Lake Baikal is the world's largest and deepest freshwater lake. It is located in Eastern Siberia in the region of Irkustsk. It has approximately 12,000 sq. miles of surface area! It has an average depth of 2442 ft; at its deepest point it is nearly 5387ft! To give you an idea of just how big this mammoth is it would take the largest rivers in the world (Volga, Don, Dneper, Yenisei, Ural and Ob, Ganges and Orinoko, Amazon, Thames, Secne, Oder) nearly one year to fill the lake's basin. It would take nearly 400 years for all the rivers, streams, and brooks now flowing into Lake Baikal to fill the lake! Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the Western Hemisphere and it is only 1949 ft!
It represents 20% of the world's reserves for fresh water and contains 80% of the fresh water for the former Soviet Union. It is home to over 1700 species--2/3 of which can only be found there. It is also one of the clearest lakes on the Earth. It usually freezes in January with the ice 2-3 ft thick. It will start to thaw in May.
How awesome is that? It almost makes me want to grab a train and head up there in the middle of a Siberian winter while we're there. I know that's not going to happen, but it sounds like it is an incredible sight doesn't it?
what is wrong with blogger? I keep seeing posts from you but they don't go anywhere?
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