Government of the Republic of Buryatia
Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Buryatia
Level Mode of Lake Baikal
Measures to counteract the negative effects of
hydropower development on fisheries
First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources
of the Republic of Buryatia
Alexandr Lbov
2015
Results of construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station
(1959)
1. Lake Baikal after the construction of the Irkutsk hydropower station is an
artificial reservoir
2. As the level of the lake increased, its water surface area has increased by
about 500 km2
3. Intra-level fluctuations of Lake Baikal increased from 82 cm to 94 cm
4. There has been a radical change in intra-flow of the Angara River, has
significantly increased the winter and decreased summer runoff
5. After the lifting of Lake Baikal to 1 m, there have been radical changes in the
landscape and biota of the Baikal shoal which stabilized only after 40 years
WHAT HAPPENS IF:
The effects arising from the level rises above 457 meters:
- Increasing the amount of electricity production in the Irkutsk hydroelectric
station;
- It starts with coastal erosion and flooding of low terraces settlements;
- There erosion canvases road and railway;
- It destroys the coastal ecosystem of the lake Baikal, where the fattening of
young fish;
- It will be completely destroyed island lake system Yarki and Lake Baikal will
increase in the north to 40-50 km and deltas river Kichera and
Verkhnaya(Upper) Angara and Verkhneangarsky rubbish will disappear;
- Flooded floodplain of the city of Irkutsk
The effects arising from the reduction below 456 m:
- Coastal ecosystem of Lake Baikal, where fattens of young fish will be
dried;
- Depleted water intakes below the dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power
station;
- Reduces the production of hydroelectric power station on the Angara
cascade;
-Reduced freight transport on the rivers Angara and Yenisei
December 5, 1996 at the 20th session of the World Heritage
Committee, held in the Mexican city of Merida, Baikal was included in
the list of Natural Heritage
Legal documents in the field
of Lake Baikal protection
- Federal Law "On Protection of Lake Baikal» № 94-FZ (1999)
- Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation
26.03.2001 № 234 "On the limiting values of the water level in Lake
Baikal in the implementation of economic and other activities"
the minimum level of the lake 456 m in TO
the maximum level of the lake - 457 m TO
2014-2015, water shortage on the lake Baikal
Useful inflow into the lake Baikal:
2014 – 1270 м3/с (68% from the norm), 2015 about 1070 м3/с (57% from the norm),
norm – 1870 м3/с (1900-2014).
Minimum inflow useful for many years (1900-2014) – 1105 м3/с (1903).
Maximum filling the reservoir in 2014 – 456,57 м ТО (01.09.2014)
Chronology of course levels of Lake Baikal in 2015:
•
01.01.2015 – 456,15 м, 20.02.2015 – 456,00 м, 26.04.2015 – 455,86 м, 05.06.2015 –
456,00 м.
• Maximum filling the reservoir in 2015 – 456,30 м (01.10.2015 г.)
456.26 м (20.10.2015)
Estimated levels of 2015-2016: the end of December 2015 г. – 456.00 м,
к 01.05.2016 – 455.60 - 455.70 м (depending on winter temperatures and inflow in
April).
In the coming years, the development of water shortage can occur in three possible
ways:
1. The continuation of extreme water shortage;
2. Soft way out of extreme water shortage;
3. The output of the extreme shortage of water in a high water content.
7
Analysis of the filling of Lake Baikal in 2010-2015
Min
level
Date of
min level
Level on
August 31
Difference
cm
Amount of
days
Filling rate
cm/day
Max
level
Date of
max level
456,06
09.05.2010
456,72
66
115
0,57
456,78
22.09.2010
456,09
30.04.2011
456,75
66
124
0,53
456,78
10.09.2011
456,04
06.05.2012
456,86
82
118
0,69
456,91
17.09.2012
456,04
03.05.2013
456,70
66
121
0,54
456,80
25.09.2013
456,12
13.04.2014
456,57
45
141
0,32
456,57
30.08.2014
456,29
43
126
0,34
456,30
14-
455,86
28.04.2015
22.09.2015
Min
level
Date of
min level
Level on
September
29
Difference
cm
Amount of
days
Filling rate
cm/day
Max
level
Date of
max level
456,06
09.05.2010
456,78
72
144
0,50
456,78
22.09.2010
456,09
30.04.2011
456,76
67
153
0,44
456,78
10.09.2011
456,04
06.05.2012
456,90
86
147
0,58
456,91
17.09.2012
456,04
03.05.2013
456,80
76
150
0,51
456,80
25.09.2013
456,12
13.04.2014
456,54
42
170
0,25
456,57
30.08.2014
456,29
43
155
0,28
456,30
14-
28.04.2015
455,86
22.09.2015
Consequences of the lake level below the critical level
on water and biological resources
- drainage and removal from circulation of the fishery waters of lake
Baikal
- the death of aquatic organisms (Baikal endemic and common
Siberian species) on the shore of the lake and the coastal system
as a result of drying out and freezing habitats
- drying of spawning the largest subpopulation May sculpin, which
plays a very important role in the trophic food chain of omul,
grayling and seals
- the destruction of coastal ecosystems of the lake Baikal, where the
fattening of young fish.
CONCLUSION: natural regime of the aquatic and semi-aquatic biota
is broken
Events of the federal program “Protection of Lake Baikal and the socio-economic
development of the Baikal natural territory for 2012-2020” in the preservation and
reproduction of valuable fish species in Lake Baikal
№
п/п
Events
1
Reconstruction of 4 hatcheries in the
Barguzinsky, Pribaikalsky, Kabansky and
Selenginsky regions of Buryatia
2
Creating a mobile complex protection of
aquatic biological resources in the lake
Baikal
3
Monitoring the number of seals
4
Carrying out the molecular genetic studies
and early diagnosis of infectious diseases
of fish
5
Testing methods and pilot sonar records
Baikal omul: estimation and forecast the
welfare of its population
Expected Result
Increasing of capacity for the
production of juveniles of valuable fish
species
1 ship, 10 boats, two UAVs
Reducing the number of environmental
offenses, the conservation of
biodiversity
The control of preservation of the gene
pool of valuable endemic species
(omul, grayling, lenok, whitefish and
trout) in Lake Baikal
The control of preservation of the gene
pool of valuable endemic species of
fish in Lake Baikal
The characteristics of the annual inflow to the lake Baikal
Hydrograph of useful inflow into Lake Baikal
Annual distribution and extreme rating of inflow into the lake Baikal for the period 1900-2015
11
Fluctuations in Lake Baikal during the entire period of
observation (m MOT)
12
The characteristics of long-term inflows to the lake Baikal
1900-1956: average annual– 1916 m3/day; minimum– 1106 m3/day (1903);
maximum– 3251 m3/day (1932).
1960-2015: average annual – 1824 m3/day, minimum – 1244 m3/day (1979),
maximum – 2848 m3/day (1973).
1900-2015: average annual – 1872 m3/day
13
The average level of the lake Baikal and the flow of the reservoir in 2015
23
Schedule of lake Baikal level regulation in 2015-2016
(scenarios inflow 1977-1978 and 1903-1904)
15
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
By the design, placing, construction, reconstruction of
hydraulic structures should be considered the options of
hydro power plants in conditions of high and low water
content.
It must be provided and taken timely measures to protect
water bodies and aquatic biological resources and other
fauna and flora.
By using of water bodies for the purpose of electricity
production should be considered the interests of other
water users and compliance with the requirements of
rational use and protection of water bodies.
Thanks for your attention