Lake Ladoga sea or river basin. Ladoga lake. On the brink of extinction

Lake Ladoga (has the second name Ladoga, formerly referred to as Nevo) is considered the largest freshwater reservoir in Russia. Ladoga in its popularity is only slightly inferior to Baikal, known throughout the world. Hundreds of tourists come to its coast every year to enjoy the wonderful views and capture the beauty of these places in memory.

In this article, you will learn the main features of this reservoir - where it is located, what characteristics it has, what surrounds the lake, what flora and fauna it has, what it is like in winter and summer periods.

Lake Ladoga belongs to two territories - the eastern and northern shores are located in the Republic of Karelia, and the southern and western ones please residents Leningrad region. The lake belongs to the pools Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea.

Specifications

lake area

If we take the total area of ​​Ladoga, then we get an impressive figure - 17,870 km², and if we also take into account the islands, then 18,320 km² comes out. The volume of water in the lake is 838 km³. The maximum recorded width is 125 kilometers, and the total coastal length is as much as 1570 kilometers.

The height above sea level is small - only 4.8 meters, but the depth is tens more. It is impossible to accurately measure the depth throughout the lake, it is uneven - in the northern part the spread in numbers is from 70 to 220 meters, in the southern part - from 19 to 70 meters. But it was possible to measure the greatest depth, in Lake Ladoga it is 230 meters.

Water temperature

Like the entire Leningrad region, Lake Ladoga is in a cold and rainy haze all year round. The average water temperature in the warm periods of the year is about +19. In autumn it drops to +10 degrees, and in winter frosts it drops to -3 degrees. In August, if the year turned out to be successful, you can catch a temperature of +24 degrees on the surface of the lake, but closer to the bottom it will be only +17 degrees. At a depth of more than 200 meters, the water temperature is almost always +3, +4.

Nature of Ladoga

The northern and eastern coast (Karelia) belongs to the middle taiga zone, and part of the lake in the Leningrad region belongs to the southern taiga subzone. The northern subzone is characterized by the appearance of mosses and shrubs (mainly blueberries, blueberries), an abundance of spruce forests; dark coniferous forests are characteristic of the southern part, linden and maple are sometimes found, but the moss cover is less developed.

In Ladoga, scientists count more than 110 species of aquatic plants. There are more than 76 subspecies of blue-green algae alone, and there are also green algae and diatoms. Along with the lush underwater world, planktonic animals have also found shelter. The lake is home to cladocerans, copepods, rotifers, daphnia, cyclops, water mites, a wide variety of worms, mollusks and other crustaceans.

The waters of Ladoga are rich not only in ticks but in unicellular organisms, more than 50 species of fish are found here. For example, Ladoga slingshot, trout, whitefish, salmon, bream, smelt, rudd, zander, catfish, cheese, asp, palia, roach, perch, pike, sturgeon, silver bream, burbot and many others. The region of the lake richest in seafood is the shallow southern zone, where the depth is only 20 meters. But in the northern deep-water area, the catch will be less diverse.

In addition to fish, this reservoir can also show tourists more than 200 species of birds. The most attractive place for birds to live is the southern zone, however, many birds can be seen in Karelia. On the territory of Lake Ladoga there are: gulls, river ducks, geese, swans, cranes and shorebirds, eagle owls, grebes, short-eared owls, ospreys, red-footed falcons, herbalists, golden plovers and even white-tailed eagles.

Lake Ladoga has become a habitat for the world's only representative of pinnipeds - the Ladoga ringed seal (a special subspecies of the ringed seal). In total, there are about 4000 of them in the world, therefore these animals are listed in the Red Book and are strictly protected by law.

Cities

The following cities are located on the shores of the lake itself: Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Sortavala, Shlisselburg, Pitkyaranta and Lahdenpokhya. The largest of them are Priozersk and Novaya Ladoga, although the number of people there does not exceed 50 thousand.

Larger cities are located near Lake Ladoga, for example, St. Petersburg. From the northern capital of Russia, you can get to Lake Ladoga in various ways, ranging from public transport (trains, buses, trains, ferries) to traveling by car. At the same time, the travel time will be no more than three hours, and if you use the car and lay the right route on the map, you can manage it in one and a half.

From the northern part, the nearest city to Ladoga is Petrozavodsk. You can also get there by car or public transport. However, the road will have to spend a little more than 4 hours.

Climate and seasons of Lake Ladoga

It is no secret for avid tourists that in the autumn and winter months Ladoga looks extremely inhospitable. Even in Karelia, where there are picturesque cliffs and wild flowers making their way among thick grass, Lake Ladoga is inhospitable.

During cold periods, the Arctic anticyclone acts on the lake, which brings strong gusts of wind, storms, prolonged rains and sub-zero air temperatures. In October, the storm season begins, it becomes damp and wet, and frequent fog appears on the lake. The only outlet for lovers of autumn holidays is September, this month Ladoga is more or less ready to share its beauties - heavy rains do not come often, the water surface is calm and clean, the air retains a piece of summer.

In summer, the reservoir kindly welcomes guests with a southern anticyclone, delighting with picturesque places and clear water. Only seasoned people can swim here, but everyone will be able to enjoy the beauties. The average air temperature in July and August exceeds +20 degrees, so tourists will definitely be able to capture the sun glare playing on the surface of Ladoga.

For all the great lakes, except for the Pskov-Peipsi, Lake Ladoga is the closing one. Therefore, its basin is very large: 258.6 thousand km2. (Ivanova and Kirillova, 1966). In this basin, there are about 50,000 smaller lakes, many swamps and 3,500 rivers (each over 10 km long); the total length of the rivers is about 45,000 km (Nezhikhovskii, 1955). Bogs and complex lacustrine basin systems regulate the flow into Lake Ladoga and its water regime. The rivers, passing through intermediate lakes, leave in them a lot of suspended mineral particles carried by them and reach Ladoga with noticeably clarified water. River floods are flattened on lakes.

The Neva does not get shallow at any time of the year, and there are no floods on it. Fluctuations in the level in the river depend mainly on the negative and surge winds. With offshore winds blowing downstream of the river, the water level can drop by 1 meter; with surge winds from the Gulf of Finland, the level sometimes rises to a dangerous level, and Leningrad is subject to floods. The Neva is original not only for its full flow and its hydrological regime. Unlike normal rivers, it does not have true river terraces, nor does it have a true delta. Typically, river deltas arise as a result of the deposition in the mouth of the river of those sediments that the river carries. But in the Neva, flowing from such a huge sump, which is Lake Ladoga, there is very little sediment. Consequently, the sedimentation of silt at the mouth of the Neva could not lead to the formation of a delta in the usual way.

And the Neva delta, consisting of 101 islands and occupying an area of ​​83 km2, arose differently. The Baltic Sea was once larger than it is now. Reducing in volume and retreating to the west from the mouth of the Neva, it drained the coastal shallows, turning them into islands. The waters of the Neva gushed between the islands, and the river began to flow into the sea not in one, as before, but in several branches. And so it turned out "delta". It was formed about 2000 years ago.

As already noted, the northern part of Lake Ladoga lies on the Baltic crystalline shield, the southern part - on the Russian platform. The southern border of the shield in the areas closest to Ladoga runs approximately along the line Vyborg - Priozersk - the mouth of the river. Vidlitsy - the source of the river. Svir.

The ancient rocks that make up the Baltic Shield come to the surface, being covered in places only by a thin (several meters) layer of loose sediments of the Quaternary. Among the Archean rocks, the main place in the structure of the shield is occupied by various granites, migmatites, gneisses, and crystalline schists. Gneisses, shales, quartzites, sandstones, conglomerates, crystalline and dolomitic limestones, as well as tuffaceous and volcanic rocks form the Proterozoic sedimentary complex.

Igneous rocks of the same age include gabbro, gabbro-diabase and diabase intrusions. On the northwestern and northeastern shores of Lake Ladoga there are numerous outcrops of migmatites, gneisses, crystalline schists, and rappakivi granites; The Valaam archipelago and the group of islands Mantsinsari and Lunkulansari are composed of olivine diabases.

To the south of the Baltic Shield, early Cambrian deposits of the Russian Platform are exposed to the surface in the region of Lake Ladoga, which, unlike the shield, was repeatedly covered by the sea in the Paleozoic. The Cambrian sequence is represented by two complexes: the Valdai, developed everywhere and consisting of variegated sandstones and thin-layered shales, and the Baltic, composed of sandstones, sands and plastic blue clays, so fine-grained and oily that they were sometimes used instead of soap when washing clothes.

There is no Baltic complex on the Karelian Isthmus, it exists only on the southeastern coast of Ladoga. The thickness of the cover of loose Quaternary deposits in the Ladoga part of the Russian platform reaches tens of meters.

The surface of the crystalline basement, exposed on the Baltic Shield and gradually leaving to the south and east under the Paleozoic sediments of the Russian platform (in the Neva delta at a depth of 200 m, in the southern Ladoga region - 300-400 m), is very uneven; it is fragmented by cracks and faults into separate protrusions and depressions. In such tectonic depressions, called grabens, lie the basins of the Ladoga and Onega lakes. The protrusions and depressions of the relief stretch within the Baltic Shield in a completely straight line for many kilometers from northwest to southeast or from north to south.

The rectilinearity of the formations of the relief and the hydrographic network in itself indicates that these forms were created by tectonics, the internal forces of the Earth. And the longer these formations, the more reliable the assumption of their tectonic origin, since exogenous factors, due to their multiplicity and inconstancy, are not able to create rectilinear forms several kilometers long.

The difference in the geological structure of different parts of the Ladoga Lake basin is also reflected in the structure of the lake basin. Thus, the relief of the bottom of the northern part of the basin, as it were, repeats the relief of the adjacent land and consists of deep-water depressions alternating with shallower areas. Depths of over 100m predominate.

In the southern part of the lake, the bottom is more even, the depths gradually decrease from 100 m in the north to 10 m or less in the south (in the Petrokrepost Bay, the average depth varies from 3 to 7 meters). There are many sandy and rocky spits and shoals, as well as accumulations of boulders at the bottom (Davydova, 1968).

In the European part of Russia, in the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad region.

The ancient name of the lake is Lake Nevo (Nestor's chronicle of the 12th century), and in the old Scandinavian sagas and agreements with the Hanseatic cities, the lake is called Aldoga. The modern name of the lake appeared at the beginning of the 13th century, there are several versions of its origin, but none of them has been unambiguously confirmed.

Ladoga is the largest freshwater lake in Europe, the largest lake in Karelia and the Leningrad Region, and the 3rd lake in Russia (after the Caspian Sea and Baikal) in terms of water surface area. The area of ​​Lake Ladoga with islands is 18.3 thousand km 2, the water surface is 17.9 thousand km 2, the volume is 838 km 3, the length is 219 km, the maximum width is 125 km, the length of the coastline is 1570 km, the maximum depth is 230 m in the northern part basins between the Valaam and Western archipelagos of the islands, the height of the water surface above sea level is 5.1 m. Lake Ladoga was formed about 10 thousand years ago, after filling the basin elongated from the northwest to the southeast with water from the melting edge of the ice sheet. Its northern shores are composed of crystalline rocks, high and strongly dissected; peninsulas continue as chains of islands, forming a skerry type of coast. To the south, the coast becomes low and flat, bordered by narrow beaches with boulders, overgrown with near-water vegetation in small bays. The southern part of the coast consists of three large shallow bays: the Svirskaya Bay and the Volkhovskaya Bay, into which the largest tributaries flow, and the Petrokrepost Bay with the source of the Neva. There are more than 660 islands in Lake Ladoga, the largest are Riekkalansari (55 km 2), Mantinsari (39 km 2), Kilpole (32 km 2), Tulolansari (30 km 2) and Valaam (28 km 2). Lake Ladoga is the main reservoir of the European system of great lakes, including lakes Saima (Finland), Onega and Ilmen. The waters of this system flow down the Neva into the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. The catchment area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 282.7 thousand km 2, including the catchment areas of these three lakes and many more small ones, with a small own catchment equal to 48.3 thousand km 2 (17%).

Annually, an average of 83 km 3 of water enters Lake Ladoga, 70% of which is lake water masses flowing along the river. Svir from Lake Onega, along the river. Vuokse from the lake. Saimaa and along the river. Volkhov from the lake. Ilmen. The flow of each of them is regulated by hydropower plants and is about 20 km 3 /year. Another 16% is the inflow of 16 small rivers and 14% is precipitation falling on the reservoir. 9% of the water in the expenditure part of the water balance evaporates, the rest of the water is the runoff of the river. Not you. The water exchange time is about 10 years. The average range of intra-annual changes in the water level in Lake Ladoga is 69 cm (from 21 in the low-water year of 1940 to 126 cm in the high-water year of 1962).

The main tributaries of Lake Ladoga (large and medium rivers)

In spring, after the south coast bays are cleared of ice in late April - the first half of May, coastal shallow waters are intensively heated by already warm air and solar radiation, as well as relatively warm water from the floods of small rivers. The water temperature in the southern region of the water area usually becomes above 4°C by May 15, and on the surface of the deep-water region it is 2.5–3°C. A thermal bar () appears between warm and cold water masses. With further heating of the water, the thermal bar moves to the center slowly along the northern steep slope (0.05–0.1 km/day) and faster over the southern gentle slope at a speed of 1.3–1.5 km/day. It prevents mixing of river water masses with the actual main water mass. Therefore, the Volkhov flood waters and the Svir waters move north along the eastern coast, and the least mineralized Saimaa waters from the mouth of the river. Vuoksa along the western coast to the south and further to the Neva. The thermal bar disappears at the end of June - the first decade of July near the Valaam archipelago, when the surface layer of water 20–40 m thick warms up to 10–15°C. Under the layer of the temperature jump below, the water in summer from a depth of 30–40 m to the bottom heats up only up to 5°С. During autumn cooling, its upper layer cools down, the temperature jump layer sinks until October, and then disappears at a temperature close to 4°C. The time of the disappearance of the thermal bar is variable, because when windy weather sets in in summer, drift currents and waves mix the river water masses and the main lake water mass in the upper layer, renewing its chemical composition and leveling the distribution of plankton over the water area. In summer, this water mass dominates in the flow of the Neva, and during the freeze-up period, the most mineralized Volkhov waters are added to it. With a wind of 18 m/s near the Valaam Islands, the wave height reached 5.8 m, surges on the windward sections of the coast raise water by 0.2–0.5 m. Shallow water freezes in October, and the ice cover edge gradually shifts to the deepest central region until mid-January, when in frosty winters a complete freeze-up occurs, lasting until the end of February. In winters with frequent thaws, the lake partially freezes, and 20–40% of its surface above the greatest depths remains open. In such winters, the heat reserve of the main water mass is minimal, and its spring-summer heating is longer.

The mineralization of the main water mass is small (64 mg/l), the Svir one is even less, the Vuoksa one is half as much, and the Volkhov one is 1.5 times more. Over the last 30 years of the XX century. the salinity of the lake waters increased by 16% due to natural causes and sewage pollution. The composition of the water is hydrocarbonate-sulfate-calcium, the water is transparent, due to which the development of plankton is possible to a depth of 8–12 m. In the Volkhov Bay, the transparency of polluted water is half as much. The oxygen content in the Ladoga water is high, and even supersaturation with oxygen released during the reproduction of microalgae was observed in its surface layer. Self-purification of water masses is facilitated by coastal thickets of higher aquatic vegetation (more than 100 species), mainly reed, occupying about 5% of the area of ​​shallow waters. In total, about 600 species of aquatic plants and 400 species of aquatic animals have been found in Lake Ladoga, many of which feed on phytoplankton, bacteria and other organic particles that pollute the water. The ichthyofauna is very diverse (53 species and varieties), consists of salmon, lake trout, lake whitefish, char, zander, vendace, etc., the total biomass is estimated at 140 kg/ha. Atlantic sturgeon and Volkhov whitefish are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The most fish-producing are shallow waters up to a depth of 10–15 m in the southern region, where fishing is carried out, and the northern skerries are the least fish-producing. Deeper than 40–50 m there are no commercial concentrations of fish.

Lake Ladoga serves as a source of water supply for St. Petersburg, a waterway to the White Sea-Baltic and Volga-Baltic navigable canals. In 1976–1983 the anthropogenic impact on the lake has sharply increased due to the development of industry and agriculture in the territory of its own catchment area of ​​Lake Ladoga and its coast. In order to reduce pollution of lake waters in 1986, north of the mouth of the river. In Vuoksa, a large Priozersky Pulp and Paper Mill was closed, after which there was a tendency to reduce the content of polluting organic substances and phosphorus in the water, which causes water blooms - the reproduction of blue-green algae. Started in 1957, regular studies of the water regime, the chemical composition of water and the ecological state of lake water masses are being carried out.

On the shores of Lake Ladoga are the cities of Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Shlisselburg in the Leningrad Region, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Lahdenpokhya in the Republic of Karelia.

Lake Ladoga is one of the largest fresh water reservoirs in Europe. In our article, we want to talk about where nature and climate are located on its coast. It has some interesting features. Nature here is of particular beauty.

Location of the lake

Where is Lake Ladoga located? It is partly located in Karelia (eastern and northern coast) and in the Leningrad region (southern, southeastern, western). On its banks there are such cities as Novaya Ladoga, Priozersk, Shlisselburg, Sortavala, Lakhdenpokhya, Pitkyaranta.

Lake Ladoga on the map is located simultaneously in the Leningrad region and in Karelia. It is large enough. In addition, it also has islands. The area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 17.9 square kilometers, excluding island areas. It stretches from north to south for two hundred and nineteen kilometers. Its widest point is one hundred and thirty-eight kilometers. Agree, the size is impressive. These parameters can be used to estimate the area of ​​Lake Ladoga.

The depth of the reservoir in the northern region ranges from seventy to two hundred and thirty meters, and in the southern part from twenty to seventy meters. As you can see, the depth of Lake Ladoga is very heterogeneous, and is of the greatest importance in the northern part of the reservoir. And the volume of the mass of water is nine hundred and eight cubic meters.

Rivers of Lake Ladoga and islands

Thirty-five rivers flow into the reservoir. But only one originates from it - the Neva. There are three large bays on the southern coast of the lake: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya and Shlisselburgskaya bays.

The largest river flowing into Ladoga is the Svir. She brings the waters of Lake Onega into it. Even such rivers as Avloga, Morie, Burnaya, Airajoki, Vidlitsa, Obzhanka, Syas, Olonka and others flow into the reservoir.

It must be said that in Lake Ladoga the water level is not a constant value. It constantly oscillates, and this is remarkably visible from the white stripes on the rocks that go under the water.

The islands of Lake Ladoga are quite numerous. There are about 660 of them. Their total area is four hundred and thirty-five square kilometers. I must say that more than five hundred islands are located in the northern part of the reservoir. This is the Skerry region.

The largest islands:

1. Riekkalansari - 55.3 km. sq.
2. Mantsinsaari - 39.4 km. sq.
3. Kilpola - 32.1 km. sq.
4. Tulolansari - 30.3 km. sq.
5. Vaalaam - 27.8 km. sq.

The most famous on the lake are the Valaam Islands. They are an archipelago of fifty islands with a total area of ​​about thirty-six square kilometers. They became famous thanks to the Valaam Monastery, located on the main island, and the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery on the island of Konevets.

The history of the lake

Lake Ladoga is located in a basin, which has a glacial tectonic origin. Three hundred to four hundred million years ago, the entire territory of the lake and its basin was covered by the sea.

The modern relief was formed as a result of the activity of the glacier. The main factor was a change in the level of the ocean, there was a rise in land. After the glacier retreated, the Baltic fresh glacial lake was formed. Later, the waters of this reservoir went to the territory of modern Switzerland. And there the Yoldian Sea was formed.

Nine and a half thousand years ago, due to the rise of the land, Lake Ancylus appeared. On the Karelian Isthmus, it was connected by a strait to Lake Ladoga. And eight and a half thousand years ago, ongoing tectonic processes opened the Danish straits, and the Litorin Sea was formed. This, in turn, led to the emergence of the Karelian Isthmus and, in fact, the formation of Lake Ladoga. Over the past two and a half thousand years, the relief in these places has not changed much.

The northern part of the lake is located on the southern part - on the East European platform. It is at the junction of these surfaces that the greatest depth of Lake Ladoga is observed.

Climatic conditions

Lake Ladoga has a temperate climate, as if a transitional form from temperate maritime to temperate continental. Such climatic conditions are explained very simply. Geographical position Lake Ladoga and the atmospheric circulation of this region determined such a climate.

I must say that in these places there are not so many sunny days a year. This means that the amount of solar heat entering the earth is not so great. Therefore, moisture evaporates extremely slowly. In 12 months there can be only sixty-two sunny days here. Most of the year in this region days with overcast, cloudy weather and diffused lighting prevail.

It is better to plan a vacation on Lake Ladoga from the twenty-fifth of May to the seventeenth of July, then white nights can be observed here. These days the sun does not fall below the horizon, morning and evening twilight merge into a single whole. In general, the white nights last about fifty days.

It should be noted that Lake Ladoga itself also has an impact on the local climate, smoothing out extreme characteristics. Throughout the year, southwestern and western winds dominate here. Quiet and calm weather is extremely rare. Sometimes the winds have storm indicators.

Breezes are observed along the entire coast during summer days and nights. They start around 9 am and continue until 8 pm. The breezes penetrate inland for fifteen kilometers. Fogs are observed here most often in spring, autumn and summer.

Lake coastline

The coastline of Ladoga is more than a thousand kilometers. The northern shores are rocks, strongly indented, forming many peninsulas and narrow bays, as well as small islands separated by straits.

The southern coastline is low. It is less indented and is often flooded by waters. The coast is entirely rocky reefs, banks, shallows. Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya and Shlisselburgskaya bays are the largest bays of Lake Ladoga.

The eastern shores are very little indented. There are two bays here: Uksunlahti and Lunkulanlahti. It is in this part that wide beautiful beaches of sand are found.

The western shore of the reservoir is even less indented. It is completely overgrown with dense mixed forests and shrubs that come close to the water. The coast is strewn with boulders. Stone ridges sometimes go far into the depths of the lake from the cape, thus forming dangerous shoals.

Relief of the bottom of the lake

As we noted earlier, the topography of the lake bottom is heterogeneous and has a clear increase in depth from south to north. We can say that the average depth of the reservoir is about fifty meters, and the largest is two hundred and thirty-three meters (towards the north of the island of Valaam). Lake Ladoga in the northern part has a very uneven bottom. It is full of cavities. And in the southern region, the bottom is smoother and more even. Lake Ladoga is the eighth deepest lake in Russia.

The transparency of lake water is different for different shores. Its lowest indicators are observed in the Volkhov Bay, and the highest - in the western direction from the Valaam Islands.

During a strong storm, the water in the lake, as they say, boils and boils, it is completely covered with foam.

Only the central part of the reservoir can be covered with ice, and only in very severe winters. A long cold period leads to a strong cooling of the water, for this reason the water in the lake remains cold even in summer. It has time to warm up only in a thin upper layer and a narrow coastal strip. The maximum surface water temperature is in August, when it is twenty-four degrees. The water in the lake is fresh and, in principle, quite clean, except for those areas where there is runoff pollution from industrial waste.

Economic importance of the lake

The place where Lake Ladoga is located determined its serious economic importance for the country. The fact is that the lake is navigable, which is important for the region. It is considered one of the parts of the waterway that is part of the Volga-Baltic route, as well as the White Sea-Baltic Canal.

The most navigable is the southern part of Ladoga from the Neva to the Svir. Since the reservoir has a serious size, there are often storms here, especially in autumn. During such periods, all navigation stops for the safety of passenger ships.

Since the founding of St. Petersburg, the lake has become part of the unified water transport system of northern Russia. For safe navigation along the southern coast, the Staraya Ladoga Canal was laid. As soon as it became insufficient, the Novoladozhsky Canal was also laid, one hundred and sixty-nine kilometers long.

The Staraya Ladoga Canal is now almost completely dried up and overgrown. And the second channel is navigable to this day. Up to eight million tons of cargo is transported across the lake per year. Oil products, chemical raw materials, building materials, timber are transported to the Baltic from the Volga. In addition, tens of thousands of passengers are transported annually along Ladoga.

Cruises (tourist) to the islands of Konevets and Valaam are made from Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities. Vessels enter and pass through the central water area of ​​the lake, where the shores are not visible. And in strong winds, you can feel a significant pitching.

There are no regular passenger traffic on Ladoga. However, motor ships of a tourist destination go twice a day in certain directions during navigation periods.

Fish that live in the waters of the lake

The fish of Lake Ladoga is of industrial importance. Ten species are caught, among which the most popular are vendace, smelt, ripus. Quite a lot of pike perch and whitefish are found in the lake.

Rest on Ladoga

Despite the fact that the water in Lake Ladoga remains cold even in summer, it attracts a large number of tourists. As we said earlier, there are beautiful sandy beaches. The northern islands are especially popular among tourists. The best period for kayaking on the lake is June and July. A little closer to autumn, storms begin, in which the excitement of the water is like in the sea.

Here on the lake there is Nizhnesvirsky nature reserve. It is located on the right bank of the Protected area - wetlands of international importance. They are interesting because they are a nesting place for water and migratory birds. 256 different bird species have been recorded in this area.

Of particular interest to tourists is the island of Valaam. It is completely covered with coniferous forest. There is an old monastery on the island, which was founded in the ninth-eleventh centuries.

Vacationers also like to visit Konevsky Island, where there is a monastery. The island got its name from the Horse-Stone boulder located here. Until the end of the nineteenth century, this stone was a place of sacrifice. The main attraction is the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, located on the territory of the monastery.

Historical digression

Novgorodians for several centuries had a military and merchant fleet on Lake Ladoga. Geographical information fell to Western cartographers in those days. Lake Ladoga appeared on the map of the Moscow State as early as 1544. It was made by the German scientist Sebastian Munster.

And in 1600, a drawing of Russia was drawn up by Fyodor Godunov. On it, the lake was plotted with fairly high accuracy. In the middle of the eighteenth century, a map was made not only of Lake Ladoga itself, but also of an artificial canal.

Novaya Ladoga

Novaya Ladoga is one of the towns on the banks of Ladoga. It is located on the left side of the Volkhov River in the place where it flows into the lake. The city was founded in 1704 by Emperor Peter the Great himself. A large number of historical architectural monuments have been preserved here, which may be of interest to guests and tourists.

Shlisselburg

The city is located on the banks of Ladoga. It was founded by the Prince of Novgorod in 1323, who founded a wooden fortress on Oreshek Island. Later it was captured by the Swedes, who renamed it Noteburg. And in 1702 the fortress was recaptured by Peter the Great. He then gave it its current name. The city also has its sights: the Staraya Ladoga Canal, the Oreshek fortress, the monument to Peter the Great, the Cathedral of the Annunciation, the St. Nicholas Church.

Priozersk

In this place, the Karelian settlement lived already in the twelfth century. And in 1310, a capital fortress called Korela was built by the Novgorodians at the mouth. Later it was conquered by the Swedes. But in 1710 it again passed to the Russian Empire.

Lake Ladoga and its environs - enough interesting places for tourists. Here you can not only admire the beauties of nature, take boat trips, visit the islands, but also see historical monuments that have survived to our time.

Ladoga lake is the largest freshwater lake on the European continent. For Russia, this lake is of great industrial, ecological and historical significance. Another version of the name - Ladoga.

If you look at the map, you can see that the shores of Lake Ladoga belong to two Russian regions: the Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad Region. That is, located in the European part of the country.
On the north side Ladoga the shores are high, rocky, their relief is quite indented, which explains the presence of a large number of peninsulas, bays, and small islands. From the south of Ladoga, the lake is surrounded by low, gently sloping, more even shores. The largest bays are also located here: Volkhovskaya, Svirskaya, Shlisselburgskaya bays. The eastern coast is also not very indented, there are sandy beaches here. In the west, the coastline is almost flat. Mixed forests, bushes grow here, near the water on land there are many large stones, which also cover the bottom under water for a rather long distance.
Bring their waters into Ladoga lake 35 rivers, and only one flows out. The largest river that brings water is the Svir. What river flows out of Lake Ladoga? This is the famous Neva, on which stands the second most important city of the Russian Federation - St. Petersburg. Some rivers bring water into Ladoga from other lakes, such as Onega or Ilmen.
There are a large number of islands on the lake - at least five hundred. The largest islands Ladoga together they form the Valaam archipelago. The largest single island is Riekkalansari. Also a large island is Konevets, where a famous monastery was built, just like on Valaam.

Dimensions, lengths and depth of Ladoga

The depth of Lake Ladoga is uneven throughout its territory - it increases from south to north. The maximum depth of Lake Ladoga is 233 m. The average figure is much lower - 50 m. In the north of Lake Ladoga, its depth varies from 70 to 230 m, and in the south - from 20 to 70.
The area of ​​Ladoga is 17.87 thousand square meters. km. The volume of water in Lake Ladoga is 838 cubic meters. km. The length from north to south of the lake is 219 km, at its widest point Ladoga stretches for 125 km.

Climatic features of the area

Lake Ladoga has a generally temperate climate. In the geographical area where Lake Ladoga is located, not so much sunlight penetrates during the year. Therefore, the evaporation of water from Ladoga is rather slow. Most of the days of the year it is cloudy and overcast.
Between the end of May and the middle of July, Lake Ladoga you can observe the famous phenomenon of "white nights", when at night the sun practically does not set below the horizon.
Throughout the year, western and southwestern winds blow on Ladoga. In winter, Lake Ladoga freezes until the end of spring, but is completely covered with ice only in the coldest winters. Such a long glaciation affects the water temperature throughout the rest of the year. The average water temperature here is low: at a depth it stays at 4 ° C, and on the surface Lake Ladoga depending on the time of year and site, it can be in the range from 2 ° C to 24 ° C. The water is not as clear as on Baikal, but this may be due to the fact that many species of algae, small plankton live in it, and constant storms disturb its surface, whipping foam.

History of Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers and over the course of several thousand years its outlines were formed and changed.
Until the 13th century, the lake was called Nevo, which, apparently, was directly related to the name of the Neva River. Then it was named Lake Ladoga, taking over the name from the city of Ladoga located here. Many objects in this area have names originating from the Karelian language. But the most likely explanation for the name "Ladoga" is Finnish versions - from the ancient words for water or the concept of "lower", which are consonant with Ladoga. The name Nevo also has Finnish roots and can mean "swamp". It is possible that in those days the lake gave a reason to call itself that way, in this area there are many traces of swamps.
On Lake Ladoga, starting from the 9th century, from Scandinavia, across Europe to the country of Byzantium, the water part of the route “From the Varangians to the Greeks” passed. In the 8th century, the city of Ladoga was built here, and soon other cities and fortresses began to appear here. At the end of the 14th century, the famous Valaam Monastery was founded on the islands of the same name. Until now, its buildings are the pearl of wooden architecture.
For many years there was a war with the Swedish state for part of the land lying on the lake. Nevertheless, Peter I managed to achieve that Ladoga became Russian. In 1721, according to an agreement with the Swedes concluded after the war, the coast of Lake Ladoga was completely ceded to Russia.
To make navigation on Ladoga more accessible, a canal was built here.
During the difficult war years from 1939 to 1944. the Ladoga flotilla was based in Lake Ladoga, fighting in its waters. In 1941–1944 more than half of the coast of Lake Ladoga was occupied by enemy troops. From September 1941 to March 1943, the “Road of Life” passed along the ice of Ladoga - the only way along which it was possible to deliver provisions and necessary things to besieged Leningrad. The evacuation of people was also organized through it, in total, about 1.3 million people took advantage of the evacuation.
Thus, Ladoga is a lake that has a special significance for Russian history.

Ecology of Lake Ladoga

Basically, the waters of Ladoga are very clean, but there are problem areas. This is largely due to the development of industrial zones near Lake Ladoga as well as the aftermath of World War II. During the war, radioactive weapons were tested in this area and on some islands. Including studied the reaction of animals to the consequences of its use. In addition, a lot of sunken military ships, aircraft with ammunition create an unfavorable radiation background.
The number of contaminated sites is on the rise. Approximately 600 industrial enterprises operate on the banks of Ladoga, which pollute the air, dump production waste into the Ladoga River and others, which then bring them into the lake. By the way, the correct answer to the question - Ladoga - is it a river or a lake, that it is both. There is a river, and also a city with that name. At the same time, historians claim that at first the river got its name, then the city, and only after that Lake Nevo was renamed.
Pollution of Lake Ladoga today is considered to be at a moderate level. In some places, there is an excess of radiation standards - where supplies were previously tested, as well as those closest to nuclear and other industrial enterprises.

Nature and fauna of Lake Ladoga

The nature of Lake Ladoga is very beautiful, this place is very famous among tourists, travelers as a place for recreation and hiking. Majestic rocks, mountains, pine forests - all this creates a unique image of this place. Rare plants and animals are found in various reserves of Ladoga. Despite the difficult climate, even some southern plant species grow here, and in the north - typical representatives of the tundra (saxifrage). Forests on Lake Ladoga are not only coniferous, but also broad-leaved - with maples, elms.
Fauna Lake Ladoga includes representatives of the taiga: foxes, wolves, hares, bears, etc. There is also an original animal, which is found only here - the Ladoga seal. The animal, which is more characteristic of the seas, feels great in the fresh water of Ladoga.
Approximately 50 species of fish live in Lake Ladoga. The most popular among fishermen and industrialists can be called smelt, pike perch.

Rest on Lake Ladoga

Around Lake Ladoga you can find places for recreation for every taste and for any purpose: recreational, hiking, entertaining. Fishing enthusiasts can often be found here. Everything you need for such activities is located at the recreation centers, including almost every one of them has instructors who will teach you the intricacies of this or that type of pastime.
People like to go diving here because of the large number of finds that can be found at the bottom and simply beautiful underwater views. You can also choose to relax on the beach when the weather permits.
Excursions are also organized to the natural and historical sights of Ladoga, for example, structures left after the war, old fortresses or mountain peaks.

Attractions on Lake Ladoga

It is worth talking about the sights of Lake Ladoga separately. Here is, for example, an interesting Nizhnesvirsky Reserve with beautiful views of almost untouched nature. It is home to a huge number of bird species and many animals.
Valaam Island on Ladoga with the monastery of the same name is of historical, cultural and architectural value. Not to mention the fact that pilgrims come here from all over Russia and beyond.
The memorial complex dedicated to the Road of Life tells the story of the heroic feat of people who made trips on the ice of Lake Ladoga in the most dangerous conditions, risking falling through the ice or being fired upon by the enemy. Nevertheless, they went for it in order to save the lives of the inhabitants of the city, who survived the terrible blockade.
Also of historical and cultural interest on Lake Ladoga are the cities of Shlisselburg founded by Peter I, with the fortress Oreshek, Novaya Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in works of art

Ladoga is a lake, which is reflected in folk legends and examples of folk art of various peoples who lived here. Basically, these are Karelian and Russian epics.
The famous Karelian folk composition "Kalevala", which was once passed from mouth to mouth, describes the events that took place in the north of Lake Ladoga.
Constantine Roerich in his youth made an expedition along the rivers flowing into Lake Ladoga and to the lake itself. Since 1916, he lived in this area for two years, created several paintings, sketches, poems and fairy tales here.
Due to its amazing nature, Lake Ladoga inspired, first of all, painters who admired the local colors and landscapes. Many painted the Valaam Monastery, as its buildings looked especially impressive and mysterious against the backdrop of majestic nature. The lake with the sonorous name Ladoga also evoked fairy tales. Here worked such masters of painting as F. A. Vasiliev, A. I. Kuindzhi, N. K. Roerich, I. I. Shishkin.

industry on the lake

The lake is used for the passage of ships, whose routes along it are segments of the Volga-Baltic route and the White Sea-Baltic Canal. The weather on the lake is very changeable and ships are often threatened by storms, high waves, so navigation is periodically suspended. Once upon a time, there was even a common expression that if a sailor did not sail on Ladoga, then he was not yet a real sailor. Such a phenomenon as complete calm is quite rare on this lake.
Various industrial cargoes and building materials are transported along Lake Ladoga. There are also passenger ships and cruise ships, for the most part these are tourist routes.
On an industrial scale, about 10 species of fish are caught here, such as smelt, pike perch, and whitefish. Not far from the lake there are industrial enterprises: a paper and pulp plant, aluminum, oil and chemical industries, and so on.

Secrets and secrets that the bottom of Lake Ladoga keeps

At the bottom of the lake there are many interesting researchers and lovers of various mysteries and secrets of things. Of course, the greatest success is considered to find something very ancient, dating back to the Vikings. But most often find artifacts that have remained since the Second World War. They are better preserved and easier to find. For example, the sights of that time that attracted extreme tourists and divers include the so-called "Death Bay", the bottom of which is practically covered with shell casings, since a fierce battle took place here in 1941.
Amateur divers find sunken ships, wartime planes. Unlike sea water, fresh water does not destroy and spoil sunken things so much, which is why the finds of Lake Ladoga are so attractive.