The Water: Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal

Perhaps, when you think about water pollution in Russia today, a first thing that comes up to your mind is the case of world-famous lake Baikal. 

Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world, with a maximum depth of 1,642 meters. It is covering 31,500 square kilometres which makes it larger in size than Belgium state. It is fed by 336 rivers and was formed around 25 million years ago, long time before human history has even begun. 

The unique chemistry that occurs here (due to it’s relatively low oxygen content, and it’s unique tectonic origin) have not only produced crystal clear waters but also created an isolated aquatic environment. As a result, more than two-thirds of the 2,400 different plants and animals living in the lake are found nowhere else in the world.

Some of these species have been hunted by humans which put them under the threat of extinction. For example, the nerpa (Pusa siberica) is a unique freshwater seal, which is able to swim for over 70 minutes and dive up to 300 metres below water surface. Sadly enough, it is highly valued for it’s meat and skins. 

Nerpas are also affected by the intensive industrial pollution of the lake. In 1980s, thousands of these animals have been reported to die from a morbillivirus, an outcome of immune system worsening due to the heavy metals exposure.

Nerpa baby

Nerpa baby - 2

Scientific Value

The Lake Baikal is a highly precious site for the scientists. The Baikal rift zone has never been glaciated which led to accumulation of over 7500 m of sediment, which can be used to reconstruct the past environmental change in the lake from as far as 5 million years ago. 

Threat Of Pollution

Baikal is threatened by three types of pollution: 

1) Because of the problems with the sewage system in Ulan-Ude, the city dumps almost 500 tons of nitrates into the water—70 percent of all nitrates entering the basin. Baikal Pulp and Paper emitted 32 million cubic meters of wastewater directly into Baikal in 1987. To make the case worse, there are hundreds of small enterprisers around the lake that have to wastewater management capacity at all. As a result, Baikal has been accumulating large quantities of phenols, petroleum-based substances, detergents, suspended particulates, and other substances.

2) Due to intensive timber exploration, there has been an increased rate of erosion and runoff from surrounding lands. In the post-World War II era, the Soviet government facilitated the rapid exploitation of the region’s agricultural and forest resources with the expansion of traffic along the Trans-Siberian Railway to the south of Lake Baikal, and construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline Railroad to the north. As a result, the soil has tended to become compacted and prone to erosion because of overgrazing and the cultivation of pastureland.

3) Industrial plants situated along the Angara River churn out aluminium, wood and paper products, and chemicals. Cities such as Irkutsk, Angarsk, Shelekhov, and Bratsk suffer high concentrations of formaldehyde, benzopyrene, nitrogen oxides. These pollutants are then blown over the lake and its watershed by the prevailing winds, further contributing towards Lake Baikal pollution. 

Important Lesson For The Whole World

  It is clear that Lake Baikal is an environmental experiment which determines the extent of the spread of manmade pollutants. Although, taking into account the levels of pollution, Lake Baikal remains in fairly pristine condition. This is largely the result of its tremendous size.  Its size, however, is what led to the pollution in the first place.  For years, many Soviet officials believed that factories would not harm the lake; its size would dissolve the chemicals harmlessly.

Today, however, the issue around Lake Baikal pollution continues to exists. In 2010, former Prime Minister and current President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin came first as "Baikal's worst enemy" in the contest organised by the Greenpeace. Putin's victory can be explained by his role in the re-opening of the Baikalsk Paper and Pulp mill, which emits 100,000 cubic metres of waste into the lake every year. Instead, what environmentalists suggested is that Lake Baikal should be turned into a tourists attractions with campsites and health resorts in the surrounding area. 

Baikal has become a symbol of environmental dangers and international participation and funding are crucial to salvaging the Siberian Pearl. The experience we have from the lake Baikal case encourages the world to combat water pollution elsewhere.