Baikal is the deepest lake surrounded by high mountains. Many rivers flow into it, and only one flows out. She is called the daughter of Baikal. She is beautiful and full of water and, in addition, very fast.
General description of the Baikal rivers
The power pool of the great lake has many water currents. These are rivers flowing from Lake Baikal and flowing into it. There are 544 temporary and permanent tributaries. Rivers were counted on maps in 1964. Prior to this, it was believed that there were 336. Moreover, most of them flow from the eastern shores.
Rivers carry 60 cubic kilometers of water to Baikal. It has low mineralization, since the area around the lake is composed of metamorphic and volcanic rocks. The total catchment area is about 540 thousand square kilometers. The largest inflowing and flowing rivers of Baikal: Angara, Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin. They are located so, starting with the most important.
The main tributaries of Lake Baikal
Most of the waters - almost half of Lake Baikal - are brought by the Selenga River. Its source is in Mongolia.
Upper Angara flows into Lake Baikal from the northeast. It flows from the North Muysky and Delun-Uransky ranges.
Barguzin is another large river that flows into Lake Baikal. In terms of fullness, she loses to the Upper Angara. It carries its waters from the Barguzinsky ridge. The height that this river loses when it reaches the magnificent lake is 1344 meters.
The rivers flowing from the Khamar-Daban ridge are numerous. This mountain range is strongly dissected by valleys. These are such rivers as Snezhnaya, Langutai, Selenginka, Utulik, Khara-Murin. These water streams have many rapids and waterfalls.
All these are tributaries of a huge lake, but are there any rivers flowing from Lake Baikal? The water stream originating from this miracle of nature is one and only. Which river flows from Baikal can be seen on a map of this region. This is the Angara.
Toponymy of Baikal and its rivers
The name Baikal (according to one version) is translated from Turkic as "rich lake". Another option, from Mongolian, is the "big lake". Different translations of names have flowing and flowing rivers. The Angara originates from Baikal, and its name means “open” (from the Buryat word “angagar”). Barguzin (and with it the eponymous ridge, village, bay) is formed from the name of the tribe living in the Baikal region. They are called barguts, and their language is similar to Buryat. Selenga from Evenki means "iron." And from Buryat it can have such a translation: "lake", "spill". The shamanic threshold is the foundation of the Primorsky Range, washed out by the Angara. The formed ledge is a Shaman stone, revered by the local population. He gained the status of a protected natural monument.
Angara and the rivers flowing into it
The Angara has a powerful stream, like other large Siberian rivers. Its waters flowing from Baikal are carried mainly in the northern and western directions. On its way, it overcomes the Central Siberian plateau, then flows through the territory of the Baikal region and completes its run at the confluence with the Yenisei. Its length is 1779 kilometers. The Angara owes its powerful stream to Baikal. Its width is more than a kilometer. The only river flowing from Lake Baikal, in turn, feeds the Yenisei, the largest waterway in Siberia, on the right side. The basin of this river includes 38 thousand small and large tributaries. In addition, there are more than six lakes on this square. The tributaries of the Angara on the left are larger: Irkut, Kitoy, Belaya, Biryusa, Oka, Uda. On the right side, the flowing rivers are not so full-flowing: Ilim, Ushovka, Uda, Kuda, Ida, Osa.
The channel of this river passes through an area characterized by harsh climatic conditions. However, ice is established on it later than on other large water flows of Siberia. This is because there is a very strong current. In addition, Baikal waters, the temperature of which is warmer, enter the Angara. At the source, steam even rises above the river. It forms frost on the trees. Waterfowl come here every year . Black-and-white gogol, sailor, and merganser winter here. Also in winter, up to two thousand ducks gather on the Angara.
Economic use of the river
The cities of Irkutsk, Angarsk, Bratsk, Ust-Ilimsk arose on the banks of the Angara. The only river flowing from Lake Baikal has a very powerful stream. Therefore, hydropower plays a large role in the economy of this region. Three hydroelectric power stations were built on the Angara : Bratsk, Irkutsk, Ust-Ilim. With the corresponding names, reservoirs are built here. Together, they form the Angara cascade. The fourth hydroelectric power station - Boguchanskaya - is under construction.
Before the creation of these power plants and reservoirs, the river was not navigable, since its flow is very rapid, and many rapids created a danger for passing. This was a very serious problem in the economic development of this area. Now river transport has become more affordable, but only in four sections of the river. As a result of human activities, the water in the Angara has become calmer.
The legend of the hangar
There is a legend that tells which river flows from Baikal and why. It says that the hero Baikal lived in these parts. He had 336 sons and only one daughter - Angara. The hero forced his children to work day and night. They drowned snow and ice, and drove the waters into a deep hollow, surrounded by mountains. But the results of their hard work were spent by her daughter on different outfits and other whims. Once Angara found out that somewhere beyond the mountains lives the Yenisei, a handsome man. She fell in love with him.
But the stern father wanted her to marry old Irkut. To prevent her from escaping, he hid her in a palace at the bottom of the lake. Angara grieved for a long time, but the gods took pity on her and freed her from prison. Baikal’s daughter broke free and ran quickly and quickly. And old Baikal could not catch up with her. Out of anger and frustration, he threw a stone at her side. But he missed, and the block fell into the place where the Shaman stone is now located. He continued to throw stones at his runaway daughter, but each time Angara managed to dodge. When she ran to her fiancé Yenisei, they hugged and together went north to the sea.
Angara is one of the largest Siberian rivers, and yet it is unique. This is the only river flowing from Lake Baikal. It provides electricity to the entire Irkutsk region and neighboring territories.