Environmental monitoring of Lake Baikal

The lake Baikal

Environmental assessment the lake Baikal is performed according to the data of FSBI Irkutsk weather control and environmental monitoring service.

Near BCPP 251 samples for 15 components had been collected.

In 2012 seven surveys at five verticals at 100 meters control station were carried out with water sampling within 10 meters of depth. Within one year 147 water samples were collected and 1 561 measurements for common and specified parameters of water quality in the lake were carried out at the control station.

In the waters of the lake 250 km2 in area hydro chemical surveys were carried out within 600 meters at the waste water dispersion area – at the polygon 35 km2 in area. Water samples were collected in March from depths 0.5 m, 25–50 m, 75–100 m, 200 m and bottom - 1 m from the bottom. Data of hydro chemical surveys within the water area near BCPP were weighted against results of surveys at near background verticals of South Baikal (Table. 1.1).


Hydro chemical characteristic of water in the lake Baikal near BCPP and at regional verticals, C (mg/l)
Table 1.1
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Hydro chemical characteristic of water in the lake Baikal near BCPP and at regional verticals, C (mg/l)


In the South Baikal ports location areas in 2012 laboratories of Irkutsk and Baikal Center of hydrometeorology and monitoring of environment hydro chemical surveys were carried out in – Goloustnoye Village, Kultuk Village, Baikal Village and Vydrino Village. 13 water samples were collected from surface depth of the lake and 253 measurements for 22 parameters of water quality in the lake were carried out near ports. In 2012 decrease in moderate concentrations was observed as compared to the data of 2011: - total phosphorus from 0.016 to 0.012 mg/l (maximum 0,024 mg/l, Kultuk Village); - organic phosphorus from 0.015 to 0.013 mg/l (maximum 0.020 mg/l, Kultuk Village); - nitrate nitrogen from 0.09 to 0.05 mg/l (maximum 0.20 mg/l, Kultuk Village). Nitrite nitrogen was found near B. Goloustnoye Village – 0.002 mg/l (February) and Vydrino Village– 0.004 mg/l (June).

Near Angara River head in 2012 water samples were collected from the surface depth in August. Three samples were collected and 57 measurements for 19 components of chemical composition of water were carried out. In total, lake water near Angara River head chemically corresponded to the background section water of the South Baikal. Sulphate ions concentration (moderate 6.0 mg/l) was higher than background content in the water of the South Baikal (moderate 4.8 mg/l) for the same period of the survey.