The largest and most beautiful lakes in Russia. City of lakes: a hike around the city Ozyory of the Moscow region What a lake is large and beautiful
Over two million lakes are located throughout our country. Some of them are small, others are striking in their majesty and length of several hundred kilometers. Many lakes in Russia sheltered cities on their territory, and they will be discussed in our article.
Lake Baikal
Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet, it is rightfully called the greatest reservoir of fresh water in Russia. Baikal is located in two regions - the Irkutsk region and Buryatia.
This reservoir has an area of 31 thousand km², a coastline of over 2000 km² and a maximum depth of 1642 meters.
(Listvyanka village)
There are many settlements on the coastal part of the lake, ranging from large cities to small villages like Kultuk or Listvyanka. Large cities located on the territory of Lake Baikal include Irkutsk (population over 600 thousand people) and Ulan-Ude (population about 430 thousand), less populated - Severobaikalsk, Baikalsk, Slyudyanka and Babushkin.
Ladoga lake
Ladoga lake is located in the Republic of Karelia (eastern and Northern part) and in Leningrad region(western and southern part). This lake is considered the largest freshwater reservoir in all of Europe. The total area of Ladoga is 17 thousand km², and coastline occupies 1570 kilometers.
More than 30 rivers flow into this lake, and only the Neva in St. Petersburg flows out. On the coastline of Ladoga there are the following cities: Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Olonets, Lakhdenpokhya, Shlisselburg, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta. The largest of them are Sortavala with a population of 18,000 people, Priozersk with a population of 18,000, and Shlisselburg, where 14,000 people live. The most sparsely populated city, located on the shores of Lake Ladoga, was Lahdenpokhya in the Republic of Karelia, there are not even 8,000 thousand people there.
Lake Onega
Lake Onega is located in the northwestern part of Russia and is considered the second largest after Ladoga. It has an area of 9720 km², and the length of the coastline is 1542 kilometers. Most of the lake (almost 80%) is located in Karelia, the remaining piece went to the Volgograd and Leningrad regions.
The following cities are located on the coastal zone: Petrozavodsk, Medvezhyegorsk, Kondopoga and Pudozh. The title of the largest of them can be proud of Petrozavodsk, which is the capital of the Republic of Karelia. It is home to more than 278 thousand people. The smallest cities Lake Onega are considered Medvezhyegorsk with a population of 14 thousand people and Pudozh, where only 11 thousand live.
White lake
Own unusual name the lake received thanks to the water, which in the sunset rays seems white and luminous.
White Lake is located in Vologda region and belongs to the Caspian Sea basin. The area of this reservoir is 1290 km², the greatest depth is 20 meters. About 17 rivers flow into Beloe, and only one flows out - Sheksna.
Belozersk with a population of 9,000 became a large city located on the coastline. Belozersk is ancient city Russia, mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years" in 862, there it was designated as Beloozero.
Vygozero
Vygozero is a reservoir located in the Segezha region of the Republic of Karelia. Vygozero has an area of 1143 km², a length of more than 650 kilometers and a maximum depth of 18 meters. Three rivers flow into it - the Upper Vyg, Segezha and Vozhma, and only the Lower Vyg flows out.
On the northwestern shore of the lake there is not Big city ok Segezha, with a population of 27 thousand people. In the 60s this city was cultural and industrial center district, and the existing enterprise for the processing of paper products was considered the leading one in the USSR.
All of us at the word "lake" imagine a kind of quiet body of water, surrounded by a visible line of the coast. There will be no such lakes in this article. Have you ever heard of lakes where storm surges occur and are larger than some seas? I present to your attention a selection of "the largest lakes in the world", which includes the 10 largest lakes. The article is divided into three pages to accommodate more interesting information and photographs. Read, rate, leave comments and feedback in the discussions.
10th place
So, at the end of the list of the largest lakes in the world, we have a lake called Nyasa. It is located simultaneously in Africa, in Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi.
It is located in a discharge depression at an altitude of 472 m. The area is 30.8 thousand sq. km. Depth up to 706 m (in the northern part of the reservoir, where its bottom lies significantly below sea level). The shores are steep and rocky, high, especially in the north and northeast.
The southern part of the basin lies in a wide depression, the banks are framed by a narrow strip of the coastal plain. The average annual inflow of water into the lake (river runoff plus precipitation) is about 72 km2, evaporation is about 66 km3.
The lake is rich in fish (about 230 species), in particular species of tilapis, crocodiles, hippos, and many waterfowl. With the light hand of some scientists, it is called the birthplace of aquarium fish. Also, Lake Nyasa is characterized by severe storms and surfs near steep banks, which impede navigation (passengers are transported only during the day).
Small, isn't it?) There are 9 more such “crumbs” ahead, and they will be by no means smaller ...
9th place
9th place - Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake- the largest lake in Canada, the fourth largest in North America. The lake is located on the Arctic Circle, between 65 and 67 degrees north latitude and 118 and 123 degrees west longitude, at a level of 186 m above sea level.
The lake has an outflow through the Great Bear River into the Mackenzie River. The only settlements on the lake are Deline on the southwest end and Echo Cove on the northeast side.
On this lake you can see such beauty)
8th place
In eighth place in the list of the largest lakes in the world - Baikal- concurrently also the deepest lake on the planet.
Baikal - lake tectonic origin in the southern part Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.
More than half of the year the lake is ice-bound, the freezing period is January 15 - May 1, navigation is carried out from June to September. Since 1956, the lake has been an integral part of the Irkutsk (Baikal) reservoir of long-term regulation, formed by the dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station.
Baikal is located in the center of Asia, in Russia, on the border Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches from north to southwest for 636 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Baikal ranges from 25 to 80 km.
Olkhon Island
The water surface area is 31,722 sq. km, which is approximately equal to the area of countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark. The length of the coastline is 2,100 km.
The lake is located in a kind of basin, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, the relief of the eastern coast is more gentle (in some places the mountains recede from the coast for tens of kilometers).
7th place
Lake Tanganyika - large lake V Central Africa. This is one of the largest lakes in the world and is equally ancient in origin. In terms of volume and depth, Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. The shores of the lake belong to four countries - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.
The lake is about 650 km long and 40-80 km wide. The area is 34 thousand sq. km. Lies at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level in the tectonic basin of the East African Rift Zone. Coastal landscapes, as a rule, are huge rocks and only on the eastern side of the coast are gentle. On the west coast, the steep side walls of the East African Rift Zone, which form the coastline, reach 2,000 m in height. The coastline is dotted with bays and bays. The largest of them is Burton Bay. The lake is fed by several tributaries. The only outflowing river - Lukuga (Lukuga) begins in the middle part of the west coast and flows west, connecting with the Zaire River, which flows into the Atlantic.
The lake is home to hippos, crocodiles, and a lot of waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.
The antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation resulted in the development of a large number of endemic organisms, including those from the family Cichlidae (cichlids). Of the more than 200 species of fish living in the lake, about 170 are endemic.
Tanganyika is inhabited to about a depth of 200 m, below this mark there is a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide and life is absent to the very bottom. This layer of the lake is a huge "burial ground" consisting of organic silt and sedimentary mineral compounds.
The water temperature of Tanganyika strictly differs in layers. So, in the upper layer, the temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees, with a decrease at great depths. Due to the different density of water and the absence of a bottom current, the layers do not mix, and the temperature at the lower horizons reaches only 6-8 degrees.
The depth of the temperature jump layer is about 100 m. The Tanganika water is very transparent (up to 30 m). Many salts are dissolved in it in small concentrations, so that in its composition it resembles a highly diluted marine one. Water hardness (mainly due to magnesium salts) ranges from 8 to 15 degrees. Water has an alkaline reaction, pH 8.0 - 9.5.
The lake was discovered in 1858 by English travelers R. Burton and J. Speke.
6th place
The sixth largest lake in the world is Aral Sea
Collector-drainage waters coming from the fields into the Syrdarya and Amudarya channels have caused deposits of pesticides and various other agricultural pesticides, appearing in places on 54 thousand square kilometers of the former seabed covered with salt. Dust storms carry salt, dust and pesticides to a distance of up to 500 km. Sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate are airborne and destroy or slow down the development of natural vegetation and crops. The local population suffers from a high prevalence of respiratory diseases, anemia, cancer of the larynx and esophagus, as well as digestive disorders. Diseases of the liver and kidneys, eye diseases have become more frequent.
In 2001, as a result of a drop in the water level, Vozrozhdeniye Island was connected to the mainland. On this island, the Soviet Union tested bacteriological weapons: the causative agents of anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, typhoid, smallpox, as well as botulinum toxin were tested here on horses, monkeys, sheep, donkeys and other laboratory animals. This is the reason for the fear that deadly microorganisms have retained their viability, and infected rodents may become their distributors in other regions.
According to the calculations of scientists, it is no longer possible to save the Aral Sea. Even if we completely refuse to take water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the previous water level in it will be restored no earlier than in 200 years.
The Aral Sea once occupied 68 thousand square kilometers and was the fourth largest in the world. Now its area is about 10% of that recorded in the 60s of the last century. Pictures from 1989 and 2003:
This is a photo from 2008
From the 1950s to the present, projects have been repeatedly proposed for the construction of a canal for transferring water from the Ob basin to the Aral Sea basin, which would significantly develop the economy of the Aral Sea region (in particular, Agriculture) and partially revive the Aral Sea. Such construction will require very large material costs (on the part of several states - Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), so there is no talk of practical implementation of these projects yet.
Some scientists predict the complete disappearance of the Aral Sea by 2020...
5th place
In the middle of the list of the largest lakes in the world is lake michigan- one of the North American Great Lakes.
The only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States. Located south of Lake Superior, connected to Lake Huron by the Mackinac Strait, to the Mississippi River system - the Chicago-Lockport Canal.
From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system, but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.
Square Michigan- about 57,750 km2 (the third largest among the Great Lakes), about 500 km long, about 190 km wide. The surface height above sea level is 177 m (as in Huron), the depth is up to 281 m. It is covered with ice for about four months a year. Islands - Beaver, North Manitou, South Manitou.
The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake. Big cities on Lake Michigan include Chicago, Evanston and Highland Park (Illinois), Milwaukee and Green Bay (Wisconsin), Gary and Hammond (Indiana).
The name of the lake comes from the word mishigami, which means "big water" in the Ojibwa language. The first European to discover the lake was the Frenchman Jean Nicolet in 1634.
4th place
Lake Huron is the fourth largest lake in the world. It is a lake in the USA and Canada, one of the North American Great Lakes. Located east of Lake Michigan, connected to it by the Strait of Mackinac. From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system (they are connected by the Mackinac Strait), but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.
The Huron area is about 59.6 thousand km2 (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The surface height above sea level is about 176 m (as in Michigan), the depth is up to 229 m.
The states of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have access to the lake. The main ports on Huron are Saginaw, Bay City, Alpina (USA) and Sarnia (Canada).
The name of the lake, introduced by the French, comes from the name of the Huron Indian tribe.
Manitoulin is located on Huron - the most big Island peace, located in a fresh lake.
3rd place
Closes the top three largest lakes Victoria- lake in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located in the tectonic trough of the East African platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. This is the 2nd largest fresh lake world after Upper Lake and most big lake in Africa
Discovered the lake and named it after Queen Victoria British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.
Square Lake Victoria 68 thousand square kilometers, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. It is part of the Victoria Reservoir. Lots of islands. The high-water Kagera River flows in, the Victoria Nile River flows out. The lake is navigable locals are engaged in fishing.
The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator. The lake with a maximum depth of 80 m belongs to fairly deep lakes.
Unlike its deep-water neighbors, Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within the gorge system of Africa, Lake Victoria fills a shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great Gorge valley. The lake receives a huge amount of water from the rains, more than from all its tributaries.
30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. on the south and western shores The lake is inhabited by the Haya people, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans. Main ports: Entebbe (Uganda), Mwanza, Bukoba (Tanzania), Kisumu (Kenya), near the northern coast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
2nd place
On the second place confidently entrenched lake superior- the largest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes and, concurrently, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
In the north, Lake Superior is bounded by the territory of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west by the US state of Minnesota, in the south by the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.
The basins of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron were worked out in the crystalline rocks of the southern part of the Canadian Shield, the basins of the other lakes - in the thickness of limestones, dolomites and sandstones of the Paleozoic of the North American Platform. The basin of the Upper Lake was formed as a result of tectonic movements, pre-glacial river and glacial erosion.
The origin of the water mass of the Upper Lake is associated with the melting of the ice sheet, during the retreat of which a number of large lakes were formed in this area, which repeatedly changed their outlines.
In the northern part of the Great Lakes, the coastline is dissected, the islands and shores (up to 400 m high) are rocky, steep, very picturesque, especially the shores of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron.
Fluctuations in the level of the Upper Lake are artificially regulated for the purposes of navigation, energy, etc. The amplitude of seasonal fluctuations is 30-60 cm, the highest level is observed in summer, the lowest in winter. Short-term level fluctuations caused by strong surge winds and seiches reach 3-4 m, the height of the tides is 3-4 cm
1 place
The Caspian Sea tops the ranking" Most big lakes peace"Despite the fact that it is called the sea, in fact it is the largest drainless lake on the planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and it is called the sea only because of its size. The Caspian Sea is a drainless lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to from 11-13 ‰ in the southeast.
The Caspian Sea is similar in shape to the Latin letter S, its length from north to south is about 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, an average of 310-320 kilometers.
The Caspian Sea is conditionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the North and Middle Caspian runs along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky cape, between the Middle and South Caspian - along the line Zhiloy (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is respectively 25, 36, 39 percent of the total area of the Caspian Sea.
The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at about 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the shores are low and swampy, and the water surface is covered with thickets in many places.
The east coast is dominated by limestone shores adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding coasts are on the west coast in the area of the Apsheron Peninsula and on the east coast in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.
The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian Sea.
Area and volume of water Caspian Sea varies greatly with water level fluctuations. With a water level of 26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 km square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 meters. At the same time, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.
In continuation, read also about the most beautiful lakes in Scotland, which is dedicated to a separate photo tape.
Lakes is a city in the Moscow Region with a population of about 30,000 people. The settlement is located at a distance of 125 kilometers from Moscow and stretches along the banks of the Oka River for six kilometers.
The lakes are surrounded by forests. Near the city there are numerous reservoirs that contribute to the creation of beautiful landscapes. As a result, many tourists get a good opportunity to enjoy the trip and make sure they get vivid impressions from active tourist pastime.
The history of the estate has been developing since the beginning of the 16th century. The name comes from the river of the same name, where the estate is located. The estate originally belonged to the family Gagarins owing to which it was possible to equip the complex well. Numerous outbuildings, a park complex was planted, ponds for fishing were broken. The estate subsequently had to endure serious trials. In addition, a large residential building was destroyed by fire in 1920, so it has not survived to this day.
Today, tourists can admire the Church of the Ascension, which is a worthy monument of the Peter the Great era. The temple is successfully operating after the restoration activities.
Trinity Church has existed since 1851. To carry out construction activities, the funds of local textile manufacturers were used. Initially, the church was called Vvedenskaya, but later it was renamed Trinity.
In 1875, the church was expanded, thanks to which it became a 3-altar church. At this time, side aisles, a refectory were attached to it.
The church was closed in the 1930s. Only 17 years later the church resumed its work, and it was consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. Then it was possible to build a western vestibule, make an iconostasis, lay out tiled floors, and renew religious painting.
Since 1993, a Sunday school has been operating at the church. In addition, charity hot lunches are held every day. The Orthodox Club for Children with Disabilities has been operating since 2002. Such activity testifies to the successful period of the Trinity Church.
Location: Lenin street - 18.
Palace of Culture "Ozery"
The City Palace of Culture is one of the most important institutions in cultural life Ozer. Today, creative clubs are successfully operating here, in which both children and veterans are involved. Concerts, performances, discos are regularly held in the Palace of Cultures.
Smedovskaya Valley is located next to the Lakes and is one of the most beautiful places in outskirts of Moscow. Here you can see rivers, flowers and enjoy a good ecological environment. Recently, many tourism organizations conduct hikes for 2 - 3 days with accommodation in tents and gatherings around the fire, thanks to which the beautiful landscapes of the Lakes become accessible to many people.
The monument serves as a reminder to the inhabitants of the city of Lakes, who died in the Second world war. Memorial rallies and other events are regularly held here in memory of the brave people who defended their city and all of Russia.
The most tragic bombing took place on November 24, 1941. On that day, bombs fell on the territory of a textile factory, where there were many dead and wounded people. Number dead people was 4 - 6 people, wounded - 80 - 150.
Location: Lenin street.
Anti-tank gun ZIS-2 - a monument dedicated to the period of the Great Patriotic War. The gun appeared in 1940, after which it was actively used in battles and was the basis of Soviet tanks.
Location: Lenin street.
Gorskaya-2 is a cave located in the Myakkovsky limestones. The cave includes two manholes, differing in height by 0.5 meters. The lower manhole has a height of 0.7 meters, the upper - 0.45. The beauty of the cave will be appreciated only by brave people.
The Senkovsky spring is located near the city of Ozyory. The holy spring has a bath and a font. Many people dream of swimming in spring water or replenishing their supplies with unique water, characterized by crystal clearness and impeccable taste.
Some people decide to throw coins into the local spring. However, this defiles and pollutes the source. Coins can oxidize, changing the initial properties of the water. For this reason, care must be taken to never throw coins into the spring.
Location: Senkovo village.
Nagornaya Dubrava is one of the most interesting places Ozersky district. Here you can find interesting plants that are not typical for the local region:
- Southern oak.
- Buckthorn.
- Turn.
- Broom.
- Euonymus.
- Perlovnik.
- Kozelets.
- Anemone.
The legends about Nagornaya Oakbrava surprise not only the inhabitants of the Ozersky district, but also tourists.
Location: 7 km from the city, between the villages of B. Kolodezi, Gory and the village of Kamenka-1st.
The house, which belonged to the manufacturer M. F. Shcherbakov, was built in the second half of 19th century. To our days, the facade, forged stairs, balconies have been partially preserved. As a result, one can imagine how architecture has changed over a century and a half.
Location: Soviet lane - 3.
Unitsky's string transport is an original object transport system. The main idea was to use suspended string rails that would be stretched. At the same time, it was believed that such transport is capable of being public. Such string transport can be perceived as a lightweight version of the railway.
The string road consists of string-rails located on a special support. On such a road it is allowed to transport passengers and cargo without weight restrictions.
String transport was invented by Anatoly Yunitskiy, who started experimental activities in 1977. In the 21st century, this transport is able to please with safety, low cost and durability.
In 2000, in the city of Ozyory, it was possible to build a prototype site, which is currently only in a disassembled state.
The local history museum in the city of Ozyory exists since 1963. IN museum center there is a permanent exhibition that tells about the creation and development of the city, its population, the main enterprises and honorary citizens, the features of life of different eras. Moreover, visitors can get to know the local plant and animal world, see samples of minerals.
Today, the Museum of Local Lore is active in the cultural and educational sphere.
Location: Lenin street - 20.
The construction of the first pontoon crossing across the Oka dates back to 1892. The opening of the modern bridge took place at the end of 2009. Now the bridge is raised during high water and during the summer months, when barges regularly pass along the river. Previously, the divorce was carried out with the help of boats, and now with the use of electric winches to speed up the process. The length is about two hundred meters, the width is about seven. At the entrance to the pontoon bridge, the bus drops off all passengers, after the bridge - picks up again.
Rostislavl existed in the XII-XVII centuries. The fort has been preserved to this day. medieval city, where you can see the cemetery, the foundations of various buildings, ramparts. Archaeological excavations continue.
Mikhail Efimovich Katukov- Marshal of armored forces, who earned the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Katukov was born in 1900 in the Ozersk region. The monument to Katukov in 1948 was installed in a small locality Ozersky district, and in 1950 - in the center of the city of Ozery.
Location: Lenin street - central alley.
Lakes is one of the most interesting cities in Russia, despite its small size. It is here that you can appreciate the different facets of Russian history.
How many lakes are in Russia? Even today it is impossible to give an exact answer to this question. Many, many - more than 2 million. Among them there are well-known, great lakes - "the blue eyes of the planet."
The deepest, and perhaps the most famous lake on the planet - Baikal. He could fit a hundred Seas of Azov, but the water of Baikal is fresh, and this is the special value of this huge natural reservoir. The maximum depth of the lake is 1637 meters, and under the water column there are huge bottom sediments, or the so-called mountain ranges, whose height is about 7000 meters. On fine days, the water is so clear that you can see the bottom at a depth of 40 meters. The water of Lake Baikal is living water, since, thanks to phytoplankton, the maximum amount of oxygen is dissolved in it. Another property of it is low temperature, which even in summer time no higher than +10 degrees. There is a legend that at the bottom of Lake Baikal there is a huge channel that connects the lake with Arctic Ocean. Baikal is about 30 million years old, and there are no signs of aging. On the contrary, during the year the waters of the lake “win back” about 2 centimeters from the land.
Caspian Sea
The largest drainless lake on the planet is the Caspian Sea, however, it did not get its name because of its impressive size (371,000 km?). The reason is that the bottom of the lake is an oceanic type of crust, and the salinity of its waters is high. The Volga, which flows into the Caspian, dilutes its waters - 0.05% salt, but near the southeastern shores, the salt content is 13%. The waters of the Caspian Sea wash the shores of five states at once: Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran. In the latter, these expanses of water are called differently - the Khazar or Mazenderan Sea. One of the mysteries of the Caspian Sea is the periodic fluctuation of the water level. Over the past three thousand years, the water level has changed by 15 meters, and these processes continue today. For example, from 1978 to 1995, the water level increased, from 1996 to 2001 it decreased, and then began to rise again. One of the reasons for the lake "disturbance" is possibly human activity. The Caspian is known for its oil reserves, however, while gaining some wealth, we risk losing others. It is in these waters that most of the sturgeon stocks in the world are found. More than 90% of the world's sturgeon is caught in the Caspian Sea, and today the protection of the Caspian Lake is one of the main environmental tasks for Russia.
Ladoga lake
The largest freshwater reservoir in Europe is Lake Ladoga, which is located on the territory of Karelia and the Leningrad Region. 35 rivers flow into the lake, the area of which is a little more than 18,000 km 2, and only the Neva flows out, on which St. Petersburg stands. It was on Ladoga, thanks to the efforts of Peter I, that the Russian fleet was born. In addition, during the Second World War, the “Road of Life” passed through the ice of Lake Ladoga. Thanks to it, food was delivered to besieged Leningrad, and about a million people were evacuated through it. In the northern part of the lake there are 500 of the 660 islands belonging to Ladoga. The Valaam archipelago, on which the ancient Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located, is especially famous. The harsh Lake Ladoga is often compared to the sea: winds often blow here, and if you swim in the middle of Ladoga, you will not be able to see the opposite shore.
Lake Ilmen is one of the symbols of the history of Russia, since the Slavs appeared in this region in the 8th-9th centuries, at the time of the birth of the state of Rus. Ilmen was sung in many legends, epics, poems and legends.
How Sadko went to Ilmen Lake,
Sat down on a white combustible stone
And he began to play guselki yarovchata.
One of the most large lakes in the European part of Russia is located on the territory of the Pskov, Tver and Novgorod regions. Lake Ilmen was recognized natural monument Russia. Unfortunately, the life cycle of the lake is coming to an end, and Ilmen is referred to as “dying lakes”. Its waters are gradually becoming swampy, the amount of silt is increasing, and the lake itself is slowly, but still shallowing.
Pskov-Peipsi Lake
“On the ice of Lake Peipus in 1242, the Battle of the Ice took place” - we know about these events from the school curriculum, and it is thanks to them that Lake Peipsi, as it is called today, has become famous. But not everyone knows that in fact the battle took place on the shore, and not on the ice, and Nevsky’s army drove the already retreating knights along the frozen lake. This fact was established in 1959 by an expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The same group also determined the exact location of the events - Lake Teploe, which, like Pskovskoye, as well as Lake Peipus, is part of the Pskov-Peipsi Lake. About 30 rivers flow into this lake complex, and only the Narva River flows out. Best time for a trip to the lake - the first or second Sunday of April, when reenactors gather on Peipsi to recreate the events of the Battle on the Ice.
A new big city in my journey and new impressions and surprises. Salt Lake City impressed me with its not-quite-American architecture, and perhaps even overtook Chicago in my rating of ideal cities to live. Everything here is done with even greater concern for people. I happened to visit the city library, which anyone would envy, look at a real comic book store (a very American phenomenon), accidentally see the training of city services (the city is preparing for a possible earthquake) and look into the camp of protesting defenders of some local Khimki forest. And of course, I swept along the shores of the famous Great salt lake. I tried it - and it's really salty, the Americans did not deceive :)
1. I will write in chronological order. It started raining in the morning, the first serious bad weather in two weeks of travel. What to do if it's wet outside? Look for interesting things inside buildings. So I ended up in the city library of Salt Lake City, which is not a library at all, but a modern media center, and at the same time a free office space for city downshifters. IN travel notes a story about the library wouldn't fit, so we'll come back to that later, okay? 
2. There are many wonderful sculptures and a beautiful square around the library. 
3. In the same square, I found a camp for 10-15 tents. It looked like a homeless home, scattered pieces of paper, cigarette butts, leftover food... 
4. Hand-painted posters made me understand that not homeless people live here, but some protesters like "Occupy Wall Street" or "Khimki Forest". Unfortunately, the inhabitants showed no signs of life, and snoring came from a couple of tents. I decided not to disturb the rebels, and went on. 
5. In the meantime, the weather began to improve. This beautiful castle in the English style - the courthouse. 
6. Near the court there were a lot of police, ambulances, and for some reason fire trucks. Although nothing was on fire. 
7. At first I thought that a movie was being made. And to understand what was happening, I turned to two police officers. It turned out that the exercises of city services are taking place here, where the skills of actions in case of an earthquake are not practiced. 
8. There has never been an earthquake in this city, but scientists have calculated that it is possible. 
9. Therefore, the police, firefighters and doctors will spend several days learning how to act in case of natural disaster and how to avoid casualties and destruction. 
10. The architecture in the city itself is not exactly American, as I already wrote. There are skyscrapers-towers, but look at what houses they are adjacent to. 
11. The culture of the Mormons, a religious denomination (some consider it a sect), Christian polygamists, had a strong influence on the construction of the city. 
12. Unfortunately, I was not able to get inside the Mormon movement and find out all their secrets (they are very closed to communicating with strangers on the topic of religion, but very kind and welcoming in themselves), so there will be no sensations. Yes, and polygamy itself is prohibited in the United States, so now it is almost impossible to find a Mormon "sultan". But they have a very beautiful complex of buildings and churches in the city center, that's the main thing, which is called the Castle. Can't go inside :( 
13. Although Mormons are still the majority here, other churches can be found in the city. 
14. The city is actually very comfortable for life, here they not only build useful things, but also make them beautiful. 
15. But what is in this photo, who can guess? Who knows for sure - shut up :) 
16. After dinner I went to the post office to send a message to Moscow. Suddenly I heard the sound of broken glass and a baby crying. What exactly happened is not clear, but the glass broke and part of the wall was damaged. Five seconds later, the postal staff asked not to worry and take the children away from the place of emergency. Thirty seconds later, a cleaner came with a huge bucket and a special device for collecting glass, a minute later the police arrived. As I found out later, nothing criminal happened. 
17. I decided to spend the evening on Antelope Island, which is 60 kilometers from the city center. An amazing combination - yachts and mountains, and the water is almost invisible. 
18. Interesting road sign. Meet the bison - stay on the road. Even asked - please. 
19. Well, how to refuse when you are asked? Therefore, I did not approach the beast close. 
20. Well, some photos of the lake :) 
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23. I met the night on one of the high hills that surround the city. Basically, I have a lot more interesting photos Salt Lake, if you want - I will publish on my return. 
And tomorrow morning (tonight in your opinion) I again go to the wilderness, now the states of Utah and Arizona, my next points are four national parks: Land of the Canyons, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon and, of course, the Grand Canyon.