The lake is a closed natural reservoir. Such reservoirs are classified by volume, water balance, origin and other factors. Today we look at the list of the most fresh lakes. We will also tell interesting facts about them.
Why are the lakes fresh?
In order for a lake to form, a deepening should appear in the earth's crust as a result of a shift of tectonic plates, impact of a meteorite or glacier. There are also ponds formed in the craters of asleep volcanoes.
The water in the pond can be mineral, salty, brackish and fresh. In mineral lakes more than 25% of salt water. So, the salinity of the Dead Sea is 200-300%. It is so salty that you can bask in it in the sun, lying on the water, as if on an air mattress, and not be afraid to drown.
In salt lakes - 10-12% of salt, and in brackish - up to 8%. In fresh water, the salt content is only 1%.
Salt lakes are found mainly in arid climatic conditions. There, moisture evaporates especially intensively. In addition, the sewage lakes from which at least one river flows out are less saline. Drainless accumulate salt over the centuries of its existence. So, the Dead Sea is actually a closed lake.
Baikal - the deepest lake in the world
Baikal is one of the most unique lakes in the world, which is the deepest in the world. This largest reservoir of fresh water, located in Russia, the local population has long called the sea. Baikal is located in the northern part of Siberia and still raises many questions from scientists.
The age of the lake, according to one version, is several hundred thousand years. However, according to another, the Balkal was formed in the ice age, and its age is millions of years. The depth of the reservoir is 1642 m.
Some interesting facts about Lake Baikal that you may not have known:
- It is distinguished by the purest, almost crystal clear water. It can be drunk even without pre-treatment;
- on the coldest days of winter, when Baikal freezes, at its bottom you can see a crack that stretches 30 km along;
- the reservoir is in a seismically active area. Frequent earthquakes cause storms, during which the wave height reaches 4-5 m;
- the poetic name “lake of the sun” was obtained by the reservoir due to the largest number of sunny days that are observed on its territory.
- mystical secrets also did not pass Baikal. People often drown there, but in one of the weeks of the year the number of victims is especially high. In addition, fishermen often see mirages of past events over the waters of Lake Baikal, and luminous objects are often noticeable in the sky above the lake. Locals take them for a UFO.
Perhaps someday humanity will solve the mystery of one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world.
Great Upper Lake
Lake Superior, in North America, is part of a group of five bodies of water called the Great. They are interconnected by straits and streams and occupy a considerable area - 244 square meters. m! The most discussed among them is the Upper. This pond is the largest freshwater lake in the world, with an area of 82.5 thousand square meters. m, the greatest depth is 406 m. Even the famous Baikal is inferior to the Upper, the area of which is 31, 722 square meters. m
By the standards of our planet, the Upper is one of the youngest natural formations in the crust, since its age does not exceed 10, 000 years. For comparison: Baikal is about 25 million years old.
From December to April, the lake is completely covered with ice. In former times, a thick layer of frozen water was used by smugglers to cross the river on foot. However, in the warmer months, the water temperature in the lake does not exceed 4 degrees Celsius.
Tanganyika - the longest body of water on the planet
Tanganyika bears the title of the longest in the world among freshwater lakes. The length of its coastline is 1828 m. In volume and depth, the reservoir is second only to the majestic Baikal. Experts estimate his age at 10-12 million years. The average depth of the Tanganyika is 570 m, the maximum is 1470. Over the millions of years of its existence, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world has not dried up, so its flora and fauna have not changed during this time.
There are 200 species of fish in Tanganyika, 170 species of which live exclusively in these waters. At the same time, 90% of the lake lacks most life forms. Most of the inhabitants of the lake live in the upper layer, saturated with oxygen. Below 100 m, desert depths extend.
The surface of Lake Tanganyika is larger in area than Belgium.
When in 1600 the first European researchers visited the reservoir, they discovered sturgeons 2.7 meters long and a pike, which reached 2 meters in length. Today, the main wealth of the reservoir is fish, of which there are 90 species.
Horror Tanganyiki
The picturesque banks of the reservoir are a haven for many animals. One of the most interesting and terrifying inhabitants is the crocodile Gustav, elevated by the local population to the status of a deity. According to local traditions, he accounted for more than three hundred casualties. Perhaps more, since the crocodile is often enjoyed by local sailors.
At the same time, any attempts to catch a seventy-year-old cannibal remain in vain. Attempts by hunters end in human casualties and a night snack for Gustav. Even bullets cannot take it, as evidenced by the numerous traces of them on the scales of a crocodile.
Gustav is probably the largest crocodile in the world. One can only guess about its length from photographs, but it has been established that it reaches 7 m. Today, Gustav is already more than 70 years old, he continues to grow and terrify the local population. Africans consider him the devil, which is impossible to kill.
Titicaca - "Mountain Puma"
Titicaca is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, located in South America. The area of the reservoir is 3872 sq km, the maximum depth is 281 m. The reservoir is located at an altitude of 3812 m above sea level and is incredibly beautiful.
Its unusual name for our ears consists of two words of Spanish origin and translates as “mountain cougar”. The name is due to the location of the reservoir, which is located in the Andes, on the border of Peru with Bolivia. On the surface of the lake there are more than 40 islands, on some of them the leaders of the Inca tribes are buried.
The lake was probably formed over a hundred million years ago. The age of the reservoir is evidenced by the petrified remains of animals that were found on its shores, as well as the diverse flora and fauna. In Titicaca, there are crustaceans, fish and even sharks. Once the lake was a bay, which as a result of one of the natural disasters turned into a lake and rose along with the Andes. The latter continues to grow today.
The ancient city of the Aztecs at the bottom of the pond
It is known that the ancient city, which is more than 1500 years old, is buried at the bottom of Titikaki. As a result of lengthy excavations, archaeologists have found numerous artifacts - dishes, sculptures, and even parts of stone structures. Scientists believe that they discovered the remains of the Inca civilization - Tiwanaku. It is likely that a powerful earthquake or flood destroyed the city, burying local residents under layers of destroyed structures and water column.
Lake Ladoga - the largest in Europe
Lake Ladoga is located in the Republic of Karelia and covers an area of 17, 700 square meters. km This is the largest freshwater lake in Europe with picturesque shores and a maximum depth of 233 m in the northern part. It is noteworthy that in the southern part the depth of the reservoir does not exceed 70 m.
Scientists still can not explain such a sharp change in depth. Perhaps, according to scientist Valery Yurkovitsa, the cause of the formation of the lake was the fall of a meteorite, which formed the deep-water part of the reservoir 40 thousand years ago.
Lake Ladoga arose as a result of a meteorite impact, which formed a crater and became a deep-water part of the reservoir. There are 660 islets on the lake; there is also an incredibly rich fauna and flora.
Some interesting facts about Lake Ladoga:
- in ancient times, the Scandinavians and the Slavs called the reservoir a sea because of its large size;
- One of the most interesting secrets of the lake is the so-called barrantids. These are sounds of incomprehensible origin, which often occur in the depths, scaring the local population;
- in addition, in the lake, according to the testimony of many eyewitnesses, the Ladoga monster resembles the famous Nessie;
- only one river flows from Lake Ladoga - the Neva, but it belongs to the deepest rivers in Europe due to the voluminous catchment of the reservoir;
- the water temperature in the lake does not exceed 14 degrees Celsius. Only its southern part warms up to +24 in the warm months. The remaining sections of the lake are unsuitable for swimming.
