tiny rock island in the forefront of the hangars, a geomorphological monument of nature, the top of the rocky threshold, the poetic Buryat legend is firmly connected with the hero of Baikal and his beautiful daughter Angara. Located in the source r. Hangars. The only protruding over the water ledge of the Angarsk threshold is known for the colorful Buryat legend. It is connected with an unfulfilled project quickly filled with a fraternal reservoir, which could have the fatal consequences for the animal world of the lake. He was developed by Mosgidep and provided for the device in the forefront of the hangars, in its channel, a channel up to 9 km long, the width of up to 100 m and a useful depth of 11 m, for which a mass explosion was calculated to release 30 thousand tons. Total. The explosion that was supposed to lift 7 million cubic meters into the air. My soil was proposed to be implemented in 1960 in order to reduce the deadline for filling the fraternal reservoir from four years to a minimum, obtaining additional energy in the amount of 32 billion kWh. The implementation of the project could reduce the level of Baikal to 11 m, but even a decrease in it for 3-5 m would cause the widespread reproduction of the shores, changing the normal living conditions of the fish, ports, timbering bases, railway would suffer. Due to the fact that it was difficult to foresee all possible consequences of this brave in engineering, but adventurous, apparently, according to the plan of the project, he was rejected.

But what I got for the first site - from Cultuka to the source of the hangars, carefully adding data scattered on the pages of diary records: streams - 41, rivers and robes - 13, river - 1 (large half), total - 55.
Conclusions: Section Pos. Cool - Port Baikal is not so much ready-made segment of the Baikal trail, easily accessible due to developed transport communications, how many real tourist "hives", a highway with extremely grateful natural data and a rare technical history. Many still need to work hard for Circiobaquica to become expensive million, but also done by a person already so much that the case is mainly for the reserve, the owner who would turn this grace corner to the paradise for tourists. And urgently need to take advantage of tourists with firewood, as due to the lack of dry and small amounts of the fin on the shore in the field of intensive influx of tourists and tourists for the forest, threatening conditions are created, especially on the site as overloaded from the mouth of a large cool lip to the cooler. It came to the point that all pickets and kilometer columns disappeared from the village of Aravolki to Cooltuk.

cape Holy Nose, Snacent Bay

Traditions and legends of Lake Baikal
The emergence of Hamar Daban
How the Sayans arose, I told you. Such mountains, as Sayany, did not get a little force, from that power, probably, the whole earth was trembling. Yes, the little power of them would have created a century. Then, probably, it was: that the power from the Earth broke through, and she could, maybe millions of years, everything was throwing out at once, and Sayans are ready. When the Sayans were cooled, there were still a lot of strength in the ground, they diverged into different directions and began to raise the earth all the way. But this was not the power that worked on the Sayanov. So in small jolts, the underground force went from Sayan closer to the sunrise and raised the earth on her way. The one where the push was stronger, there the mountains rose higher, where he was smaller, there was a saddle.
In short, the mountains from Sayan east on the humpback nose began to be like, for which the Buryats were called "Hamar-Daban". After many years, how Hamar-Daban originated, a lot of land has fallen from the plain. The mountains were low, so they covered the ground. All the gaps that came from the jokes when the land was raised to the mountain, laid the earth from the valleys.
The sun did not even lick the land on Hamar Dabane, and soon she was covered with the forest. Then the beasts and birds were divorced in the forest, there, closer to the mountains, joined people, they began to live-wait and kindly.

bay Unnamed, Baikal

About how Baikal happened
About how Baikal occurred, before the old men said so. On earth Earth is not so much. Each one knows that you will move a hole to a few saplex, and even less, and immediately will go different sand, clay., Stone and other different breed. The deeper the hole digging, the less land, more and more stone goes, and a different soil, which is not visible on earth. And then, in the very depths of the earth, some stones go, and even further water. Different stone in the earth lies. There is also such a closure to the water - he begins to boil and fall apart. Such a stone in the depths of the earth lies a lot, much more than on the surface. That happened to a thousand years ago: Water and stone agreed deeply in the ground. As they come together, they boiled. Where to go a couple? He climbed into different directions and moved the land from the place, and she went to the wave and the most silent all the land. So buried the earth in the depths, bulled, and then water and steam broke out upstairs, and covered water low places. Then she could not go, there were mountains around, so Baikal turned out. He never decreases, because it always supports water from under the ground, and that water, they say, with the architect ocean lives in his relatives. Previously, the old people often came up with: will break the boat on Baikal, and the boards in the bemp were found, or that she wouldreite in the ice-bearing - it came up on Baikal.

How is Olkhon Island formed
Not all truth is that the legends pallows. We used to talk before, that, they say, everything was created by God, as in Scripture it is said. Who believed, and who did not believe. Most people did not believe the fairy tales. The priests for it were angry, anapedible cursed, and what a sense: the curse is not smoke, - the eyes did not heather. Here we take our Olkhon, he is the island called. Where did he come from? God had so much forces to be enough to lower it from the sky. So, not from the sky, he fell apart, but from nature he himself took.
When Baikal appeared, all the places here were filled with water and there was not a single island. It has passed since a million years, the water has been established, in Baikal, the fish began to operate, the woods around the forest - in short, the real life began here. After that, strong winds began to blow on Baikal, and so strong that all Baikal from them, as in the boiler, boiled. The waves until the bottom reached, from where the entire stone and sand chase to the shore. But before the shore, the stones wave were not caught up, they joined the underwater cliff. Waves worked for many years, all chased and chased to saak stone and sand. And so the rock has a whole mountain, big, wide and long. Other waves, that mountain was blurred and smoothly made it smooth. From this and Olkhon Island took. Old men say that Olkhon years above, and the years below happens. This is from the fact that it stands on the rock. When the rocks are blurred, the island sits down a bit, and when there is a lot of water under the cliffs, he sweeps up. At first they thought that there was some unclean force here, and then they themselves were assured that it all depended on the wind. So believe in Popam that the island is created by God. Why then he did not create it then, where there are no rocks? The priests are silent, and in the Holy Scripture, it is not said. That all for the week God was created, about it they say those who do not want to think, or that dope is profitable.

Falling on Baikal
Failing on Baikal at my father was. He often recalled me about him, and from him the whole of our village knew how and what went there. About the failure is not that scary to tell, but also remembering sick. Many in those days there were failure of people for the whole life cripples left: to whom the legs, the hands broke down, who would have moved by the mind, and who was left with Nagish. And bitter did not get out of his needs, he left the poor man.
Where did you go at that time a poor man? There is nothing to live, lie and kick. When all this happened, faith in God was lost. See and he is weak before the strength of nature. Those who used to say that everything is done by God's Will, stopped to believe it. We, ordinary peasants, it became clear that not the power of God's mountains, rivers, lakes, the sea and oceans were created, but the will of nature, which in himself is a huge power of tait, and while the person is disgraced, she will do everything he wants with him.
In the will of God's salvation, when you yourself do not know what to do, and when you do not know what is going around around you. After the Baikal dyed, all old people began to say that Baikal himself occurred as this failure. So, grandfathers were also correctly transferred that from the fire and water columns between the mountains the water was flooded with a paddy, and the sea-Baikal began on that place. This truth, the people now firmly believes.

sandy Bay, Cape Small Bell

Why barguzine in the other side of the flow
My grandfather was first settled in the village of Tolstukhino, when only three houses stood in the barguing itself. Grandfather lived here eighty, father lived about hundreds about hundreds, yes, I live ninety-fourth year. In short, our whole Rhoda lives here for a long time. We all knew how to talk in Buryatsky and Tunguski. This from the grandfather to the father passed, and from him to me. From Buryat and Tungusov, they heard how before our Barguzin River flowed, from them Sesman and I took over and that I remember, I will tell you.
Previously, it was now that it was long ago, the Barguzin River did not flow to Baikal, and from Baikal to the Arctic Ocean, and then she turned back and began to flee there, where she came out. Not God was done, the will of the earth was. It happened like this: Baikal stood, stood, the mountains of the mountains, the mountains, nowhere on the ground there is no higher, and between these mountains, the water has mercy and copied. In the mountains ice with snow melted, the rains walked, all this was fond of Baikal. Water in it rose a lot, she covered half the mountains, and there was nowhere to go to her, and the mountain rivers merge and merged their water into the sea. And in one day, one mountain could not stand it, burst. Water broke through and flowed across it in Baikal. She washed away all the taiga, from the mountain to the mountain, the smooth place did and reached the very ice ocean. Then in Baikal held a lot of water, the river flowed wide and deep, and when it became smaller, she began to gather into a narrow course. Tell, the water flowed along the river and flooded the whole shore from the ocean, there the cold was stood big, and began to grow icy mountains from that water. At first, their water was breaking through, because in Baikal there was a lot, and he lost her water, the water lost strength. After many years, the ice mountains did not give water from Baikal to go straight into the ocean. The stagnant ice is getting closer and closer began to approach Baikal. The river became shorter every year and closed his vertex. In the end, she was pronounced by his valley, according to which he flowed in the first years, that the valley rose higher than Baikal. Water ceased to escape from Baikal to her, and in the old direction at this time, other rivers from the mountains and Golts run to run. There was nowhere to go to the water, turned the river back and went to Baikal. When the water went to the ocean, there was a lot of sludge into the valley, the forest was all at the bottom of the river. The river became narrow, the shore became wide. Now, where the Barguzin river goes, all the place is called the valley, and there is no richer edge than this valley. When the tungs with Bargutams in the valley came, the river was already running to Baikal, instead of the former wide river flowed narrow, the hunters went down to the mora. The valley managed to influence Taiga, the beasts and birds were broken, and it became more beautiful than before the appearance of the river. Therefore, then in these places Buryats and Russians came, and my grandfather settled here.
They lived here and the bar, for example Karlych (M.K. Kyhehelbecker) loved such stories chibko, he also took them on paper on paper. Just do not know if they went to books. He wrote a lot here and with Muravyev, all the villages went around. It is a pity that I lived an illiterate life, otherwise I read his books at least before my death. In God, he did not really believe in her king and did not hope for the king, he was here more with our men, and thank you for him - he treated his briefs. He was in order to tell him such stories about the old days, and he did not say that we were sinful before God.

Primorsky Ridge

From the history of the development of the Barguzin Valley
What only our Russian man did not lead what he just did not experience. My grandfather came here, my father lived. I remember them, I live here for more than a hundred years. If you calculate how much we, Elshina, they came here how many mountains passed, then, probably, it would be possible to get around the globe on foot during this time, and from the forest that our ancestors had emerged, could be built the second Moscow.
When my grandfather came here, here there was a solid taiga, under the arable fields there were only small circles of the Earth, and now, look, around such fields that the eye does not cover. Therefore, the earth here is the road that it smells then our ancestors, polita them with blood and tears.

Barguzinsky Bay, Baikal

Where did the name "Baikal"
The Russians have long heard that somewhere in the middle of Siberia there is a huge lake. But as it is called, no one knew about that. When Russian merchants, and then the Cossacks for the Urals passed and became big rivers Obi and Yenisei approach, they found out that around the lake, which dinner and nightly boils, people live. They learned those Russians that the lake is rich in fish, and on the shores there are different animals, and such expensive, which in the world there is no longer anywhere. The Cossacks and the merchants rush to the sea-lake, went, did not sleep, they did not feed horses, did not know when the day ends and when the night begins. Each hunt was the first to go to the lake and see what it is and why it boils without rest.

They walked those merchants and Cossacks to the sea for a long time, a few years, many of their expensive dull, but the living still came and saw a shaman stone in front of them. He blocked them the road, the light closed. Neither to the right, it is impossible to unscrew from it to it, there are such mountains that throw your head - the hat flies, and the tops are not visible. Cossacks were twisted with merchants near Shaman-stone and thought that they would not scare them to the sea, and hear themselves, how it was noise, it would hit the cliff.
The merchants began to be sealed, the Cossacks were saddened, see, their whole long road disappeared in no tobacco ditch. They drove off back, the tent was smashed and began to think a serious duma, how are they a shaman-stone roll up or go around the mountains. Mountains them do not go around - the sea swallows. So the Cossacks were stopped with merchants and began to live near the sea-lake, and they would not fall on the shore.
For a long time they had to live here, maybe there would be a bone there, but the unknown person came to them on their happiness and called Buryat. The Russians began to ask him to spend them on the shore, swayed around the sea and showed them the road to the ground, where they were not yet. They did not say anything to them, he folded his palms into the tube, then brought them to her face and went to the forest. Russians did not detain him, let go with God. Against the merchants and the Cossacks again, how to continue to be, not to power, can be seen, death. So they lived for a long time, you never know, no one did not consider any days. The merchants with the Cossacks were fulfilled and looked around, they were worse than the former grief. They wanted to go back and then to go back, but then he came again, he brought his son, said:
"Do not get around me with you Baigal - old I became, not to overtake me a stone-shaman - we left for a long time, take my son, his eyes are bright, and the feet of deer.
The old man was gone in Taiga, and the son led Russian new expensive, brought them as shore of the sea and said:
- Baigal.
Russians asked him what it was, he answered them:
- In our opinion, it means a fiery place, here there was a continuous fire here, then the earth failed and became the sea. Since then, we call our sea by Baigal.
The Russians liked this name, and they also began to call this sea Baikal.

Ushkanya Islands

Who can know when it was? Yes, no one, perhaps, does not remember. For many years, since that time it flowed, on the plains during this time, the mountains rose, deep lakes broke out, the forest rose on the stones. Stood at that time Baikal calmly, so it is quiet that the water will not get drowned as a mirror, from the shore and to the shore, glitter. Sometimes only in the morning early, on a dawn, the fish splashed. But Baikal is not angry with that, he loves different living creatures and, like his father, gives her food.

Live Li in Tishi and Nege lived, Baikal lived, about that only he knows one. And so unexpectedly, she fell on the Baikal terrible storm. Such a storm still did not see Baikal. Baikal's water covered with terrible bubbles, it seemed, it seems to be higher and strives to break down across the coastal feces and lowers. Overded the old Baikal on the storm and said:
"Don't mind me, not to overcome the old man to you, do not disperse you on the sides of my light guys, do not deeper you my home.
And the storm and listen to the old man did not want. Know walks to yourself and walks along the crests of the waves, which rose already with the height of the rocks.
"You can not cope with you, an old man, with my power," says the storm, "I'm sea and oceans, Taiga Mur, the energoneal forest, a cum, rocks, and you splash, like a puddle, dry, like a drop.
After such audacious words, Baikal came into rage. Evil strength gives. Relieved his mighty shoulders Baikal, he remembered about his sons and daughters, scored the power to his heroic chest and let's struggle with a storm. The rock for the rock began to erect around him, behind the cliffs began to rise mountains. She sees the storm that with an old man a jokes are bad and so just not overcome him, she called on her profog the winds of Kultuk and Barguzin. Forces at the storm immediately gained. Then Baikal on the trick went and began the path of the bora to block away from the coast. From the bottom, the rocks began to rise, their so much on top of the water rose that they began to obscure the sun. He will hit the whole strength of the storm about the rock and back rolled back, she is already weak to shore.
That's how it appeared in Baikal, the rocks called Buryam, on the joy of the shores that they guard. Well, since the cliffs appeared, then they were shining them with sand and shel. From year to year, the rocks turned out and so they went down, which turned into the islands. Here is one island and nicknamed Ushkinim. Why was it so called? I'll tell you about it now. This island has succeeded more than others, a forest appeared on it: the forest appeared: Pine, Bereznyak, Listvyanka, Osiennik, and there is no shrub and name. The berries here will be born so much that the Baikal Baikal Baikal Baikal Berry Water is booked. And still rich is the island by the Bagniku and flowers. Under the autumn on the island from the fragrance, breathing captures.

On the island of its climate, its weather is worth it, and there is no such thing around Baikal. When there is a circle of autumn, everywhere everything swears and freezes, everything blooms on the island, where only the eye is enough, everywhere is green: the berries are ripening, the rustic is blooming for the second time, it blooms. Urgerees about such an island of the Ushkana means in Siberian, hares - and they pushed Hurt to the island. To whatever the breadts of the panties and the time, when it is necessary, so flooded and go to the island. So many Ushkanov dispelled that there was no place to stand.
But after all, the person does not sleep, he is also a hither. It was found out that the nature is rich on the island, and made his way to him. People Diva was given, how many Ushkanov lives here. So the island of Ushkinim. Then the past was divorced on small islands, which is next to the big. Now and these small islands are also called Ushkanyimi.
Many years ago, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers wanted to overstubly, they did not fit to be to be: Winter with the summer there is no one at that time, like around Baikal. We wanted a man farm to dilute, and urine did not have enough, and there was no need.
Ushkanya Island The people of the spells of age protects, and living creatures are preserved there by the hunters themselves. An old men were told, as a long time ago, several thieves were filled with the island of Ushkanov. The hunters continually agreed the old man to hire him to store on the island. For more than a hundred years, an old man was there on the island, the thieves took all the children, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren punished: "As a fox, near his hole does not hunt, so you take care of all the living. Without nature, a naked man, and you will not live a long time."

SUVO.
Old people who said, from where the name of the village of SUVO appeared, which is not far from Barguzin. One old tungus name explained the name in his own way. Tungs in the upper garguzine do not even live. Long before them, various nations were nomaded here, but no one remembers about them. Those distant peoples from the Barguzin Valley were gone at the old time, when they began to come here at first, and then tungs began to cut, Orochons and Barguts. After them, the Russians began to appear. But it was already quite recently, three hundred years ago.
The name of the rivers, the mountains and places most here tungons were given, because they were more here than other peoples. About the name of the village of Suvo, many stories walk, but the most faithful of them is that. Once around the lake Kotochel lived a lot of tuncuses. They lived around the lake, caught fish, beat the animals and so lived the years. Tungus in those years were blindly prolific, because the cold was stood, and they love cold. When warming began, they began to die from the ground, the genus for the birth completely from the ground went. It turns out all sorts of infection, and there was nothing to escape from her before.
At the time when the tuncuses were arranged a lot, it became closely to live around the cat, they started a little girl yes slowly up the barguing. Barguzinskaya road is wide, the tributaries of Barguzin Uyma, and here on these tributaries and the tungs were dispersed. They are hardy people, the place will know soon, the Tungus will never get lost in the taiga, from any deafomani will be chosen right where he needs. The flair they have it, they know where it grows, they feel, where the beasts are found, where it is necessary to go hunting, and where there is nothing in vain legs to break. Everyone knows about their business here, for the Tungus, it is respect for respect.

Here is one such Tungusian genus there was a lot of days on the left bank of Barguzin and saw a path, which stretches on the influx of the mountain. Tunted the taiga track of the Tungus to the mountains. The steps and the swamps of the tungs do not like what they do there, they did not work at that time. At the lift in Mount Tungus stopped, put the yurts and went to check, where the track goes on. Soon, Tungus returned and told her prince, that the taiga track was broken here near the mountain, and then there was a dense taiga., Where else to see, did not go the leg of a person. Prince thought and said:
- converge.
This means the end of the road in Tunguska. All tungs who stood near the prince, repeatedly repeated: "SUVO, SUVO, SUVO". Since then, who knows how many years has passed, but the name of the SUVO has passed during this place. Even before the arrival of the Russians, all tungs said that the SUVO River and the SUVO River were found and for the first time, by Princial Churching, which was famous among all the people with his strength to courage. In memory of the tungs at the very place where the princess was once stood with his tungs, the Russian village grew.
The village originated more than two hundred years ago. Here is how it was. Two Cossacks Moisin and Kozulin fled from the Upneudinsky Ostrogen. They didn't like the Cossack Ataman, they refused to carry it to him, at the prince of KazNU to work. So they took and gone. How many times were the Cossacks in the taiga, but they fell on the Barguzin River, and then they met with Beloveodski tungs. The tonguses were advised by Russian Cossacks to settle in the terrain of the SUVO near the river itself. The river here then flowed violently, every fish in her was so much, at least take the hands. The terrain of SUVO Moisserkeev and Kozulin liked the terrain, the birth with Tungus was entered and began to build children, to raise children. Healing the men with their own lives, they did not beat anyone to anyone, they themselves considered themselves.
They went to walked to walk on the white light that the Cossacks settled far behind Barguzin and nadvyuchi live themselves. I had a rumor about them and to Castinsk Cossacks, and they stretched one after another in SUVO. It became a village to grow every day and so soon there was a lot that there was little coast of the river, the men went to build on the slopes of the hills. The Suvinsky breadfields were condensed, herd horses, herds of cows appeared. He helated the people where only Taiga was noisy and wolves were thrown. That's what the story of the Russian village is converge!

About Pedigree Barguzinsky Buryat
Our Barguzin Buryats with us in great friendship live. We are talking in Buryatski, they are with us in Russian. Our ancestors knew well where the Buryats had occurred. It was given. All barguats are so told about that old. Here are listening.
Estimation of the centuries Our great-grandfather and grandfathers also said that the local places were populated long before the arrival of the Russians, when both birchings were not grew here, Buryats. All our Buryats come from Lena, and now there will live their relatives. Buryat Buchu Savonov, that immediately he lives for another, and to this day it says: the sixteenth generation of Buryat was arranged from those ancestors that came first in Barguzin. Savonic clan now hundreds of generations has. All Buryats, which near Carolik live, in Jasach, originated from the genus Barguts. The ancestors first lived on the hangar, then they switched to Lena, and with Lena on the top hangar they got, then they came to Vitim, with Vitim to Barguzin moved. So it was before and it was, the old men did not tell in vain.
I remember how my other good neighbor, Badma Delghyri, said about his relatives, so he until the tenth generation of his old men held almost everyone on his mind. Now there are few such storytellers. Those who are tearing, and let the diploma received, those about Buryat offspring, probably read in books. And we, old men, all the memory of our Starikovskaya hope.

Hosted Olkhona
There is a terrible cave on Olhon Island. It is called Shaman. And she is terrible to those who once lived the Mongol Lord - Gagen-Burkhan, Brother Erlen-Khan, the ruler of the underground kingdom. Both brothers were constantly horrified on the inhabitants of the island of their cruelty. Even the shamans were afraid of Grozny Vladyk, especially the Gengen Burkhan. The islanders knew that if this heartless and merciless lord of the Lord would be chosen on white, then wait for troubles: the blood of many innocent should be shed. Many simple people suffered from him.
And lived at the same time on the same island, on the mountain of the Iim, the wise hermit-khan-Guta-Babai. Hegen-Burkhan authorities he did not recognize, and he did not want to know himself, he never descended him. Many have ever seen how he died at the top of the Mountain of the Bonfire and fried himself for dinner of the Baran, and there was no path there - the mountain was considered impregnable. Tried to the terrible owner of Olkhonas subordinate to himself a wisdom-hermit, yes, he retreated: how much he sent there to warriors, the mountain did not let anyone. Anyone who dried up to this mountain, fell away from there, because huge stones were collapsed on the heads of unborn guests with a roar. So everything was left alone Khan-Guta-Babaya.
It happened so that at one islanders Hengen Burkhan executed her husband, a young Tabuncher, for the fact that the one seemed to the Vladyka, looked at him in no way.
He hit the grief of the young woman Semes, flooded with flammable tears, and then, with Litua Luta, hate to Gengen Burkhan, began to think about how to save his native tribe from cruel lord. And she decided to go to the mountains and tell Han Guta-Baba about the serious suffering of the inhabitants of the island. Let him stand up for them and punish Gagen Burkhan.
The young widow went on the road. And surprisingly, where the most deft warriors broke out, she climbed easily and freely. So she safely reached the top of the Mountain of the Mountain, and no stone fell on her head. After listening to the bold, freedom-loving islanders, Khan-Guta-Babai told her:
- Well, I will help you and your tribe. And you come back now back and warn about it all islanders.
The delighted girl descended from the Mountain of the Andim and performed what he punished her to make a wise hermit.
And Khan-Guta-Babai himself in one of the lunar nights dropped to the Earth Olkhon on a light whipped cloud. He fell into the Earth's Earth and heard the moans of innocent victims ruined by Gengen Burkhan.
- It is true that Olkhon's land is all impregnated with the blood of the unfortunate, "Han-Guta-Babai indignant and gave a promise, -Gengen-Burkhan will not be on the island. But you have to help me in this. Let the handful of Earth Olkhon turn into a red color when I need it! "
And in the morning I went to the shamanskaya cave. The angry lord came out to the wise-hermit to meet him and hostilely asked him:
- Why did you complain to me?
Khan-Guta-Babai calmly replied:
- I want you to leave the island.
Gagen-Burkhan even more.
- Not to be this! I am a master here! And I will deal with you.
"I'm not afraid of you," Khan-Guta-Babai said. Looked around and added - there is a strength on you!
Looked on the sides and Gagen Burkhan and painted: Nevdibela stood a dense wall of frowny islanders.
"So do you want to solve the battleship?" Gengen-Burkhan walked.
"I didn't say that," Khan-Guta-Babai said calmly calmly. "Why spill blood?" Let's better beat, so there will be a peaceful!
- Come on!
A long fighting Gagen Burkhan with Khan-Guta-Baba, but none of them could achieve the advantage - both were real herself equal to strength. So and diverged. Agreed to solve the case the next day by the lot. It was agreed that everyone would take a cup, fill her earth, and at night, before the departure to sleep, would put each cup of her feet. And who at the night of the Earth will be made red - that is to leave the island and wander to another place, and from whom the land will not change the color - to remain the island to be owned.
The next evening, according to the persuade, they sat down onto the felt, postponed in the shamanskaya cave, put on their feet on a wooden cup, filled them with the earth and immediately went to bed.
And there came the night, and the insidious underground shadows of Erlen-Khan and the cunning underground shadows were made to the rescue of which his cruel brother. The shadows noticed that the Earth was painted in a cup of Gagen Bughan. Immediately they moved this cup to the feet of Khan-Guta-Babaya, and his cup - to the feet of the Gagen Burkhan, but the blood was ruined with the strongest of Erlen-Khan's shadows, and when the bright beam of the morning sun burst into the cave, the earth in a cup of Khan-Guta-Babaya Intowed, and the earth in the cup of Gagen Burkhan Zalela. And in this moment both of them woke up.
Gagen Burkhan looked at his cup and sighed heavily:
"Well, what, to own the island," he said Han-Guta-Babay, "and I will have to wadden to another place."
And immediately applied to his Mongols to appear on the camels property and disassemble yurts. And in the evening, Gagen Burkhan ordered everyone to go to bed. And at night, the Erlen-Khan Mongols with camels and all the property were quickly transferred to Baikal. In the morning they woke up on the wrong side.
But many poor Mongols stayed on the island. From them, Olkhon Buryats occurred, inhabiting this island now.

Scala-trunk
In the distant-prealience of times on the shores of the glorious sea - Baikal - it was very warm. Large unprecedented trees grew here and huge beasts were taken: giant rhinos, saber-toothed tigers, cave bears and cosmatic giants - Mammoths. Stretch tube sounds of mammoths shook the mountains. Mammoths were considered the most large and mighty among all animals on earth, but by nature they were modest, peacefully loving.
And only one of the Baikal mammoths was distinguished by a steep temper, exorbitant barrafficking and ambitiousness. He always walked alone, an important and proud, and the grief was the one who met on his way. The beasts smaller, he grabbed his long trunk and looked into the bushes, and those who were bigger, he pushed with thick tissues and threw out. For the sake of fun, a boastful mammoth pulled the giant trees with the root, turned the huge boulders and clutched the rivers running to Baikal.
More than once, the leader of the Mamontov tried to cut Bounce:
"Be careful, plump, do not be offended by weak beasts, not a ruin of the gaze trees, do not mudi river, otherwise you are not uncomplicated." He listened to the Speech Speech of the Old Mammont, and he himself continued to do in his own way. And once even disappeared. "What are you all learning me!" He roared on the leader, "what you scare me!" Yes, I am the stronger here, yes I, if you want, not only the river, I'll throw the whole Baikal stones like a puddle! "
The leader was horrified, the rest of the Mammoths were scolded. Baikal worried and gave birth to a wave and schoroniv in gray-haired mischievous smile.
But there was no longer seen the desired mammoth. He broke up, stuck his appearance in the rock, lifted her to throw far away in the sea, yes suddenly the rock was done heavy-severe. They donated from the exorbitant severity of the beer and together with the rock they were collapsed into the water. They roared here from Mammoth grief, stretched a long trunk to the water to get his appearance, and it was frozen, Ocalev forever.
Since then, it stands on the shore of Baikal a huge rock, hung over the water, like a trunk. And now people are called her - the rock of a trunk.

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Source of information and photo:
Social team
http://ozerobaikal.info.
Baikal // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 tons and 4 extra). - St. Petersburg., 1890-1907.
http://www.photosight.ru/
Galaziy G. I. Baikal in matters and answers. - 1989.
Counts S. V., Kolotilil L. G., Potashko A. E. Lotion Lake Baikal. Admiralty No. 1007. - SPb.: Gunio, 1993.
Grushko Ya. M. On Baikal: Travel Guide / Prof. Ya. M. Grushko. - Irkutsk: East Siberian Book Publishing House, 1967. - 252 p. - 1 500 copies. (in per.)
Gusev O. K., Ustinov S.K. in Northern Baikal and Baikalia / Photo Films O. Guseva, V. Lomakina, M. Mineyev, L. Tulina. - M.: Physical Education and Sport, 1966. - 104 p. - (by native expanses). - 17,000 copies.
Gusev O. K. Sacred Baikal. Restored lands of Baikal. - M.: Agropromizdat, 1986. - 184 p.
Skims M. M. Biology Lake Baikal / T. ed. G. I. Galazius. - M.: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1962. - 316 p.
Baby L. G. Baikal // Sea Encyclopedic Dictionary. - SPb.: Shipbuilding, 1991. - T. 1. - P. 108.
Loopy and physico-geographical sketch of Lake Baikal / Ed. F. K. Drizhenko. - SPb.: Edition of the main hydrographic control, 1908. - 443 p.
Rossolimo L. L. Baikal. - M.: Science, 1966. - 170 p. - (Scientific and popular series). - 20,000 copies. (region)
Taliev D. N. Baikal: Biolean-geographical essay. - m.; Irkutsk: Oziz, 1933. - 64 p.
Tyvanhenko A.V. Around Baikal. - Ulan-Ude: Buryat Book Publishing House, 1979.

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This is the deepest lake in the world, its greatest depth reaches 1642 meters. In addition, this is the world's largest natural reservoir of fresh water. The lake hollow has a tectonic origin and is a rift.

Lake Baikal is one of the most interesting natural attractions of Russia. Since 1996, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The size of this reservoir is really impressive. The length of the lake from the south-west to the northeast is 620 km, and its width varies from 24 to 80 km. The area of \u200b\u200bthe reservoir is 31,722 square meters. km, and the length of its coastline is 2100 km.

Baikal is the deepest lake in the world with the greatest depth of 1642 meters. At the same time, the average depth of this unique reservoir reaches 744 meters. The volume of water has 23,615 cubic meters. km, which is about 19% of the total amount of fresh lake water in the world. The water mirror is on absolute marks 456-457 m.

More than 300 different watercourses are in Lake Baikal, the largest of which are Selenga, the upper hangar, Barguzin, Turk, and others. The only river flowing out of the lake is the hangar.

On Baikal there are 27 islands, the largest of which is Olkhon. Its square consists of 729 square meters. km. The length of this island is more than 70 km, and the width is up to 15 km.

The water level in Baikal is subject to oscillations. The difference between the greatest and smallest annual levels usually does not exceed 23 centimeters. However, these seemingly small oscillations lead to an increase in either a decrease in the volume of the lake water about 3 cubic kilometers. The level of Baikal depends mainly on the number of precipitation falling on the territory of its catchment.

Climate Baikal

In the cold period near the lake is always a bit warmer, and in the warm period - cooler than in the surrounding area. In this regard, the Baikal climate is similar to the marine.

Mirror Baikal (Yuri Samoilov / Flickr.com)

As in the case of the sea, such features of the climate are related to the fact that in the summer the giant volume of the water of the lake accumulates a huge amount of heat, and then, in the fall and winter, gives it warm back. So the softening effect of the lake is manifested on a sharply continental climate of Eastern Siberia, characterized by strong contrast.

The sweeping effect of the lake extends about 50 km from its shores. In the cold season, the temperature on the Baikal coast can be 8-10 degrees higher than far from the lake, and in the warm season - the same below the ambient temperatures. Usually, this difference is about 5 degrees. Baikal smoothes not only annual, but also daily fluctuations in temperatures.

To a large extent, the Baikal climate is determined by its intra-radical location, as well as the height of the mirror above sea level.

Average annual temperature and precipitation

The average annual temperature varies from 0.7 degrees below zero (in the south) to 3.6 degrees below zero (in the north). The highest average temperature is fixed in the sandy water bay in the west of the reservoir. It is 0.4 degrees above zero, which makes this bay with the warmest venue of all Eastern Siberia.

The maximum amount of precipitation is characterized by the slopes of the mountains of the eastern and south-east coast of Baikal (1000 - 1200 mm), and the minimum is the West Bank of the Lake, Olkhon Island and to the lower flow of Selenga (less than 200 mm).

Ice on Baikal

Baikal is under the ice of about five months a year. The time of establishing ice cover changes from the last week of October (shallow-water bays) before the beginning of January (deep-sea sections).

Winter evening on Baikal, Siberia, Russia (Thomas Depenbusch / Flickr.com)

Spring iceshirt begins at the end of April, and completely lake is released from ice only in the first half of June.

Ice power by the end of winter is about one meter, in the bays - up to two meters. The ice of Baikal is interesting because with particularly severe frosts, it is torn by cracks into separate ice fields. The width of such cracks reaches 2-3 m, and their length is many kilometers.

The cracking of the ice cover is accompanied by loud rolling sounds. In addition, the Baikal Ice is famous for its amazing transparency.

Wind

A characteristic feature of the Baikal climate is its winds, each of which has its own name. The most powerful wind of Baikal is Sarma, the speed of which reaches 40 m / s, and sometimes up to 60 m / s. This is a strong squalid wind blowing in the central part of the lake, from the Sarma River Valley. Other winds of Baikal: Barguzin, aperture, mountain, cooler and shelonnik.

Another interesting feature of the local climate is a very large number of clear days a year, the number of which is even greater than on Black Sea coast Caucasus.

Nature Baikal: Flora and Fauna

The Baikal Flora is very diverse and rich, it includes more than 1000 species of plants. The slopes of the mountains located along the shores of the lake are usually covered by Taiga.

Baikal Cow, Siberia, Russia (Daniel Beilinson / Flickr.com)

In the local forests in abundance there are Siberian cedar and larch. Along the rivers, birch, poplar, aspen, currant, etc. are growing along rivers. As for aquatic plants, there are approximately 210 species of algae. Fauna Baikal is represented by more than 2,600 species and subspecies, more than a thousand of which are endemic. 27 species of fish living in the lake do not live in any other reservoir of the world.

In Baikal, there are many species of fish. The most unusual boring fish Golomanka, which is the endemic of Baikal. Basic fishing fish - Baikal Omul. More than 80% of biomass of the entire zooplankton constitutes another endemic look - epirstop crust. This wrath is engaged in water purification, playing the role of the filter, and also serves as an important part of the ration of the Baikal Omul and other organisms.

Nerpen on Baikal (Sergey Gabdurakhmanov / Flickr.com)

Another famous endemic of the lake is Baikal Nerpe, which is the only freshwater seal in the world. The largest rookers of this interesting animal are located on the Ushkah Islands, in the central part of Baikal.

Among scientists are still disputes on how the Baikal Nerpean penetrated the lake, which is so far from the oceans. It is assumed that she penetrated Baikal from the Arctic Ocean on Yenisei and the hangar during the Ice Epo. From animals that live in the Baikal forests, a brown bear, Wolverine, Kabargu, Railway, Elk, Fox, Protein, and others can be noted.

236 species of birds live on Baikal, of which 29 species are waterfowl. In large quantities, ducks and seagulls are found here. Also, you can meet geese, criculus swans, gray heron, Chernozey Gagaru, Berkut, and others.

Ecology

The unique nature of Baikal is distinguished by its fragility. All local living organisms are very sensitive to the slightest changes in environmental conditions. The process of decomposition of pollutants in the lake takes place very slowly. All increasing anthropogenic load can not not affect this fragile ecosystem.

Boat on Baikal (-5M / Flickr.com)

From enterprises located directly on the shores of the reservoir, the most famous Baikal pulp and paper mill is known, founded back in the 1960s.

The bottom drains of the Baikal PCB are distributed through the underwater slope of the Baikal depression. Pollution spots area covers about 299 square meters. km. Due to the bottom drain stocks, the CBC degrade the bottom ecosystems of Baikal, and the emissions of this enterprise into the atmosphere have a negative effect on the taigue adjacent to it.

Despite the many protests that were conducted by ecologists and activists, the Baikal PCB continued to produce cellulose until the end of 2013. Now the plant ceased its work, however, to eliminate its waste and restoration of the environment will take many more years.

The pollution of the nature of this unique reservoir did not end with the closure of the PCB. A large source of pollution of the lake is its most important influx - the Selenga River, in the pool of which are large cities such as Ulan Bator and Ulan-Ude, as well as numerous industrial enterprises of Mongolia and Buryatia.

Partly pollutants come even from the territory of the Trans-Baikal Territory, from the settlements located along the tributaries of Selenga. Most of the treatment facilities in small settlements of Buryatia are not fully able to cope with the purification of wastewater.

Poachers are inflicted serious damage to the flora and fauna of the reservoir.

Tourism

Lake Baikal - one of the most popular tourist facilities of Russia, recognized by UNESCO as an object world Heritage. The starting points of most travels to the very deep lake in the world are Irkutsk (southwestern part of the reservoir), Ulan-Ude (East of the Lake) and Severobaykalsk (northern tip). Of these cities, it is most convenient to start your route directly to the lake.

Old motorcycle on the background of Baikal (Vladislav Bezrukov / Flickr.com)

South of Irkutsk, at the mouth of the hangary, is the village of Listvyanka, which is the most popular resort on Baikal. There is a developed tourist infrastructure, in addition, numerous excursions are organized from here. On the south-west coast of the reservoir are also the cities of Slyudyanka and Baikalsk. On the eastern coast Located recreational zone Baikal harbor.

Another famous tourist attraction center is Olkhon Island, distinguished by a variety of nature landscapes. Olkhon can be reached by ferry from the village of Sahurt; The largest settlement of the island is the village of Khuzhir, where there is a fairly developed tourist infrastructure.