Coordinates: 53°30′N 108°0′E

Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal (/baɪˈkɑːl, -ˈkæl/,[3] Russian: Oзеро Байкал,
Lake Baikal
romanized:  Ozero Baykal [ˈozʲɪrə bɐjˈkaɫ])[a] is a rift lake in Russia. It is
situated in southern Siberia, between the federal subjects of Irkutsk
Oblast to the northwest and the Republic of Buryatia to the southeast.
With 23,615.39  km3 (5,670  cu  mi) of water,[1] Lake Baikal is the
world's largest freshwater lake by volume, containing 22–23% of the
world's fresh surface water,[5][6] more than all of the North American
Great Lakes combined.[7] It is the world's deepest lake,[8] with a
maximum depth of 1,642 metres (5,387 feet; 898 fathoms),[1] and the
world's oldest lake,[9] at 25–30  million years.[10][11] At 31,722  km2
(12,248  sq  mi)—slightly larger than Belgium—Lake Baikal is the
world's seventh-largest lake by surface area.[12] It is among the world's
clearest lakes.[13]

Lake Baikal is home to thousands of species of plants and animals,

many of them endemic to the region. It is also home to Buryat tribes,
who raise goats, camels, cattle, sheep, and horses[14] on the eastern
side of the lake,[15] where the mean temperature varies from a winter
minimum of −19 °C (−2 °F) to a summer maximum of 14 °C (57 °F).[16]
The region to the east of Lake Baikal is referred to as Transbaikalia or Satellite photo of Baikal, 2001
as the Transbaikal,[17] and the loosely defined region around the lake
itself is sometimes known as Baikalia. UNESCO declared Baikal a
World Heritage Site in 1996.[18]

Lake Baikal
Contents
Geography and hydrography
Water characteristics
Fauna and flora Show map of Republic of Buryatia
Flora Show map of Irkutsk Oblast
Show map of Russia
Mammals
Show all
Birds
Fish
Invertebrates
Amphipod and ostracod crustaceans
Snails and bivalves
Aquatic worms
Sponges
History
Research
Economy
Ecotourism
Environmental concerns Location Siberia, Russia
 Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill Coordinates 53°30′N 108°0′E
Cancelled East Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline Lake type Ancient lake,
Proposed uranium enrichment center Continental rift lake
Chinese-owned bottled water plant
Native name Oзеро
Other pollution sources
Байкал (Russian)
Historical traditions
Байгал далай (Buryat)
See also
Байгал
Notes нуур (Mongolian)
References Primary inflows Selenga, Barguzin,
Further reading Upper Angara
External links Primary Angara
outflows
Catchment area 560,000 km2
Geography and hydrography (216,000 sq mi)

Lake Baikal is in a rift Basin countries Mongolia and Russia

valley, created by the Max. length 636 km (395 mi)
Baikal Rift Zone, where the
Earth's crust is slowly Max. width 79 km (49 mi)
pulling apart.[12] At Surface area 31,722 km2
636  km (395  mi) long and (12,248 sq mi)[1]
79  km (49  mi) wide, Lake Average depth 744.4 m (2,442 ft; 407.0
Baikal has the largest
fathoms)[1]
surface area of any
freshwater lake in Asia, at Max. depth 1,642 m (5,387 ft; 898
31,722 km2 (12,248 sq mi), fathoms)[1]
and is the deepest lake in Water volume 23,615.39 km3
the world at 1,642 metres (5,670 cu mi)[1]
(5,387 feet; 898 fathoms).
The bottom of the lake is Residence time 330 years[2]
The Yenisey basin, which includes Lake Baikal
1,186.5  m (3,893  ft; 648.8 Shore length1 2,100 km (1,300 mi)
fathoms) below sea level, Surface 455.5 m (1,494 ft)
but below this lies some
elevation
7  km (4.3  mi) of sediment, placing the rift floor some 8–11  km (5.0–
6.8 mi) below the surface, the deepest continental rift on Earth.[12] Frozen January–May
Islands 27 (Olkhon Island)
In geological terms, the rift is young and active – it widens about 2 cm
(0.8 in) per year. The fault zone is also seismically active; hot springs Settlements Severobaykalsk,
occur in the area and notable earthquakes happen every few years. The Slyudyanka, Baykalsk,
lake is divided into three basins: North, Central, and South, with Ust-Barguzin
depths about 900  m (3,000  ft), 1,600  m (5,200  ft), and 1,400  m
(4,600  ft), respectively. Fault-controlled accommodation zones rising UNESCO World Heritage Site
to depths about 300  m (980  ft) separate the basins. The North and
Criteria Natural: vii, viii, ix, x
Central basins are separated by Academician Ridge, while the area
around the Selenga Delta and the Buguldeika Saddle separates the Reference 754 (https://whc.unesc
Central and South basins. The lake drains into the Angara, a tributary o.org/en/list/754)
of the Yenisey. Notable landforms include Cape Ryty on Baikal's Inscription 1996 (20th Session)
northwest coast.
Area 8,800,000 ha
Baikal's age is estimated at 25–30  million years, making it the most 1
Shore length is not a well-defined measure.
ancient lake in geological history.[10][11] It is unique among large, high-
latitude lakes, as its sediments have not been scoured by overriding continental ice sheets. Russian, U.S., and
Japanese cooperative studies of deep-drilling core sediments in the
1990s provide a detailed record of climatic variation over the past
6.7 million years.[19][20]

Longer and deeper sediment cores are expected in the near future.
Lake Baikal is the only confined freshwater lake in which direct and
indirect evidence of gas hydrates exists.[21][22][23]

The lake is surrounded by mountains; the Baikal Mountains on the

north shore, the Barguzin Range on the northeastern shore and the
Primorsky Range stretching along the western shore. The mountains
and the taiga are protected as a national park. It contains 27 islands; A digital elevation model of Lake Baikal region
the largest, Olkhon, is 72  km (45  mi) long and is the third-largest
lake-bound island in the world. The lake is fed by as many as 330
inflowing rivers.[24] The main ones draining directly into Baikal are the Selenga, the Barguzin, the Upper
Angara, the Turka, the Sarma, and the Snezhnaya. It is drained through a single outlet, the Angara.

Regular winds exist in Baikal's rift valley.[25] The Kultuk blows southwest and the Verkhovik blows north or
northeast. In addition, transverse winds blow locally and over shorter distances. The Sarma (named after the
Sarma River) blows northwest in the autumn through the Sarma valley and the strait of Olkhon Island. The
Barguzin (named after the Barguzin river) blows northeast in the spring.

Frozen lake Baikal near Cliffs on A sandy beach in the Mountains on the The river Turka at its
Olkhon Island Olkhon Kabansky District Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, mouth before joining
Island Zabaykalsky National Lake Baikal
Park

Water characteristics

Baikal is one of the clearest lakes in the world.[13] During the winter, the
water transparency in open sections can be as much as 30–40  m (100–
130 ft), but during the summer it is typically 5–8 m (15–25 ft).[26] Baikal is
rich in oxygen, even in deep sections,[26] which separates it from distinctly
stratified bodies of water such as Lake Tanganyika and the Black Sea.[27][28]

In Lake Baikal, the water temperature varies significantly depending on

location, depth, and time of the year. During the winter and spring, the
surface freezes for about 4–5 months; from early January to early May–June Lake Baikal's water is especially
(latest in the north), the lake surface is covered in ice.[29] On average, the ice clear
reaches a thickness of 0.5  to 1.4  m (1.6–4.6  ft),[30] but in some places with
hummocks, it can be more than 2  m (6.6  ft).[29] During this period, the
temperature slowly increases with depth in the lake, being coldest near the ice-covered surface at around
freezing, and reaching about 3.5–3.8  °C (38.3–38.8  °F) at a depth of 200–250  m (660–820  ft).[31] After the
surface ice breaks up, the surface water is slowly warmed up by the sun, and in May–June, the upper 300  m
(980  ft) or so becomes homothermic (same temperature throughout) at around 4  °C (39  °F) because of water
mixing.[26][31] The sun continues to heat up the surface layer, and at the peak in August can reach up to about
16  °C (61  °F) in the main sections[31] and 20–24  °C (68–75  °F) in shallow bays in the southern half of the
lake.[26][32] During this time, the pattern is inverted compared to the winter and spring, as the water
temperature falls with increasing depth. As the autumn begins, the surface temperature falls again and a second
homothermic period at around 4  °C (39  °F) of the upper circa 300  m (980  ft) occurs in October–
November.[26][31] In the deepest parts of the lake, from about 300 m (980 ft), the temperature is stable at 3.1–
3.4 °C (37.6–38.1 °F) with only minor annual variations.[31]

The average surface temperature has risen by almost 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) in the last 50 years, resulting in a shorter
period where the lake is covered by ice.[11] At some locations, hydrothermal vents with water that is about 50 °C
(122 °F) have been found. These are mostly in deep water but locally have also been found in relatively shallow
water. They have little effect on the lake's temperature because of its huge volume.[31]

Stormy weather on the lake is common, especially during the summer and autumn, and can result in waves as
high as 4.5 m (15 ft).[26]

Lake Baikal as seen Spring ice melt Circle of thin ice, Delta of the
from the OrbView-2 underway on diameter of 4.4  km Selenga River,
satellite Lake Baikal, on (2.7  mi) at the lake's Baikal's main
4 May: Notice southern tip, probably tributary
the ice-covered caused by convection
north, while
much of the
south is already
ice-free.

Fauna and flora

Lake Baikal is rich in biodiversity. It hosts more than 1,000 species of plants
and 2,500 species of animals based on current knowledge, but the actual
figures for both groups are believed to be significantly higher.[26][33] More
than 80% of the animals are endemic.[33]

The Baikal seal is endemic to Lake

Baikal. Flora

The watershed of Lake Baikal has numerous floral species represented. The
marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) is found here at the eastern limit of its geographic range.[34]

Submerged macrophytic vascular plants are mostly absent, except in some shallow bays along the shores of Lake
Baikal.[35] More than 85 species of submerged macrophytes have been recorded, including genera such as
Ceratophyllum, Myriophyllum, Potamogeton, and Sparganium.[32] The invasive species Elodea canadensis
was introduced to the lake in the 1950s.[35] Instead of vascular plants, aquatic flora is often dominated by several
green algae species, notably Draparnaldioides, Tetraspora, and Ulothrix in water shallower than 20 m (65 ft);
although Aegagrophila, Cladophora, and Draparnaldioides may occur deeper than 30 m (100 ft).[35] Except for
Ulothrix, there are endemic Baikal species in all these green algae genera.[35] More than 400 diatom species,
both benthic and planktonic, are found in the lake, and about half of these are endemic to Baikal; however,
significant taxonomic uncertainties remain for this group.[35]

Mammals

The Baikal seal or nerpa (Pusa sibirica) is endemic to Lake Baikal.[36]

A wide range of land mammals can be found in the habitats around the lake, such as the Eurasian brown bear
(Ursus arctos arctos), Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), sable (Martes zibellina), stoat
(Mustela erminea), elk (Alces alces), wapiti (Cervus canadensis), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), Siberian roe
deer (Capreolus pygargus), Siberian musk deer ((Moschus moschiferus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red squirrel
(Sciurus vulgaris), Siberian chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus), marmots (Marmota sp.), lemmings (Lemmus sp.),
and mountain hare (Lepus timidus).[37] Until the Early Middle Ages, populations of the European bison (Bison
bonasus) were found near the lake; this represented the easternmost range of the species.[38]

Birds

There are 236 species of birds that inhabit Lake Baikal, 29 of which are
waterfowl.[39] Although named after the lake, both the Baikal teal and Baikal
bush warbler are widespread in eastern Asia.[40][41]

Fish

Fewer than 65 native fish species occur in the lake basin, but more than half
Mongolian gulls on Baikal
of these are endemic.[26][44] The families Abyssocottidae (deep-water
sculpins), Comephoridae (golomyankas or Baikal oilfish), and
Cottocomephoridae (Baikal sculpins) are entirely restricted to the lake
basin.[26][45] All these are part of the Cottoidea and are typically less than
20 cm (8 in) long.[35] Of particular note are the two species of golomyanka
(Comephorus baicalensis and C. dybowskii). These long-finned, translucent
fish typically live in open water at depths of 100–500 m (330–1,640 ft), but
occur both shallower and much deeper. Together with certain abyssocottid
sculpins, they are the deepest living freshwater fish in the world, occurring to
near the bottom of Lake Baikal.[46] The golomyankas are the primary prey of Two species of grayling (Thymallus
the Baikal seal and represent the largest fish biomass in the lake.[47] Beyond baikalensis and T. brevipinnis) are
members of Cottoidea, there are few endemic fish species in the lake found only in Baikal and rivers that
basin.[26][44] drain into the lake.[42][43]

The most important local species for fisheries is the omul (Coregonus
migratorius), an endemic whitefish.[26] It is caught, smoked, and then sold widely in markets around the lake.
Also, a second endemic whitefish inhabits the lake, C. baicalensis.[48] The Baikal black grayling (Thymallus
baicalensis), Baikal white grayling (T. brevipinnis), and Baikal sturgeon (Acipenser baerii baicalensis) are other
important species with commercial value. They are also endemic to the Lake Baikal basin.[42][43][49][50]

Invertebrates

The lake hosts a rich endemic fauna of invertebrates. The copepod Epischura baikalensis is endemic to Lake
Baikal and the dominating zooplankton species there, making up 80 to 90% of total biomass.[51] It is estimated
that the epischurans filter as much as a thousand cubic kilometers of water a year, or the lake's entire volume
every twenty-three years.[52]
Among the most diverse invertebrate groups are the amphipod and ostracod
crustaceans, freshwater snails, annelid worms and turbellarian worms:

Amphipod and ostracod crustaceans

More than 350 species and subspecies of amphipods are endemic to the
lake.[33] They are exceptionally diverse in ecology and appearance, ranging
from the pelagic Macrohectopus to the relatively large deep-water
Abyssogammarus and Garjajewia, the tiny herbivorous Micruropus, and The omul (Coregonus migratorius)
the parasitic Pachyschesis (parasitic on other amphipods).[53] The is endemic to Lake Baikal, and is a
source of income to locals.
"gigantism" of some Baikal amphipods, which has been compared to that
seen in Antarctic amphipods, has been linked to the high level of dissolved
oxygen in the lake.[54] Among the "giants" are several species of spiny
Acanthogammarus and Brachyuropus (Acanthogammaridae) found at both
shallow and deep depths.[55] These conspicuous and common amphipods are
essentially carnivores (will also take detritus), and can reach a body length
up to 7 cm (2.8 in).[53][55]

Similar to another ancient lake, Tanganyika, Baikal is a center for ostracod

diversity. About 90% of the Lake Baikal ostracods are endemic,[56] meaning
that there are c. 200 endemic species.[57] This makes it the second-most
diverse group of crustacean in the lake, after the amphipods.[56] The vast
majority of the Baikal ostracods belong in the families Candonidae (more
than 100 described species) and Cytherideidae (about 50 described A "giant" Brachyuropus reicherti
species),[56][58] but genetic studies indicate that the true diversity in at least (Acanthogammaridae) amphipod
caught during ice fishing in the lake.
the latter family has been heavily underestimated.[59] The morphology of the
Red-orange is its natural, living
Baikal ostracods is highly diverse.[56]
coloration

Snails and bivalves

As of 2006, almost 150 freshwater snails are known from Lake Baikal, including 117 endemic species from the
subfamilies Baicaliinae (part of the Amnicolidae) and Benedictiinae (part of the Lithoglyphidae), and the
families Planorbidae and Valvatidae.[60] All endemics have been recorded between 20 and 30 m (66 and 98 ft),
but the majority mainly live at shallower depths.[60] About 30 freshwater snail species can be seen deeper than
100  m (330  ft), which represents the approximate limit of the sunlight zone, but only 10 are truly deepwater
species.[60] In general, Baikal snails are thin-shelled and small. Two of the most common species are Benedictia
baicalensis and Megalovalvata baicalensis.[61] Bivalve diversity is lower with more than 30 species; about half
of these, all in the families Euglesidae, Pisidiidae, and Sphaeriidae, are endemic (the only other family in the lake
is the Unionidae with a single nonendemic species).[61][62] The endemic bivalves are mainly found in shallows,
with few species from deep water.[63]

Aquatic worms

With almost 200 described species, including more than 160 endemics, the center of diversity for aquatic
freshwater oligochaetes is Lake Baikal.[64] A smaller number of other freshwater annelids is known: 30 species
of leeches (Hirudinea),[65] and 4 polychaetes.[64] Several hundred species of nematodes are known from the
lake, but a large percentage of these are undescribed.[64]

More than 140 endemic flatworm (Plathelminthes) species are in Lake Baikal, where they occur on a wide range
of bottom types.[66] Most of the flatworms are predatory, and some are relatively brightly marked. They are often
abundant in shallow waters, where they are typically less than 2 cm (1 in) long, but in deeper parts of the lake,
the largest, Baikaloplana valida, can reach up to 30 cm (1 ft) when outstretched.[35][66]
Sponges

At least 18 species of sponges occur in the lake,[67] including about 15 species from
the endemic family Lubomirskiidae (the remaining are from the nonendemic family
Spongillidae).[68][69] In the nearshore regions of Baikal, the largest benthic biomass
is sponges.[67] Lubomirskia baicalensis, Baikalospongia bacillifera, and B.
intermedia are unusually large for freshwater sponges and can reach 1 m (3.3 ft) or
more.[67][70] These three are also the most common sponges in the lake.[67] While
the Baikalospongia species typically have encrusting or carpet-like structures, L.
baikalensis often has branching structures and in areas where common may form
underwater "forests".[71] Most sponges in the lake are typically green when alive
because of symbiotic chlorophytes (zoochlorella), but can also be brownish or
yellowish.[72] Museum specimen of the
branching sponge
History Lubomirskia baicalensis
(living are brighter green)
The Baikal area, sometimes known as Baikalia, has a long history of human
habitation. Near the village of Mal'ta, some 160 km northwest of the lake, remains of
a young human male known as MA-1 or "Mal'ta Boy" are indications of local habitation by the Mal'ta–Buret'
culture ca. 24,000 BP. An early known tribe in the area was the Kurykans.[73]

Located in the former northern territory of the Xiongnu confederation, Lake Baikal is one site of the Han–
Xiongnu War, where the armies of the Han dynasty pursued and defeated the Xiongnu forces from the second
century BC to the first century AD. They recorded that the lake was a "huge sea" (hanhai) and designated it the
North Sea (Běihǎi) of the semimythical Four Seas.[74] The Kurykans, a Siberian tribe who inhabited the area in
the sixth century, gave it a name that translates to "much water". Later on, it was called "natural lake" (Baygal
nuur) by the Buryats and "rich lake" (Bay göl) by the Yakuts.[75] Little was known to Europeans about the lake
until Russia expanded into the area in the 17th century. The first Russian explorer to reach Lake Baikal was
Kurbat Ivanov in 1643.[76]

Russian expansion into the Buryat area around Lake Baikal[77] in 1628–58 was part of the Russian conquest of
Siberia. It was done first by following the Angara River upstream from Yeniseysk (founded 1619) and later by
moving south from the Lena River. Russians first heard of the Buryats in 1609 at Tomsk. According to folktales
related a century after the fact, in 1623, Demid Pyanda, who may have been the first Russian to reach the Lena,
crossed from the upper Lena to the Angara and arrived at Yeniseysk.[78]

Vikhor Savin (1624) and Maksim Perfilyev (1626 and 1627–28) explored Tungus country on the lower Angara.
To the west, Krasnoyarsk on the upper Yenisei was founded in 1627. A number of ill-documented expeditions
explored eastward from Krasnoyarsk. In 1628, Pyotr Beketov first encountered a group of Buryats and collected
yasak (tribute) from them at the future site of Bratsk. In 1629, Yakov Khripunov set off from Tomsk to find a
rumored silver mine. His men soon began plundering both Russians and natives. They were joined by another
band of rioters from Krasnoyarsk, but left the Buryat country when they ran short of food. This made it difficult
for other Russians to enter the area. In 1631, Maksim Perfilyev built an ostrog at Bratsk. The pacification was
moderately successful, but in 1634, Bratsk was destroyed and its garrison killed. In 1635, Bratsk was restored by
a punitive expedition under Radukovskii. In 1638, it was besieged unsuccessfully.

In 1638, Perfilyev crossed from the Angara over the Ilim portage to the Lena River and went downstream as far
as Olyokminsk. Returning, he sailed up the Vitim River into the area east of Lake Baikal (1640) where he heard
reports of the Amur country. In 1641, Verkholensk was founded on the upper Lena. In 1643, Kurbat Ivanov went
further up the Lena and became the first Russian to see Lake Baikal and Olkhon Island. Half his party under
Skorokhodov remained on the lake, reached the Upper Angara at its northern tip, and wintered on the Barguzin
River on the northeast side.
In 1644, Ivan Pokhabov went up the Angara to Baikal, becoming perhaps the first Russian to use this route,
which is difficult because of the rapids. He crossed the lake and explored the lower Selenge River. About 1647, he
repeated the trip, obtained guides, and visited a 'Tsetsen Khan' near Ulan Bator. In 1648, Ivan Galkin built an
ostrog on the Barguzin River which became a center for eastward expansion. In 1652, Vasily Kolesnikov reported
from Barguzin that one could reach the Amur country by following the Selenga, Uda, and Khilok Rivers to the
future sites of Chita and Nerchinsk. In 1653, Pyotr Beketov took Kolesnikov's route to Lake Irgen west of Chita,
and that winter his man Urasov founded Nerchinsk. Next spring, he tried to occupy Nerchensk, but was forced
by his men to join Stephanov on the Amur. Nerchinsk was destroyed by the local Tungus, but restored in 1658.

The Trans-Siberian Railway was built between 1896 and 1902. Construction of the scenic railway around the
southwestern end of Lake Baikal required 200 bridges and 33 tunnels. Until its completion, a train ferry
transported railcars across the lake from Port Baikal to Mysovaya for a number of years. The lake became the site
of the minor engagement between the Czechoslovak legion and the Red Army in 1918. At times during winter
freezes, the lake could be crossed on foot, though at risk of frostbite and deadly hypothermia from the cold wind
moving unobstructed across flat expanses of ice. In the winter of 1920, the Great Siberian Ice March occurred,
when the retreating White Russian Army crossed frozen Lake Baikal. The wind on the exposed lake was so cold,
many people died, freezing in place until spring thaw. Beginning in 1956, the impounding of the Irkutsk Dam on
the Angara River raised the level of the lake by 1.4 m (4.6 ft).[79]

As the railway was built, a large hydrogeographical expedition headed by F.K. Drizhenko produced the first
detailed contour map of the lake bed.[9]

Buryat shaman on Russian map circa Steam Angara was launched

Olkhon Island 1700, Baikal (not to locomotive on in 1900 and is one of
scale) is at top the Circum- the oldest surviving
Baikal Railroad icebreakers

Research
Several organizations are carrying out natural research projects on Lake Baikal.
Most of them are governmental or associated with governmental organizations. The
Baikalian Research Centre is an independent research organization carrying out
environmental, educational and research projects at Lake Baikal.[80]

In July 2008, Russia sent two small submersibles, Mir-1 and Mir-2, to descend
1,592 m (5,223 ft) to the bottom of Lake Baikal to conduct geological and biological
tests on its unique ecosystem. Although originally reported as being successful, they
did not set a world record for the deepest freshwater dive, reaching a depth of only
1,580  m (5,180  ft).[81] That record is currently held by Anatoly Sagalevich, at
1,637 m (5,371 ft) (also in Lake Baikal aboard a Pisces submersible in 1990).[81][82]
Russian scientist and federal politician Artur Chilingarov, the leader of the mission,
took part in the Mir dives[83] as did Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin.[84] Ice cover survey on the lake

Since 1993, neutrino research has been conducted at the Baikal Deep Underwater
Neutrino Telescope (BDUNT). The Baikal Neutrino Telescope NT-200 is being deployed in Lake Baikal, 3.6 km
(2.2 mi) from shore at a depth of 1.1 km (0.68 mi). It consists of 192 optical modules.[85]
Economy
The lake, nicknamed "the Pearl of Siberia", drew investors from the tourist
industry as energy revenues sparked an economic boom.[87] Viktor
Grigorov's Grand Baikal in Irkutsk is one of the investors, who planned to
build three hotels, creating 570 jobs. In 2007, the Russian government
declared the Baikal region a special economic zone. A popular resort in
Listvyanka is home to the seven-story Hotel Mayak. At the northern part of
the lake, Baikalplan (a German NGO) built together with Russians in 2009
the Frolikha Adventure Coastline Track, a 100 km (62 mi)-long long-distance
trail as an example for sustainable development of the region. Baikal was also Baikal fishermen fish for 15
declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. Rosatom plans to build a commercially used species. The
laboratory near Baikal, in conjunction with an international uranium plant omul, found only in Baikal, accounts
and to invest $2.5  billion in the region and create 2,000 jobs in the city of for most of the catch.[86]
Angarsk.[87]

Lake Baikal is a popular destination among tourists from all over the world. According to the Russian Federal
State Statistics Service, in 2013, 79,179 foreign tourists visited Irkutsk and Lake Baikal; in 2014, 146,937 visitors.
The most popular places to stay by the lake are Listvyanka village, Olkhon Island, Kotelnikovsky cape,
Baykalskiy Priboi, resort Khakusy and Turka village. The popularity of Lake Baikal is growing from year to year,
but there is no developed infrastructure in the area. For the quality of service and comfort from the visitor's
point of view, Lake Baikal still has a long way to go.

The ice road to Olkhon Island is the only legal ice road on Lake Baikal. The route is prepared by specialists every
year and it opens when the ice conditions allow it. In 2015, the ice road to Olkhon was open from 17 February to
23 March. The thickness of the ice on the road is about 60 cm (24 in), maximum capacity allowed – 10 t (9.8
long tons; 11 short tons); it is open to the public from 9 am to 6 pm. The road through the lake is 12 km (7.5 mi)
long and it goes from the village Kurkut on the mainland, to Irkutskaya Guba on Olkhon Island.[88]

Ecotourism
Baikal has a number of different tourist activities, depending on the season.
Generally, Baikal has two top tourist seasons. The first season is ice season,
which starts usually in mid-January and lasts till mid-April.[89] During this
season ice depth increases up to 140 centimeters, that allows safe vehicle
driving on the ice cover (except heavy vehicles, such as tourist buses, that do
not take this risk). This allows access to the figures of ice that are formed at
rocky banks of Olkhon Island, including Cape Hoboy, the Three Brothers
rock, and caves to the North of Khuzhir. It also provides access to small
islands like Ogoy Island and Zamogoy.
Cracks in Baikal ice
The ice itself has a transparency of one meter depth, having different
patterns of crevasses, bubbles, and sounds. That is why this season is popular
for hiking, ice-walking, ice-skating, and bicycle-riding.[90] An ice route around Olkhon is around 200 km. Some
tourists may spot a Baikal seal along the route. Local entrepreneurs offer overnight in Yurt on ice. Also this
season attracts fans of ice fishing. This activity is most popular on Buryatia side of Baikal (Ust-Barguzin). Non-
fishermen may try fresh Baikal fish in local village markets. (Listvyanka, Ust-Barguzin).

The ice season ends in mid-April. Owing to increasing temperatures ice starts to melt and becomes shallow and
fragile, especially in places with strong under-ice flows. A range of factors contribute to an increased risk of
falling through the ice towards the end of the season, resulting in multiple deaths in Russia each year, although
exact data for Baikal are unknown.[91] Viktor Viktorovych Yanukovych, son of former Ukrainian President Viktor
Yanukovych, reportedly died after his car fell through the ice while driving on Baikal in 2015.[92][93]
The second tourist season is summer, which lets tourists dive deeper into virgin Baikal nature. Hiking trails
become open,[94] many of them cross two mountain ranges: Baikal Range on the western side and Barguzin
Range on the eastern side of Baikal. The most popular trail starts in Listvyanka and goes along the Baikal coast
to Bolshoye Goloustnoye. The total length of the route is 55 km, but the most part of tourists usually take only a
part of it – a section of 25  km to Bolshie Koty. It has a lower difficulty level and could be passed by people
without special skills and gear.

Small tourist vessels operate in the area, availing bird-watching, animal watching (especially Baikal seal), and
fishing. Water in the lake stays extremely cold in most places (does not exceed 10 C most of the year), but in few
gulfs like Chivirkuy it can be comfortable for swimming.[95]

Olkhon's most-populated village Khuzhir is an ecotourist destination.[96]

Baikal has always been popular in Russia and CIS-countries, but for the last
few years Baikal has seen an influx of visitors from China and Europe.[97]

Environmental concerns
Environmentalists have previously acknowledged pollution at Lake
Baikal.[98][99][100] It faces a series of detrimental phenomena including the
Great Baikal Trail goes from
disappearance of the omul fish, the rapid growth of putrid algae and the Listvyanka to Bolshoe Goloustnoye
death of endemic species of sponges across its area.[100] Environmental along Lake Baikal coast
advocacy for the lake began in the late 1950s.[101] Since 2010, more than
15,000 metric tons of toxic waste have flowed into the lake.

Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill

The Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill was constructed in 1966, directly on the
shoreline of Lake Baikal. The plant bleached paper using chlorine and
discharged waste directly into Lake Baikal. The decision to construct the
plant on the Lake Baikal resulted in strong protests from Soviet scientists;
according to them, the ultra-pure water of the lake was a significant resource
and should have been used for innovative chemical production (for instance,
the production of high-quality viscose for the aeronautics and space
industries). The Soviet scientists felt that it was irrational to change Lake
Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill in
Baikal's water quality by beginning paper production on the shore. It was
2008, 5 years before its closure
their position that it was also necessary to preserve endemic species of local
biota, and to maintain the area around Lake Baikal as a recreation zone.[102]
However, the objections of the Soviet scientists faced opposition from the
industrial lobby and only after decades of protest, the plant was closed in November 2008 due to
unprofitability.[103][104]

On 4 January 2010, production was resumed. On 13 January 2010, Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced
changes in legislation legalising the operation of the plant; this action brought about a wave of protests from
ecologists and local residents.[105] These changes were based on the determination President Putin made
through a visual verification of Lake Baikal's condition from a miniature submarine, where he said: "I could see
with my own eyes – and scientists can confirm – Baikal is in good condition and there is practically no
pollution".[106] Despite this, in September 2013, the mill underwent a final bankruptcy, with the last 800
workers slated to lose their jobs by 28 December 2013.[107] The mill has since shut down, though its reservoirs of
lignin sludge remain an environmental hazard.[108][109]

Cancelled East Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline

Russian oil pipelines state company Transneft[110] was planning to build a
trunk pipeline that would have come within 800  m (2,600  ft) of the lake
shore in a zone of substantial seismic activity. Environmental activists in
Russia,[111] Greenpeace, Baikal pipeline opposition[112] and local citizens[113]
were strongly opposed to these plans, due to the possibility of an accidental
oil spill that might cause significant damage to the environment. According
to the Transneft's president, numerous meetings with citizens near the lake
were held in towns along the route, especially in Irkutsk.[114] Transneft
agreed to alter its plans when Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the
company to consider an alternative route 40 kilometers (25 mi) to the north The lake in the winter. The ice is
to avoid such ecological risks.[115] Transneft has since decided to move the thick enough to support pedestrians
pipeline away from Lake Baikal, so that it will not pass through any federal or and snowmobiles.
republic natural reserves.[116][117] Work began on the pipeline two days after
President Putin agreed to changing the route away from Lake Baikal.[118]

Proposed uranium enrichment center

In 2006, the Russian government announced plans to build the world's first international uranium enrichment
center at an existing nuclear facility in Angarsk, a city on the river Angara some 95 km (59 mi) downstream from
the lake's shores. Critics and environmentalists argued it would be a disaster for the region and are urging the
government to reconsider.[119]

After enrichment, only 10% of the uranium-derived radioactive material would be exported to international
customers,[119] leaving 90% near the Lake Baikal region for storage. Uranium tailings contain radioactive and
toxic materials, which if improperly stored, are potentially dangerous to humans and can contaminate rivers and
lakes.[119]

An enrichment center was constructed in the 2010s.[120]

Chinese-owned bottled water plant

Chinese-owned AquaSib had been purchasing land alongside the lake and in 2019 started building a bottling
plant and pipeline in the town of Kultuk. The goal was to export 190 million liters of water to China even though
the lake had been experiencing historically low water levels. This spurred protests by the local population that
the lake would be drained of its water, at which point the local government halted the plans pending
analysis.[121]

Other pollution sources

According to The Moscow Times and Vice, an increasing number of an invasive species of algae thrives in the
lake from hundreds of tons of liquid waste, including fuel and excrement, regularly disposed into the lake by
tourist sites, and up to 25,000 tons of liquid waste are disposed of every year by local ships.[122][123]

Historical traditions
The first European to reach the lake is said to have been Kurbat Ivanov in 1643.[124]

In the past, the Baikal was referred to by many Russians as the "Baikal Sea" (море Байкал, More Baikal), rather
than merely "Lake Baikal" (озеро Байкал, Ozero Baikal).[125]
This usage is attested already in the Life of
Protopope Avvakum (1621–1682),[126] and on the late-17th-century maps by Semyon Remezov.[127] It is also
attested in the famous song, now passed into the tradition, that opens with the words Славное море,
священный Байкал (Glorious sea, [the] sacred Bajkal).
To this day, the
strait between the western shore of the Lake and the Olkhon Island is called
Maloye More (Малое море), i.e. "the Little Sea".

Lake Baikal is nicknamed "Older sister of Sister Lakes (Lake Khövsgöl and
Lake Baikal)".[128]

According to 19th-century traveler T. W. Atkinson, locals in the Lake Baikal

Region had the tradition that Christ visited the area:

The people have a tradition in connection with this region which An 1883 British map using the More
they implicitly believe. They say "that Christ visited this part of Baikal (Baikal Sea) designation,
Asia and ascended this summit, whence he looked down on all the rather than the conventional Ozero
region around. After blessing the country to the northward, he Baikal (Lake Baikal)
turned towards the south, and looking across the Baikal, he
waved his hand, exclaiming 'Beyond this there is nothing.' " Thus
they account for the sterility of Daouria, where it is said "no corn
will grow."[129]

Lake Baikal has been celebrated in several Russian folk songs. Two of these songs are well known in Russia and
its neighboring countries, such as Japan.

"Glorious Sea, Sacred Baikal" (Славное мope, священный Байкал) is about a katorga fugitive. The lyrics
as documented and edited in the 19th century by Dmitriy P. Davydov (1811–1888).[130] See "Barguzin River"
for sample lyrics.
"The Wanderer" (Бродяга) is about a convict who had escaped from jail and was attempting to return home
from Transbaikal.[131] The lyrics were collected and edited in the 20th century by Ivan Kondratyev.

The latter song was a secondary theme song for the Soviet Union's second color film, Ballad of Siberia (1947;
Сказание о земле Сибирской).

See also
Russian Far East
Seven Wonders of Russia

Notes
a. (Buryat: Байгал далай, romanized: Baigal dalai;[4] Mongolian: Байгал нуур, romanized: Baigal nuur)

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Further reading
Detlev Henschel, Kayak Adventure in Siberia: The first solo circumnavigation of Lake Baikal. Amazon
ISBN 978-3737561020
Colin Thubron (2000), In Siberia, ISBN 978-0060953737, Harper Perennial.
Leonid Borodin (1988), Year of Miracle And Grief, Quartet Books ISBN 978-0704300866
Martin Cruz Smith (2019), Siberian Dilemma, Simon & Schuster ISBN 9781439140253
Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878). "Baikal"  (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica,_Ninth_E
dition/Baikal). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. III (9th ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 241.
Kropotkin, Peter Alexeivitch; Bealby, John Thomas (1911). "Baikal"  (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Enc
yclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Baikal). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). pp. 215–216.

External links
Lake Baikal Information (http://www.lakebaikal.org/)
Lake Baikal Ice Formations in Photos (https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/05/lake-baikal-ice-formations-
photos/590374/)
Lake Baikal (https://vimeo.com/157246628) on Vimeo
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