Environmental monitoring of Lake Baikal

Ingress of chemicals into Lake Baikal
Ingress of substances together with water flow of major tributaries of Lake Baikal in 2016
suspended solids, thousand tonnes
organic substances , thousand tonnes

The diagrams provide an estimate of the removal of substances with aqueous runoff from the main stream tributaries of Lake Baikal – the rivers Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin and Turka. The aqueous runoff in the main-stream sections of the listed large tributaries of the lake was estimated on the basis of the adjusted average monthly water consumption. In 2016 compared to 2015, the removal of suspended substances increased by 1,3 times, and the removal of organic substances grew by 32%. The main reason for the increase in removal is the increase in the aqueous runoff.

Ingress of substances from the atmosphere to Lake Baikal in 2016 tonnes/km2 per year

Observations were carried out at five stations (stationary): Baykalsk, Khamar-Daban (southern coast of the lake), Angara Source, Bolshoye Goloustnoye (west coast of the southern part of Lake Baikal) and Khuzhir (Olkhon island, middle Baikal).

According to the monitoring data for 2016, the volume of atmosphere substance inputs was within the fluctuations of the last decade.

Source:
1. Surface Water Quality in the Russian Federation in 2016. A Yearbook. Materials of FGBU (Federal State Budgetary Institution) “Hydrochemical Institute” of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet).