Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater reservoir in Europe and the second in Russia after Lake Baikal. The first settlements appeared here in the 7th century, and two centuries later an important section of the Varangian trade route was laid. The Ladoga area has repeatedly become the arena of military operations. Novgorodians, Swedes, Finns and Russian troops fought for them with varying success.
On geographical maps, the lake was marked in the middle of the XVI century. Later, handwritten schemes were drawn up, on the basis of which at the beginning of the 19th century. sufficiently detailed drawings of Ladoga and its environs were developed and issued.
During the blockade of Leningrad (1941-44), Lake Ladoga became a link between the besieged city and the mainland. The Road of Life passed along the reservoir, in winter - along the ice cover, and during the navigation period - along the water. Today Ladoga is used for recreational and economic purposes. On its shores there are many villages, rest houses, tourist centers, children's health camps, as well as natural, religious and architectural and historical sights.
Rest on Lake Ladoga 2020
Popular activities in the Ladoga area include hiking, kayaking, water travel and competitions, bicycle and car tours, “wild” and beach recreation, pilgrimage, skiing and fishing. Not only Russians come here, but also citizens of other countries. Routes are selected based on their own preferences, the allotted time interval, the location of the starting, base or ending point. As a rule, recreation on Lake Ladoga is combined with cultural programs.
Since 1996, in the vicinity of the reservoir, major international off-road competition “Ladoga-Trophy” has been held. Crews on off-road vehicles, all-terrain vehicles and specially trained equipment take part in them. There are tracks for light vehicles.
Every year, competitions in extreme water sports are organized on the Vuoksa rapids. Thousands of participants and fans come to them.
Beaches
Places adapted for beach recreation are located in the southern and southwestern parts of Lake Ladoga. They are characterized by a gentle descent into the water, narrow sandy and rocky spits. There are wide beaches on the eastern islands of Mantsinsaari and Lunkulansaari. The northern and north-western shores of Ladoga are not intended for swimming.
Around Lake Ladoga
Many independent tourists go on a circular trip around Ladoga for several days. Looped roads are laid around the reservoir, along which you can drive from one settlement to another. But it should be remembered that not all of them have good coverage, so it can be difficult to overcome some areas on rainy days.
Trips around Lake Ladoga on bicycles and motorized vehicles are no less intense and memorable.
Recreation centers
In the vicinity of the reservoir there is a huge number of tourist centers - from budget options to elite ones. Many of them work all year round. Guests are offered to settle in separate houses, 2-3-storey buildings with all conveniences or in tents in a landscaped area. Prices depend on the living conditions and the range of services provided.
In addition, there are fishing, hunting, skiing and skiing resorts on Ladoga.
Hotels
On Lake Ladoga, vacationers can stay in guest houses, family hotels and hotel complexes. Prices correspond to the level of comfort and location of the object.
Shore of Lake Ladoga
The southern part of the reservoir is characterized by low, gentle banks, shoals, banks and reefs. The northwestern line is indented by fjords, skerries and dotted with numerous islands separated by a complex network of straits. From Priozersk to Pitkyaranta, there are mainly rocky, elevated shores and an uneven, deep bottom. From the east and west, the water's edge is smooth.
In the vicinity there are many water bodies and marshy areas with characteristic vegetation. The lake is surrounded by mixed forests, mostly coniferous. Reed thickets dominate along its shores. The forests are inhabited by representatives of the middle taiga fauna, mushrooms and berries grow. More than 250 bird species are found in the district.
The largest bays are located in the southern part of the lake. This is the Petrokrepost bay and two lips - Volkhovskaya and Svirskaya.
- The area of \u200b\u200bthe lake with islands is over 18,000 sq. km.
- Dimensions: length - about 220 km, width - up to 138 km.
- The length of the coastline is more than 1.5 thousand km.
- Height above sea level - 4.84 m.
- Depth: average - 47 m, maximum - 230 m.
- The volume of water is almost 910 cubic meters. km.
Along the southern coast, under Peter I, the construction of a bypass shipping channel began. In the middle of the XIX century. a new waterway was built along it, since the old one was not only shallow, but also did not correspond to the increased load on it. Today the Ladoga Canal is used for the passage of small and medium-sized vessels. It consists of three sections - Novo-Ladozhsky, Novo-Syassky and Novo-Svirsky. They stretched from the mouth of the Neva to the mouth of the Svir.
The shores and water area of \u200b\u200bLadoga are divided between 9 municipal districts, 5 of which belong to the Leningrad Region, and 4 to Karelia.
Islands
In the water area of \u200b\u200bLake Ladoga there are a huge number of islands, concentrated mainly in the northwestern part of the reservoir. Some are inhabited, but most remain uninhabited.
Balaam
The most famous island of Ladoga and the largest in the Valaam archipelago. Here is the settlement of the same name and the Valaam Monastery (XI-XII centuries). The surrounding islets are noted as the places of mass occurrence of the Ladoga ringed seal.
Konevets
Located southwest of Valaam. The local Nativity of the Theotokos monastery, founded at the end of the 14th century, is often called the twin of the Valaam monastery. The Horse-Stone has long stood on the island, once used for carrying out pagan rituals. The chapel was erected above it at the end of the 19th century.
Riekkala (Riekkalansaari)
The largest island in the water area of \u200b\u200bLake Ladoga. There are several settlements here, connected by dirt roads. It is connected to the mainland by a pontoon bridge leading to Sortavala.
Mantsinsaari
Located off the northeastern coast of Ladoga. During the Second World War, the island was held by the Finns until the signing of a general surrender. Under Khrushchev, a massive outflow of the population began from Mantsinsaari, and by the end of the last century it was completely empty. Nearby is the island of Lunkulansaari, separated from the mainland by a small channel.
The most famous islands of the Ladoga skerries are Kilpola, Kukhta, Sorolansaari, Lauvatsaari, as well as Putsaari - the island of St. Sergius, which for a long time served as a place for the extraction of granite stone. The material was used for the construction of the Valaam Monastery and the cladding of buildings in St. Petersburg.
Rivers
Lake Ladoga is fed by river tributaries, precipitation and groundwater. More than 30 rivers flow into it, the main of which are:
- Svir - flows from Lake Onega;
- Volkhov - carries water from Lake Ilmen;
- Vuoksa is the largest river in the Karelian Isthmus.
The only drain is the Neva River.
Weather
The Ladoga area is located in the zone of influence of the maritime temperate and continental climate. There are significant temperature fluctuations, cloudiness, high humidity, fog and insignificant amount of precipitation. In winter, it is moderately cold, windy and cloudy. Sudden incursions of the Arctic masses contribute to a sharp cooling. Frosts recede in early April, but snow can fall in May as well.
Summer on Ladoga is moderately warm. There are fewer cloudy days, but the amount of precipitation increases slightly. There are about 60-65 sunny days a year. From late May to mid-July, "white nights" dominate here.
The warmest month is July, the coldest months are January and February. Average air temperatures at this time are at +16.5 ° C and -9 ° C. The absolute maximum and absolute minimum were recorded within +31.7 ° C and -42.8 ° C.
Storms
On Ladoga, strong winds often blow, sharply changing direction. Their duration can reach 5 days, and the speed - more than 15 m / s. The most dangerous storms occur in October. Maximum wind gusts - up to 84 m / s.
Depth Map
There are two versions of the origin of the lake basin. The first, classical, implies its glacial-tectonic origin, and the second presupposes the fall of a giant space body to the Earth. Supporters of the latter interpretation are based on the unusual bottom topography, which resembles a deep crater in the northern part of the reservoir, as indicated by the map of the depths of Lake Ladoga. As additional arguments, huge boulders scattered on the flat terrain and, of course, anomalous phenomena - underwater lightning, sudden seething of water, mirages and barrantids (deep sounds) are cited. However, scientists argue that tectonic faults, the movement of lithospheric plates and, as a result, underwater seismic activity are to blame.
The depth map shows that the bottom of the lake deepens from south to north. The smallest areas, up to 3-4 m, are observed off the southern and eastern coasts (in the area of \u200b\u200bMantsinsaari Island and Salmi village). Further, there is a strip of depths of 5-10 m, then - up to 20 and up to 50 m.In the middle of the reservoir, measurements show 51-99 m, and closer to the north - 100-186 m.The deepest holes are located west of Valaam - 215, 221 and 228 m.
Fish of Ladoga Lake
More than 60 species of fish are found in the reservoir, including pike perch, smelt, sturgeon, burbot, sterlet, salmon, whitefish, trout, bream, perch, pike, etc. Both small and large individuals can be found here (lake salmon reaches weight up to 10 kg). Most of the fish are native species, but some migrate from the Gulf of Finland, flowing rivers and neighboring lakes.
Fishing
Fans of fishing come to Ladoga in summer and winter. They are located in quiet backwaters on the southern or southeastern shore of the reservoir. Trophy fishing is popular on Lake Ladoga, the purpose of which is to catch large individuals of certain types of fish. For true professionals, this is sport and gambling at the same time.
Water in Lake Ladoga
The water level in the reservoir changes periodically. During the observation period, a rise of 2 m and a decrease of 1.5 m relative to the average was recorded, although seasonal fluctuations are small. Experts assure that the water in the lake is completely renewed every 12 years.
The water of Ladoga is homogeneous, slightly mineralized and soft. On average, the concentration of salts is 55 mg / l, which is almost two times higher than that of Lake Onega and almost two times lower than the salinity of water in Lake Baikal. The homogeneity of the composition is associated with vertical circulation, temporary and permanent currents. The softness of the water allows it to be used for industrial and domestic purposes.
A feature of the reservoir is the color of the water, which takes on the shades of reflections of the sky and coastlines, as well as the bottom in relatively small areas. That is why Lagoda looks different in cloudy weather than in clear weather.
Water clarity:
- in the center - 4.5 m;
- off the west coast - 2.5 m;
- at river mouths - about 1 m;
- at maximum depths - up to 10 m.
Water temperature
Great depths have a significant impact on the temperature regime of lake water. It stays cool even in hot weather. The pond takes a long time to warm up and slowly cools down.
In early spring, the temperature in shallow water rises to +4 ° C. By mid-July, about + 20 ° C is recorded on the surface, rarely + 24 ° C, but the temperature is lower a little deeper. By the beginning of September, the cooling of the reservoir begins, in winter it puts on an ice shell, but not every year it is completely covered by it. The average ice thickness reaches 60 cm. Freeze-up occurs in December - February. The autopsy takes place in May.
Svirskaya Bay is considered the warmest part of Ladoga.
Where is Lake Ladoga
The reservoir is spread over the territory of two constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Its northeastern part belongs to Karelia, and the south, west and southeast to the Leningrad region.
Shortest distances to the nearest shores from:
- St. Petersburg - 40 km;
- Vyborg - 85 km;
- Petrozavodsk - 125 km;
- Veliky Novgorod - 150 km;
- Moscow - 580 km;
- border with Finland - 30-35 km.
sights
On the shores of Lake Ladoga there are cult, archaeological, military-historical, architectural and geological monuments, as well as reserves, reserves and natural parks. The most famous and popular attraction of Ladoga is the complex of the Valaam Monastery. No less famous is the Nativity of the Theotokos monastery on the island of Konevets.
The town of Sortavala is interesting for its historical buildings of the 1930s. in the style typical of Northern European Art Nouveau and Neoclassicism. 20 km from it, in the Ruskeala mountain park, there is a cascade of Ruskeala waterfalls and the former royal quarries. The marble quarried here is faced
Large freshwater lakes are now a rarity on the planet, they can be easily counted, such lakes are mainly located on the territory of our state of Russia. The wide and spacious surface of the lake surprises a person who first appeared on its shores, there are a lot of coniferous forests that approach the shore Lake Ladoga... In the pine forests, you can find a large number of stone boulders overgrown with moss, these stones may have been brought by the water element that once fell to the ground. There are a lot of islets on the lake, mostly of a rocky type; on the banks there are a large number of Orthodox shrines, temples and monasteries. Wild animals living near the lake use it as a source of drinking, coming to the shore and quenching their thirst.
Features of Lake Ladoga.
The largest lake is located on our territory - Ladoga, it is half the size of the European state of Switzerland. The distance from the northern part of the lake to the southern reaches 230 kilometers, and the width from east to west is 80-85 kilometers, and the depth in some places reaches 200 meters. And these are only approximate data, since the muddy layer at the bottom may be different and the depth, respectively, is greater, but even with such data, one can judge the majesty Ladogacreated by nature itself. Compared to Lake Ladoga almost three times more fresh water than Lake Onegaalthough they are comparable in size, it's all about the depth of the lakes.
Shores of Lake Ladoga have a different appearance and profile, the north-western part of the coast has a rocky appearance with many bays that are considered deep. Here, the shores have beautiful cliffs that rise tens of meters above the surface of the water, on which pine trees grow. Local residents call the bays in this part of the lake - lips, and rocky islets - skerries, in total there are more than six hundred such islands on the lake. There are also large islands on the lake:
- Valaam island
- Konevets Island
- Lunkulansaari
- Quilpola
- Riek-kalansaari
- Mantsins Saari
The most famous is valaam island, where there are Orthodox monasteries and temples. Other names refer to the Finnish-Ugric group, and the names are derived from the Finnish language.
Valaam archipelago.
Coniferous forests reign on the islands of Lake LadogaThe skerry islands are rocky and rise high above the water. Traveling along the lake on a ship, swimming up to them, from afar, they resemble hedgehogs, and pines look like needles. Basically, most of the islands are located in the northern part of the lake, in the center of the lake there is Valaam archipelago with many islands.
Valaam Island is the largest on Lake Ladoga in archipelago of Valaam, ancient monasteries and temples were founded here in the 14th century, by Novgorod people, its size is about 60 square kilometers, or in another way, 6 by 10 kilometers, and the depth of the bays near the island reaches 150 meters. In the north of the island there is Monastery Bay, the passage into which by water can be made through a narrow and elongated strait between high rocks. On the shores of the bay there is a famous holy monastery of monks. On other islands Valaam archipelago, of which there are a little more than fifty, there are monastic sketes, where old monks lived and live, who acquire the Holy Spirit.
One of the centers of Orthodoxy Valaam monastery became in the 15th century, having gained fame for the exploits of hermit monks, everyone who needed God's guidance and help in curing various ailments aspired here. These places began to be called "Northern Athos", it is possible to get here by ship in summer, and on ice in winter. Those who visited this holy place forever remained their hearts here, giving delightful reviews not only of the beauty of the island, but also of the spiritual ascent of the novices of the monks living here. Famous people who have been here figures of Russian culture dedicated part of their creativity Balaam, in painting, in poetry, in music, in them they tried to convey a piece of that splendor and grace that they felt in these places.
And now valaam island, became a place of pilgrimage and tourism, after returning under the control of the monastery and the monastery lands, Russian Canonical Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate... In years Soviet power atheistic orientation, Balaam experienced in prayer and standing, the Holy Spirit never left these places, and the trials that fell only strengthened the faith and Holy Orthodoxy.
Fortress Oreshek.
Many rivers and streams flow in, but only one river flows out - the Neva, which is small in length and flows into to the Baltic Sea near the city of St. Petersburg (Leningrad). The strategic significance of the place where the Neva River begins has long been known, and in the 14th century a powerful fortification appeared at the source of the river - fortress Oreshek, it was erected by Novgorod builders, thereby establishing themselves in these places and on Lake Ladoga... This structure protected the borders of the Novgorod principality from the raids of the Swedish armies, there were a lot of sieges and attacks on the fortress, therefore after each fortress it was improved and completed, already in the 16th century the power of this fortress was maximum, the walls towered around the entire perimeter of the island. Since that time, little has changed, and now we can see this unique structure as it was in those distant times.
For a short period of time in the 17th century, this fortress fell under the rule of the Swedes, but thanks to Peter the Great, Russian troops finally recaptured this place from the Swedes, and the Emperor gave a new name to the fortress - Shlisselburg, or Key City, testifying to the protection of the water entrance to the Neva. Later, from the time of Catherine II until the overthrow of the tsarist government as a result of the 1917 revolution, the fortress was redesigned into a prison, which contained prisoners especially dangerous for the state. Only with the advent of Soviet power, the fortress got rid of the prison on its territory. And in years Great Patriotic War 1941-1945, faithfully served the wars that defended the homeland from the Nazi invaders, for three years the garrison successfully repelled attempts to seize the fortress by enemy troops. The fortress played a special role in protecting the "Road of Life" during the blockade of Leningrad, it made it possible to deliver goods relatively freely both by water - in summer, and on ice - in winter.
Southern part of Ladoga.
In the southern part Ladoga Lake there is a unique small island, it has a man-made origin, under Peter the Great, boulders were brought here, since the sandbank that existed here interfered with navigation on the waters Lake Ladoga, and many ships ran aground with their belly. A little later on island Suho - so it was named, a lighthouse was built, which, by the way, functions to this day, making navigation in these places safe.
The shores of the North-Eastern part Lake Ladoga, are distinguished by the presence of sandy areas among the rocky coast. And from the mouth svir river to the north there is a flat area with sand dunes almost 60 kilometers long; a large number of coniferous trees on the coast make these places incredibly beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Southern part of Lake Ladoga has a gentle coast, and in some places it is overgrown with reeds with reeds, the depth here is shallow, and the covering of the coast itself is small stone boulders with pebbles.
Staraya Ladoga, city and fortress.
At all times, Lake Ladoga was actively used as a part of the trade route going from the North to Constantinople, together with the confluence of the lake volkhov river a settlement was founded Ladoga ... History says that in the 12th century a stone fortress was already erected here, which has survived to this day, its name Ladoga fortress... Another fact from history: until the 18th century, the lake was called Nebo ... And only at this time the lake received its present Ladoga name thanks Ladoga fortress.
The chronicles mention the settlement and the fortress (today Staraya Ladoga), known since 922, built near the confluence of the Volkhov River on the right bank. This place is known in connection with the death prince Oleg bitten by a poisonous snake, which crawled into the remains of his war horse, he was told that he would find death from his horse. And even killing his horse in total did not save Oleg from the fate of fate, in these places is the grave of Prince Oleg.
For many, many years, majestic stone walls and towers rise on the banks of the Volkhov Ladoga fortress, history has left the memory of the head of the construction of their Novgorod man Pavel as mentioned earlier in the early 12th century. Several churches have been built on the territory of the fortress, which have survived to this day, and one of which, known as the Church of George, was built under Yaroslav the Wise.
All the time since construction Ladoga fortress until the end of the Northern War at Peter the Great, the fortress repelled the raids of the conquerors. And the northern borders of the Russian land had serious protection by the garrison Ladoga fortress ... Noting the zeal of the defenders, Boris Godunov donated a bell to the city as a token of gratitude from the Tsar and all Russian lands. After Peter the Great, the border shifted to the north, and Ladoga fortress lost its defensive significance, although it always remained a powerful rear during military clashes with northern neighbors.
Winter on Ladoga.
It has long been famous in winter for its winds and ice hummocks, when ice floes crack under the force of the wind and rise, freezing in the cold, the height of such piles in places reaches ten meters, and in the area of \u200b\u200bthe lighthouse of the artificial island of Sukho up to twenty meters. The lake freezes completely only in February. With the arrival of warmth, the ice begins to melt, but until summer you can find drifting ice floes on the lake, some of which move along the Neva River to the Baltic Sea. Such an effect on river Neva is called the second ice drift, the river itself is freed from ice in April.
Navigation on Lake Ladoga starts in May, the constructed waterways can be reached to the White Sea or to the Volga, they were erected during the years of Soviet power, thanks to shock construction projects, in which millions of people, both civilians and convicts, were involved, the construction was in charge of the gloomy gULAG organization.
Lake Ladoga (has a second name Ladoga, previously referred to as Nevo) is considered the largest freshwater reservoir in Russia. Ladoga is only slightly inferior in popularity to Lake Baikal, known all over the world. Hundreds of tourists come to its coast every year to enjoy the wonderful views and capture the beauty of this place.
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 is, what it is like in winter and summer.
Lake Ladoga belongs to two territories - the eastern and northern shores are located in the Republic of Karelia, while the southern and western shores please the residents of the Leningrad Region. The lake belongs to the basins of the Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea.
Specifications
Lake area
If we take the total area of \u200b\u200bLadoga, then we get an impressive figure - 17 870 km², and if we also take into account the islands, then we get 18 320 km². 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 1,570 kilometers.
The height above sea level is small - only 4.8 meters, but the depth is dozens more. It is impossible to accurately measure the depth throughout the lake, it is uneven - in the northern part the range in numbers is from 70 to 220 meters, in the southern part - from 19 to 70 meters. But we managed 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 warm seasons 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 equal to +3, +4.
Ladoga nature
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 bilberries, blueberries), an abundance of spruce forests; dark coniferous forests are inherent in the southern part, linden and maple are sometimes found, but the moss cover is less developed.
In Ladoga, scientists have 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 violent underwater world, planktonic animals also found refuge. The lake is home to cladocerans, rotifers, daphnia, cyclops, water mites, a wide variety of worms, molluscs and other crustaceans.
The waters of Ladoga are rich not only in mites and single-celled organisms, there are more than 50 species of fish. For example, Ladoga slingshot, trout, whitefish, salmon, bream, smelt, rudd, pike perch, catfish, syrt, asp, palia, roach, perch, pike, sturgeon, silver bream, burbot and many others. The richest in seafood area of \u200b\u200bthe lake 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 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 too. On the territory of Lake Ladoga there are: gulls, river ducks, geese, swans, cranes and sandpipers, eagle owls, toadstools, short-eared owls, osprey, fawn, herbalists, golden plovers and even a white-tailed eagle.
Lake Ladoga has become a habitat for the world's only pinniped representative - the Ladoga ringed seal (a special subspecies of the ringed seal). In total, there are about 4,000 of them in the world, so 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 Lakhdenpohja. 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, from public transport (electric trains, buses, trains, ferries) to moving by car. At the same time, the travel time will be no more than three hours, and if you use a car and plot the correct route on the map, you can manage it in one and a half.
From the northern part, the closest city to Ladoga is Petrozavodsk. It can also be reached from there by car or public transport. However, the road will take a little more than 4 hours.
Climate and seasons of Lake Ladoga
It is no secret for avid tourists that Ladoga looks extremely inhospitable during the autumn and winter months. Even in Karelia, where all around there are picturesque rocks and wildflowers wading among dense grass, Lake Ladoga is inhospitable.
In cold periods, an arctic anticyclone operates on the lake, which carries strong gusts of wind, a storm, prolonged rains and freezing 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 beauty - heavy rains do not come often, the water surface is calm and clean, the air retains a piece of summer.
In summer, the reservoir graciously greets guests with a southern anticyclone, delighting with picturesque places and clear water. Only seasoned people will be able to swim here, but everyone will be able to enjoy the beauty. 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.
Lake Ladoga is a lake in Karelia (northern and eastern shores) and the Leningrad region (western, southern and southeastern shores), the largest freshwater lake in Europe. Belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin of the Baltic Sea. The area of \u200b\u200bthe lake without islands is from 17.6 thousand km 2 (with islands 18.1 thousand km 2); volume of water mass - 908 km 3; length from south to north - 219 km, maximum width - 138 km. The depth varies unevenly: in the northern part it ranges from 70 to 230 m, in the southern - from 20 to 70 m.On the shores of Lake Ladoga are the cities of Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Shlisselburg in the Leningrad region, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Lakhdenpokhya in Karelia. 35 rivers flow into Lake Ladoga, and only one originates - the Neva. In the southern half of the lake there are three large bays: Svirskaya, Volkhovskaya and Shlisselburgskaya lips. Climate The climate over Lake Ladoga is temperate, transitional from temperate continental to temperate marine. This type of climate is explained by the geographic location and atmospheric circulation characteristic of the Leningrad region. This is due to the relatively small amount of solar heat entering the earth's surface and into the atmosphere. Due to the small amount of solar heat, moisture evaporates slowly. There are on average 62 sunny days per year. Therefore, for most of the year, days with cloudy, cloudy weather, diffused lighting prevail. The length of the day varies from 5 hours 51 minutes at the winter solstice to 18 hours 50 minutes at the summer solstice. The so-called "white nights" are observed over the lake, which come on May 25-26, when the sun drops below the horizon by no more than 9 °, and the evening twilight practically merges with the morning twilight. White nights end on July 16-17. In total, the duration of the white nights is more than 50 days. The amplitude of the monthly average sums of direct solar radiation on a horizontal surface in a clear sky from 25 MJ / m2 in December to 686 MJ / m2 in June. Cloudiness reduces on average per year the arrival of total solar radiation by 21%, and direct solar radiation - by 60%. The average annual total radiation is 3156 MJ / m 2. The number of hours of sunshine is 1628 per year.
The lake itself has a noticeable effect on climatic conditions. This is characterized by the smoothing out of extreme values \u200b\u200bof climatic characteristics, as a result of which the continental air masses, passing over the surface of the lake, acquire the character of sea air masses. The average air temperature in the area of \u200b\u200bLake Ladoga is +3.2 ° C. The average temperature of the coldest month (February) is 8.8 ° C, the warmest (July) +16.3 ° C. Average annual precipitation is 475 mm. The smallest monthly amount of precipitation falls in February - March (24 mm), the highest - in September (58 mm). During the year, westerly and southwesterly winds prevail in most of Lake Ladoga. The average monthly wind speed in the open part of the lake and on most of the islands from October to January is February 6-9 m / s, in the remaining months 4-7 m / s. On the coast, the average monthly wind speed varies from 3 to 5 m / s. Calms are rare. In October, on Lake Ladoga, storm winds are often observed at a speed of more than 20 m / s, the maximum wind speed reaches 34 m / s. Breezes are observed along the entire coast in summer on calm sunny days and clear nights. The lake breeze starts at about 9 am and lasts until 8 pm, its speed is 2-6 m / s; It extends 9-15 km inland. Fogs are observed most often in spring, late summer and autumn.
The bottom topography of Lake Ladoga is characterized by an increase in depth from south to north. The depth varies unevenly: in the northern part it ranges from 70 to 230 m, in the southern - from 20 to 70 m. The average depth of the lake is 50 m, the greatest is 233 m (north of Valaam Island). The bottom of the northern part is uneven, riddled with depressions, while the southern part is quieter and more smooth. Lake Ladoga ranks eighth among the deepest lakes in Russia. Transparency at the western coast of Lake Ladoga is 2-2.5 m, at the eastern coast is 1-2 m, in the estuarine areas 0.3-0.9 m, and towards the center of the lake it increases to 4.5 m.The lowest transparency was observed in the Volkhov Bay (0.5-1 m), and the largest is to the west of the Valaam Islands (8-9 m in summer, over 10 m in winter). There are constant waves on the lake. During severe storms, the water "boils" in it, and the waves are almost completely covered with foam. In the water regime, surge phenomena are characteristic (fluctuations in the water level by 50-70 cm annually, up to a maximum of 3 m), seiches (up to 3-4 m), wave heights during storms up to 6 m.The lake freezes in December (coastal part) - February (central part), opened in April - May. The central part is covered with solid ice only in very severe winters. Due to the long and strong winter cooling, the water in the lake is very cold even in summer; it warms up only in the thin upper layer and in the coastal strip. The temperature regime differs in the central deep-water part of the lake and on the coast. The water temperature at the surface in August is up to 24 ° C in the south, 18-20 ° C in the center, at the bottom about 4 ° C, in winter under ice 0-2 ° C. The water is fresh and clean (except for areas polluted by industrial wastewater), minerals and salts are dissolved in negligible amounts. Water belongs to the hydrocarbonate class (low content of calcium and magnesium salts, slightly more nickel, aluminum).
In Lake Ladoga, 378 species and varieties of planktonic animals were identified. More than half of the species are rotifers. A fourth of the total number of species is protozoa, and 23 percent falls together on cladocerans and copepods. The most common zooplankton species in the lake are daphnia and cyclops. A large group of aquatic invertebrates lives at the bottom of the lake. In Ladoga, 385 species were found (mainly various crustaceans). The first place in the composition of benthic fauna belongs to insect larvae, which account for more than half of all species of benthic animals - 202 species. Next come worms (66 species), water mites, or hydrocarina, molluscs, crustaceans and others. The lake is rich in freshwater fish, which go to the rivers for spawning. Lake Ladoga is home to 53 species and varieties of fish: Ladoga slingshot, salmon, trout, char, whitefish, vendace, smelt, bream, damp, blue bream, silver bream, rudd, asp, catfish, pike perch, roach, perch, pike, burbot and others ... Human impact on the reservoir reduces the number of valuable fish - salmon, trout, char, lake-river whitefish and others, and the Atlantic sturgeon and Volkhov whitefish are listed in the Red Book of Russia. The most productive areas include the shallow southern part of the lake with depths up to 15-20 m, where the main fishing industry is concentrated, and the least productive is the northern skerry area. A sturgeon passes through the lake from the Gulf of Finland along the Neva for spawning to the Volkhov and other rivers. Zander is found along the southern and southeastern shores of Lake Ladoga. Salmon inhabits the lake, which in autumn goes to rivers, where it spawns. Whitefish, Siberian sturgeon and other fish are bred in Lake Ladoga and Volkhov. In the Ladoga area, 256 species of birds belonging to 17 orders are regularly found. On the transit flight in spring and autumn, more than 50 bird species were recorded here. The migration links of the Ladoga area cover the space from Iceland to India and from southern Africa to Novaya Zemlya. The most attractive areas for birds are the southern Ladoga area. Here, on the fly, there are grebes, swans, geese, ducks, sandpipers, gulls, terns, cranes and shepherds, as well as nesting sites of river ducks, crested ducks, red-headed duck, gulls, terns, large and medium curlews, great gulls, herbalists, golden plovers and other waders, gray crane, white-tailed eagle, osprey, red fawn, eagle owl, gray owl, short-eared owl and a number of other birds. The northern skerries are a nesting place for gray-cheeked grebes, great and medium-sized mergansers, gulls (including sea gulls and blackbirds), terns (including Arctic terns), sandpipers and many other species; during migration, there are accumulations of Arctic ducks and waders. The only representative of pinnipeds, the Ladoga ringed seal, lives in Lake Ladoga. The number of seals in the lake is estimated at 4000-5000 heads (according to 2000 data). The species is listed in the Red Book.
And meridians 29 ° 48 and 32 ° 58` east longitude from Grinich. With an oval shape, somewhat pointed to the north, the lake stretches almost along the meridian, in the direction of which it has the greatest length of 196.5 kilometers. The largest width of the lake is almost in the middle of its length, at the parallel of 61 ° north latitude, and between the mouths of the Vuoksa and Olonka, 124 kilometers.
To the north, the shores of the lake narrow rapidly and end in the Hien-Selke Bay, and to the south, the shores narrow slowly and end in the vast Shlisselburgsky and Volkhovsky bays, separated by a wide ledge. The length of the coastline is 1071 km., Of which 460 km., Occupying part of the western coast, from the border with the Polutorny stream to the source of the Neva, the entire southern coast and part of the eastern one to the village of Pogranichnye Konduzhi belong to Russia, the remaining 610 km. belong to Finland.
The surface of the lake, including the islands, is 15923 km2, of which 8881.1 km2 are in Russia and 7041.6 km2 in Finland, yielding in size to large lakes and America, Lake Ladoga significantly surpasses all European lakes: it is twice as large, three times as large as Venus, five times larger and ten times larger than Saimaa, not to mention the rest of Western European lakes.
Lake Ladoga serves as a receiver for an enormous amount of water, the only one of which is the abundant Neva, flowing from the south-western corner of the lake by two branches separated by Orekhov Island, and flowing into St. Petersburg. Of the tributaries directly flowing into Lake Ladoga, the following are remarkable: in the western part of the lake: the Vuoksa River, flowing from Lake Saimaa and forming the famous Imatru waterfall, flows into Lake Ladoga partly directly at Kexholm, partly across Lake Suvanto by the Taipala River; in the northern part: Gellyulya, Laskilya, Uksu, Tuloma, and Minola; in the eastern part: Vidlitsa, Tuloksa, Olonka, Obzha, Svir with Oyatya and Pasha and Voronega; in the southern part: Syas s Tikhvinka, Volkhov, Kobona, Lava, Sheldikha and Nazya. The tributaries of the Volkhov, Syas and Svir serve as the beginning of three water systems: Vyshnevolotskaya, Tikhvin and Mariinsky, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Volga basin, and each of the named rivers, together with the rest of the southern rivers, when it flows into the lake, connects or intersects with old and new bypass Ladoga canals, which stretch along the entire southern and often eastern shore of the lake, from the source of the Neva to the mouth of the Svir.
With the help of its numerous tributaries, Lake Ladoga captures, in addition to a part of Finland, St. Petersburg and Olonets, almost the entire Novgorod and some parts of the Pskov, Vitebsk, Tver and Arkhangelsk regions. The Ladoga basin encompasses an area of \u200b\u200b250 280.3 km2 Although Lake Ladoga, located between the basin and and, occupies a very advantageous position, and in terms of the vastness, depth and excellent navigable conditions itself constitutes the inland sea, its shipping and commercial and economic importance are extremely insignificant, due to the bypass of the Ladoga canals, which made the construction of sea-type vessels necessary for navigation in the lake completely superfluous.
Bay, Lake Ladoga and rocks (photo by Oleg Semenenko)
The shores of Lake Ladoga. From the mouth of the Vuoksa to the source of the Neva, the coast consists of clay and loamy sediments bordered by sandy soil, with numerous boulders. The coast is still quite elevated up to the mouth of Taipala, but further to the south a low-lying deserted coast stretches, partly sandy, partly covered with dense. The southern coast of the lake, between the source of the Neva and the mouth of the Svir, is low-lying, almost treeless and consists of clay and swampy; formed by the sediments of rivers flowing into the lake, it is bounded from the south by an elevated ridge of limestones of the Silurian system, which, in all likelihood, was once the shore of Lake Ladoga. At present, they are at a distance of 3 to 30 kilometers from it, and only near the mouth of the Svir do limestones with their rocky cliffs cut in a wedge into the lake shore, to the Storozhensky cape, forming the outskirts of a peninsula that protrudes far into the lake.
Eastern coast, from the mouth of the Svir to the lake. Karkun-lamba, at first low and partly marshy, gradually rises and consists of clay and loamy soil, which on the very coastline turns into pure sandy. The coastal area of \u200b\u200bthe north-western part of the lake is the complete opposite of the south-eastern one. Here, the shores and the adjacent ones are elevated, rocky and consist mainly of granite, partly gneiss, syenite and other crystalline rocks, as well as various kinds of marbles.
From Kexholm to the north and further to the east to Impilax, granite gradually passes from light gray and coarse-grained to bluish-gray and fine-grained, very strong and hard, then, to Pitkerando, it turns reddish, to the south of Pitkerando, granite completely disappears from the surface land, and the soil is sandy-clay, filled with boulders of various types, and granite is found only in low-lying promontories protruding into the lake, consisting of fine-grained red granite.
Islands in composition and height they correspond to the coast near which they are located. Almost all the islands in the northern part of the lake are elevated, composed mainly of granite and hard rocks, while the islands in the southern part are low-lying, partly swampy and surrounded by shoals and reefs. Due to the many islands and significant indented shores, the northern part of the lake is very rich in bays and bays closed from the winds, which are very convenient places for calm anchorage of ships, in the southern part of the lake there are almost no such places with almost everything, as a result of which there are ships here, with strong winds, forced to defend themselves in an open lake, mainly in the open and dangerous Koshkinsky roadstead.
Of the islands in the northern part of the lake, near the shores, the most remarkable are Kukosari Island, which lies at the mouth of the Vuoksa River. In Kronoberskiy Gulf: Kilpodan, Korpan and Teposari, of which the last two form the entrance to the gulf, which is a vast bay, completely calm for anchorage of ships. Sarolin Island, which forms the left bank of the Yakimvarsky Bay, 12 km. plunging into the mainland and representing a safe bay with all kinds.
Of the islands in the middle of the northern part of the lake stand out: Valaam group, consisting of 40 islands, which stretch along the parallel, at a distance of about 20 km. from the outer islands of the northern skerries. The main and largest of this group, the island of Valaam (26.2 km2), which has a very irregular shape, but with the adjacent islands of Skitsky, Predtechensky and Nikonovsky, appears in the form of an equilateral triangle. In its northwestern part, on a rock, there is the Valaam-Preobrazhensky monastery, in the depths of the bay, with a convenient pier. To the east of Valaam there are islands: Bayovye and Krestovye. To the south-west of the island: Gange-pa with a lighthouse, Muarka, Yalaya and Rahma-sari, lying almost on the same parallel. To the south are the islands: Suri Verko-sari and Voschaty or Vasia-sari. To the south of this last island lies Konevets (6.5 km2), on which the Konevsky-Rozhdestvensky monastery is located.
Lake Ladoga (photo by Dmitry Savin)
Depth Lake Ladoga is generally quite significant; distributed unevenly, depending on the height of the banks: the steeper and higher the banks adjacent to the water's edge, the deeper the depth and vice versa. From the southern low-lying coast, the depth, starting at half a meter, slowly and gradually increases; after passing the reefs and shallows protruding from this coast, it begins to increase rapidly, so that in the middle of the lake it is from 60 to 110 m, further to the north it increases to 140, and in some places reaches 200 meters. Thus, the Ladoga bottom has a very significant slope from south to north, and it consists of a number of more or less irregular ledges, on which in places there are significant hillocks and hills, in places of depressions and hollows. So, between lines of equal depths of 60 and 80 m. There are bottom elevations at which the depth is only 32 m, and in the northwestern part of the lake, between lines of equal depths of 10 and 140 m, there are depths of 200 or more. m.
Water level and current... The water level of Lake Ladoga is subject to constant fluctuations, depending on the totality of all meteorological circumstances in the entire lake basin, as a result of which the height of lake water not only in different years, but also at different times of the same year is very different. From time immemorial, the existing belief about a seven-year periodicity of changes in the water level of the lake, according to which the horizon of lake water seems to rise constantly for 7 years, and constantly decreases over the next 7 years, was completely refuted by 14-year observations. which were produced on the island of Valaam and from which there was no correctness in changing the position of the water level.
Opening and freezing... First of all, the shallow southern part of the lake is covered with thin ice, usually at the beginning of November, sometimes at the end of October, at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. This thin ice or lard is brought into the Neva by the current, on which the autumn ice drift begins, which does not last long. In the lake itself, with increasing frosts, the entire southern part of the lake is covered with ice, both at the very coastline and in the space between the reefs and shoals protruding from it. Further, to the north of the parallel of the Sukhsky lighthouse, under the influence of winds that easily break the formed ice, the lake does not freeze for a long time, and at great depths of the northern part it freezes only in December, often in January, in other years the middle of the lake remains not frozen all winter long ...
In general, the lake is covered with solid ice only in the most severe winters, while in ordinary frosts, only the outskirts, 20-30 kilometers from the coast, are covered with ice. It is rather difficult to determine whether the middle of the lake is frozen or not, due to the remoteness of the middle of the lake from the shore. Fishermen who carry out under-ice non-water fishing determine this with great accuracy along the current in the ice holes: if a current corresponding to the direction of the wind is noticed in the ice holes, then the middle of the lake remains not frozen, the absence of a current indicates that the entire lake is covered with solid ice.
The opening of Lake Ladoga, like freezing, also begins at the southern coast of the lake, usually at the end of March - the first half of April, simultaneously with the opening of the southern tributaries and warm water, which has a direct impact on the opening of the Neva, which always starts from the source, at Shlisselburg , moreover, two ice drifts occur on it: the river itself, which does not last long, and the very long Ladoga ice drift, almost never passing at once.
