Lake Baikal is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, many of themendemic to the region. It is also home toBuryat tribes, who raise goats, camels, cattle, sheep, and horses,[16] on the eastern side of the lake within Buryatia,[17] where the mean temperature varies from a winter minimum of −19 °C (−2 °F) to a summer maximum of 14 °C (57 °F).[18] The region to the east of Lake Baikal is referred to asTransbaikalia or as the Transbaikal,[19] and the loosely defined region around the lake itself is sometimes known asBaikalia.UNESCO declared Baikal aWorld Heritage Site in 1996.[20]
Lake Baikal is in arift valley, created by theBaikal Rift Zone, where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart.[6] At 636 km (395 mi) long and 79 km (49 mi) wide, Lake Baikal has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in Asia, at 31,722 km2 (12,248 sq mi), and is the deepest lake in the world at 1,642 metres (5,387 feet; 898 fathoms). The surface of the lake is 455.5 m (1,494 ft) above sea level, while the bottom of the lake is 1,186.5 m (3,893 ft; 648.8 fathoms) below sea level, and below this lies some 7 km (4.3 mi) ofsediment, placing the rift floor some 8–11 km (5.0–6.8 mi) below the surface, the deepest continentalrift on Earth.[6]
In geological terms, the rift is young and active – it widens about 4 mm (0.16 in) per year.[21] The fault zone is also seismically active; hot springs occur in the area and notableearthquakes happen every few years. The lake is divided into three basins: North, Central, and South, with 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 to depths about 300 m (980 ft) separate the basins. The North and Central basins are separated byAcademician Ridge, while the area around the Selenga Delta and the Buguldeika Saddle separates the Central and South basins. The lake drains into theAngara, a tributary of theYenisey. Landforms includeCape Ryty on Baikal's northwest coast.
Baikal's age is estimated at 25–30 million years, making it the mostancient lake ingeological history.[12][13] 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-drillingcore sediments in the 1990s provide a detailed record of climatic variation over the past 6.7 million years.[22][23]
Longer and deeper sediment cores are expected in the near future.[needs update] Lake Baikal is the only confined freshwater lake in which direct and indirect evidence ofgas hydrates exists.[24][25][26]
The lake is surrounded by mountains; theBaikal Mountains on the north shore, theBarguzin Range on the northeastern shore and thePrimorsky Range stretching along the western shore. The mountains and thetaiga are protected as a national park. It contains 27 islands; 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.[27] The main ones draining directly into Baikal are theSelenga, theBarguzin, theUpper Angara, theTurka, theSarma, and theSnezhnaya. It is drained through a single outlet, theAngara.
Baikal is one of the clearest lakes in the world.[14] 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).[29] Baikal is rich in oxygen, even in deep sections,[29] which separates it from distinctlystratified bodies of water such asLake Tanganyika and theBlack Sea.[30][31]
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 (latest in the north), the lake surface is covered in ice.[32] On average, the ice reaches a thickness of 0.5 to 1.4 m (1.6–4.6 ft),[33] but in some places withhummocks, it can be more than 2 m (6.6 ft).[32] 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).[34]
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.[29][34] 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[34] and 20–24 °C (68–75 °F) in shallow bays in the southern half of the lake.[29][35]
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.[29][34] 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.[34]
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.[13] 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.[34]
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).[29]
Lake Baikal is rich inbiodiversity. 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.[29]
The watershed of Lake Baikal has numerous floral species represented. Themarsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) is found here at the eastern limit of its geographic range.[36]
Fewer than 65 native fish species occur in the lake basin, but more than half of these are endemic.[29][46] The familiesAbyssocottidae (deep-water sculpins),Comephoridae (golomyankas or Baikal oilfish), andCottocomephoridae (Baikal sculpins) are entirely restricted to the lake basin.[29][47] All these are part of theCottoidea and are typically less than 20 cm (8 in) long.[37] Of particular note are the two species ofgolomyanka (Comephorus baicalensis andC. 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 near the bottom of Lake Baikal.[48] The golomyankas are the primary prey of the Baikal seal and represent the largest fishbiomass in the lake.[49] Beyond members of Cottoidea, there are few endemic fish species in the lake basin.[29][46]
Theomul (Coregonus migratorius) isendemic to Lake Baikal, and is a source of income to locals.
The most important local species for fisheries is theomul (Coregonus migratorius), an endemicwhitefish.[29] It is caught,smoked, and then sold widely in markets around the lake. Also, a second endemic whitefish inhabits the lake,C. baicalensis.[50] TheBaikal black grayling (Thymallus baicalensis),Baikal white grayling (T. brevipinnis), andBaikal sturgeon (Acipenser baerii baicalensis) are other important species with commercial value. They are also endemic to the Lake Baikal basin.[44][45][51][52]
More than 350 species and subspecies ofamphipods are endemic to the lake.[53] They are exceptionally diverse inecology and appearance, ranging from the pelagicMacrohectopus to the relatively large deep-waterAbyssogammarus andGarjajewia, the tiny herbivorousMicruropus, and the parasiticPachyschesis (parasitizing otheramphipods).[54] The "gigantism" of some Baikal amphipods, which has been compared to that seen in Antarctic amphipods, has been linked to the high level ofdissolved oxygen in the lake.[55] Among the "giants" are several species of spinyAcanthogammarus andBrachyuropus (Acanthogammaridae) found at both shallow and deep depths.[56] These conspicuous and common amphipods are essentially carnivores (will also takedetritus), and can reach a body length up to 7 cm (2.8 in).[54][56] Another common species is another unique inhabitant of the lake: the pelagic amphipodMacrohectopus branickii lives its entire life in the water column, which is unique among freshwater amphipods and has been compared tokrill.[57]
The number ofisopods is low; all belonging to the familyAsellidae. There are four species of the genusBaicalasellus, and the two speciesMesoasellus dybowskii andLimnoasellus poberezhnii.[58][59] These six endemic species are found on rocky substrata in depths varying from 3–10 meters (Baicalasellus angarensis) to more than hundred meters (Mesoasellus dybowskii).[60]
Epischurella baikalensis is acopepod endemic to the lake, being a very abundant species there; it was estimated that they make up 80 to 90% of the totalbiomass.[61][62] It is estimated that as a species, they filter as much as a thousand cubic kilometers of water a year, or the lake's entire volume every twenty-three years.[63]
There are about 60 known species of nativecladocerans (water fleas), several of them endemic.[64]
Similar to another ancient lake,Tanganyika, Baikal is a center forostracod diversity. About 90% of the Lake Baikal ostracods are endemic,[65] meaning that there arec. 200 endemic species.[66] This makes it the second-most diverse group of crustacean in the lake, after the amphipods.[65] The vast majority of the Baikal ostracods belong to the familiesCandonidae (more than 100 described species) andCytherideidae (about 50 described species),[65][67] but genetic studies indicate that the true diversity in at least the latter family has been heavily underestimated.[68] The morphology of the Baikal ostracods is highly diverse.[65]
As of 2006[update], almost 150 freshwater snails are known from Lake Baikal, including 117 endemic species from the subfamilies Baicaliinae (part of theAmnicolidae) and Benedictiinae (part of theLithoglyphidae), and the familiesPlanorbidae andValvatidae.[69] All endemics have been recorded between 20 and 30 m (66 and 98 ft), but the majority mainly live at shallower depths.[69] About 30 freshwater snail species can be seen deeper than 100 m (330 ft), which represents the approximate limit of thesunlight zone, but only 10 are truly deepwater species.[69] In general, Baikal snails are thin-shelled and small. Two of the most common species areBenedictia baicalensis andMegalovalvata baicalensis.[70]Bivalve diversity is lower with more than 30 species; about half of these, all in the families Euglesidae,Pisidiidae, andSphaeriidae, are endemic (the only other family in the lake is theUnionidae with a single nonendemic species).[70][71] The endemic bivalves are mainly found in shallows, with few species from deep water.[72]
With almost 200 described species, including more than 160 endemics, the center of diversity for aquatic freshwateroligochaetes is Lake Baikal.[73] A smaller number of other freshwater annelids is known: 30 species ofleeches (Hirudinea),[74] and 4polychaetes.[73] Several hundred species ofnematodes are known from the lake, but a large percentage of these areundescribed.[73]
More than 140 endemicflatworm (Plathelminthes) species are in Lake Baikal, where they occur on a wide range of bottom types.[75] 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.[37][75]
At least 18 species ofsponges occur in the lake,[76] including about 15 species from the endemic familyLubomirskiidae (the remaining are from the nonendemic familySpongillidae),[77][78] which colonized the lake about 3.4 million years ago. The lake's sponges makes up around 44% of thebenthic animal biomass.[79]Lubomirskia baicalensis,Baikalospongia bacillifera, andB. intermedia are unusually large for freshwater sponges and can reach 1 m (3.3 ft) or more.[76][80] These three are also the most common sponges in the lake.[76] While theBaikalospongia species typically have encrusting or carpet-like structures,L. baikalensis often has branching structures and in areas where common may form underwater "forests".[81] Most sponges in the lake are typically green when alive because ofsymbioticchlorophytes (zoochlorella), but can also be brownish or yellowish.[82]
The Baikal area, sometimes known asBaikalia, 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 theMal'ta–Buret' culture ca. 24,000BP. An early known tribe in the area was theKurykans.[83]
Located in the former northern territory of theXiongnu confederation, Lake Baikal is one site of theHan–Xiongnu War, where the armies of theHan 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 semimythicalFour Seas.[84] 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.[85] Lake Baikal was under theAnbei Protectorate of theTang dynasty from 647 CE to 682 CE.
Little was known toEuropeans about the lake until Russia expanded into the area in the 1600s.
An 1883 British map using theMore Baikal (Baikal Sea) designation, rather than the conventionalOzero Baikal (Lake Baikal).
Russian expansion into the Buryat area around Lake Baikal in 1628–1658 was part of theRussian conquest of Siberia.[86] It was done first by following the Angara River upstream fromYeniseysk (founded 1619) and later by moving south from the Lena River. Russians first heard of the Buryats in 1609 atTomsk. 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.[87]
TheRussian explorers Vikhor Savin (1624) andMaksim Perfilyev (1626 and 1627–28) exploredTungus country on the lower Angara. To the west,Krasnoyarsk on the upper Yenisei was founded in 1627. A number of ill-documented (poorly recorded) expeditions explored eastward from Krasnoyarsk. In 1628,Pyotr Beketov first encountered a group of Buryats and collectedyasak (tribute) from them at the future site ofBratsk. In 1629, Yakov Khripunov set off from Tomsk to find a rumoredsilver 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 anostrog at Bratsk. The pacification was moderately successful, but in 1634, Bratsk was destroyed and itsgarrison 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 theLena River and went downstream as far asOlyokminsk. Returning, he sailed up theVitim 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.[citation needed]
In 1644, Ivan Pokhabov went up the Angara to Baikal, becoming perhaps the first Russian to use this route, which is difficult because of therapids. He crossed the lake and explored the lowerSelenge River. About 1647, he repeated the trip, obtained guides, and visited a 'Tsetsen Khan' nearUlan Bator. In 1648, Ivan Galkin built anostrogon 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 ofChita andNerchinsk.[citation needed]
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).[90] This usage is attested already in theLife of ProtopopeAvvakum (1621–1682),[91] and on the late-17th-century maps bySemyon Remezov.[92] It is also attested in the famous song, now passed into the tradition, that opens with the wordsСлавное море, священный Байкал (Glorious sea, [the] sacred Bajkal). To this day, the strait between the western shore of the Lake and theOlkhon Island is called "Maloye More" (Малое море), i.e. "theLittle Sea". Lake Baikal is nicknamed "Older sister of Sister Lakes (its sister beingLake Khövsgöl)".[93]
The lake became the site of the minormilitary engagement between theCzechoslovak legion and theRed Army in 1918. At times during winter freezes, the lake could be crossed on foot, though at risk offrostbite and deadlyhypothermia from the cold wind moving unobstructed across flat expanses of ice. In the winter of 1920, theGreat Siberian Ice March occurred, when the retreatingWhite 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 theIrkutsk Dam on the Angara River raised the level of the lake by 1.4 m (4.6 ft).[94]
Several organizations are carrying out natural research projects on Lake Baikal. Most of them are governmental or associated with governmental organizations. TheBaikalian Research Centre is an independent research organization carrying out environmental, educational and research projects at Lake Baikal.[95]
In July 2008, Russia sent two smallsubmersibles,Mir-1 andMir-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).[96] That record is currently held byAnatoly Sagalevich, at 1,637 m (5,371 ft) (also in Lake Baikal aboard aPisces submersible in 1990).[96][97] Russian scientist and federal politicianArtur Chilingarov, the leader of the mission, took part in the Mir dives alongside Russian presidentVladimir Putin.[98][99]
Since 1993,neutrino research has been conducted at theBaikal 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.[100]
Baikal fishermen fish for 15 commercially used species. Theomul, found only in Baikal, accounts for most of the catch.[101]
The lake, nicknamed "the Pearl of Siberia", drew investors from the tourist industry as energy revenues sparked an economic boom.[102] Viktor Grigorov's Grand Baikal inIrkutsk is one of the investors, who planned to build three hotels, creating 570 jobs. In 2007, the Russian government declared the Baikal region aspecial economic zone. A popular resort inListvyanka 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 theFrolikha Adventure Coastline Track, a 100 km (62 mi)-longlong-distance trail as an example for sustainable development of the region. Baikal was also declared a UNESCOWorld Heritage site in 1996.[103]Rosatom plans to build a laboratory near Baikal, in conjunction with an internationaluranium plant and to invest $2.5 billion in the region and create 2,000 jobs in the city ofAngarsk.[102]
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.
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.[104]
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.[105] 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 ofOlkhon Island, including Cape Hoboy, the Three Brothers rock, and caves to the north ofKhuzhir. It also provides access to small islands likeOgoy Island and Zamogoy.
The ice itself has a transparency of one meter depth.[citation needed] That is why this season is popular for hiking, ice-walking, ice-skating, and bicycle riding.[106] An ice route around Olkhon is around 200 km.
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.[107]Viktor Viktorovych Yanukovych, son of former Ukrainian PresidentViktor Yanukovych, reportedly died after his car fell through the ice while driving on Baikal in 2015.[108][109]
Great Baikal Trail goes from Listvyanka to Bolshoe Goloustnoye along Lake Baikal coast
The second tourist season is summer, which lets tourists dive deeper into virgin Baikal nature. Hiking trails become open,[110] many of them cross two mountain ranges:Baikal Range on the western side andBarguzin Range on the eastern side of Baikal.
Small tourist vessels operate in the area, availing bird-watching, animal-watching (especiallyBaikal seal), and fishing. Water in the lake stays extremely cold in most places (does not exceed 10 C most of the year), but in a few gulfs like Chivirkuy, it can be comfortable for swimming.[111]
Olkhon's most-populated villageKhuzhir is an ecotourist destination.[112] Baikal has always been popular in Russia and CIS-countries, but in 2014 Baikal saw an influx of visitors from China and Europe.[113]
Environmentalists have previously acknowledged pollution at Lake Baikal.[114][115][116] It faces a series of detrimental phenomena including the disappearance of the omul fish, the rapid growth of putrid algae and the death of endemic species of sponges across its area.[116] Environmental advocacy for the lake began in the late 1950s.[117] Since 2010, more than 15,000 metric tons of toxic waste have flowed into the lake.[citation needed]
Baykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill in 2008, 5 years before its 2013 closure
TheBaykalsk Pulp and Paper Mill was constructed in 1966, directly on the shoreline of Lake Baikal. The plant bleached paper usingchlorine and discharged waste directly into Lake Baikal. The decision to construct the plant on 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 Baikal's water quality by beginning paper production on the shore. It was 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.[118] 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.[119][120]
On 4 January 2010, production was resumed. On 13 January 2010, Russian Prime Minister 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.[121] These changes were based on the determination Prime Minister 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".[122] 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.[123] The mill has since shut down, though its reservoirs oflignin sludge remain an environmental hazard.[124][125]
Russian oil pipelines state companyTransneft[126] 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,[127] Greenpeace, Baikal pipeline opposition[128] and local citizens[129] 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.[130] 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 to avoid such ecological risks.[131] Transneft has since decided to move the pipeline away from Lake Baikal, so that it will not pass through any federal or republic natural reserves.[132][133] Work began on the pipeline two days after President Putin agreed to changing the route away from Lake Baikal.[134]
In 2006, the Russian government announced plans to build the world's first international uranium enrichment center at an existing nuclear facility inAngarsk, a city on theriver 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.[135]
After enrichment, only 10% of the uranium-derived radioactive material would be exported to international customers,[135] 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.[135]
An enrichment center was constructed in the 2010s.[136]
Chinese-owned AquaSib had been purchasing land alongside the lake and in 2019 started building abottling plant and pipeline in the town ofKultuk. 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.[137][needs update]
According toThe Moscow Times andVice, an increasing number of aninvasive species ofalgae thrive 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.[138][139]
According to 19th-century travelerT. 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 they implicitly believe. They say "that Christ visited this part of Asia and ascended this summit, whence he looked down on all the region around. After blessing the country to the northward, he turned towards the south, and looking across the Baikal, he waved his hand, exclaiming 'Beyond this there is nothing.' Thus they account for thesterility ofDaouria, where it is said "no corn will grow."[140]
Lake Baikal has been celebrated inRussian folk songs. Two of these songs are known in Russia and its neighboring countries, such as Japan.
"Glorious Sea, Sacred Baikal" (Славное мope, священный Байкал) is about akatorga fugitive. The lyrics as documented and edited in the 19th century by Dmitriy P. Davydov (1811–1888).[141] See "Barguzin River" for sample lyrics.
"The Wanderer" (Бродяга) is about a convict who had escaped from jail and was attempting to return home fromTransbaikal.[142] The lyrics were collected and edited in the 20th century byIvan Kondratyev.
The latter song was a secondarytheme song for the Soviet Union's second color film,Ballad of Siberia (1947;Сказание о земле Сибирской).
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![Spring ice melt underway on Lake Baikal, on 4 May[b]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aIce_Melting_on_Lake_Baikal_-_NASA_Earth_Observatory.jpg)
![Angara [ru] was launched in 1900 and is one of the oldest surviving icebreakers](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLedokol_Angara.jpg)
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