Darima Tsibudeeva,

Valerii Molotov

Agency for lake Baikal water resources,

Federal Agency of water resources

Ulan-Ude

Republic of Buryatia,

Russian Federation

Seminar 16-18 November 2011 Ljubljana “Forging Targets and Solutions

for Rivers and Water Ecosystem Restoration”

WATER ISSUES AND PROBLEMS OF THE LAKE BAIKAL

AND TRANSBOUNDARY RIVER SELENGE BASINS

The lake Baikal – one of the largest, deepest lake, the greatest freshwater lake in the world – is located in

Russia, in the Republic of Buryatia

The square – 31 500 sguare km

The length – 636 km,

The width – 40 – 80 km

The depth – 1 637 m

The coastline – 2 100 km

The age – 25 million years old

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The Selenge River – the main tributary of the lake Baikal,

transboundary river, which flows from Khanghai Mountains in Mongolia

into the lake Baikal

The length – roughly 1 024 km, while in Russia – 409 km, in Mongolia – 615 km

The water catchment – 447,1 square km, while in Russia 148,1, in Mongolia – 299,0 square km

Ratio of catchment of area of the lake Baikal – 82,8%, while in Russia 27,4%, in Mongolia – 55,4%

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Russian-Mongolian cooperation are regulated Intergovernmental Agreement between

Russian Federation and Mongolia

Rational use and protection from the pollution and disappearance of water objects

Investigation and assessment of water quality

Evaluating the status of transboundary water objects

Elaboration of the Scheme of complex use and protection of water resources of Selenge river basin (Russian part)

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Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)

Main tributaries Ider, Delger, Khanui, Eg, Orkhon

Dzhida, Chikoi, Khilok, Uda

Population, thousand people 2000 2010

1 328,6 1 713,0

758,8 724,5

Density, people/square km,2010 5,7 1,8 in Mongolia

5,1 2,7 inBuryatia

Major cities Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, Erdenet

Ulan-Ude, Gusinoozersk, Zakamensk, Kyahta

GDP, million $ USA, (official course), 2000 2009

638,9 3 705,1

770,3 4 120,7 (in Buryatia)

Main sectors of economy Mining, light industry, agriculture, tourism

Industry, mining, agriculture, tourism

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Main economic activities

Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)

1. Mining – export of copper, molybdenum concentrate, fluorite concentrate, gold, coal

1.Industry (22% of GRP in 2005) – power engineering, machine-building, instrument-making, pulp and paper production, building materials production, food industry

2. Light industry –wool, leather and cashmere manufacturing

2. Mining

3. Agriculture (live-stock) – sheep, goat, cattle, horse

3.Agriculture (9,6% of GRP in 2005) – cattle-breeding and vegetable-growing

4. Tourism 4. Tourism

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Main ecological problems

Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)

The nature impact

Low precipitation, climate conditions – “White and Black Dzuds”, drought

The floods and mud-flows, climate change impacts, seasonal variations

The anthropogenic factors

Industrial wastes pollution, growing water demands for industrial and power use

Industrial wastes pollution, outdated water supply system and its inefficient operation

Mining –pollution, morphological changes, increased water use

Mining –pollution, morphological changes

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Main ecological problems

Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)

Urbanization processes, growing population, scarce wastewater treatment systems

Outdated water supply system and its inefficient operation, municipal wastes pollution

The soil erosion of plough land, decomposition processes, loss of nutrient balance, insufficient use of organic fertilizer, non-point sources

The soil degradation, reduction of biodiversity, decrease of plant-growing production, non-point sources

Deforestation, forest fires Environmentally harmful clear cutting method of forest extraction, forest fires

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Main ecological problems

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The Dzhida tungsten-molybdenum preparation plant was closed in 1996. Now it is necessary 1 560 133,86

thousands rubles for elimination of consequences of this plant activities.

This measure is included in Federal Target Program “The preservation of the Lake Baikal and socio-economic development of Baikal Nature Territory” - today 500 million rubles is given from federal budget on this purpose.

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The small river Modonkul

The small river Kyahtinka

The quality of water is characterized as “extremely dirty”.

The main source of pollution are the municipal waste-water discharges.

The building for the purification of sewage in 2012-2013 is planned at the framework of the Federal Target Program “The Preservation of the Lake Baikal and socio-economic development of Baikal Nature Territory”. The cost of building 520,655 million rubles.

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Tourism is expected one of the main sectors of economy

in Mongolia and Buryatia

Since 1995 (nineteen ninety five) the Republic of Buryatia has seen tourism growth increase. Foreign tourism for the period 2003-2005 (twenty three-twenty five) rose by 36% (thirty six) per cent. The largest resources are located in regions bordering Lake Baikal.

Today the large-scale project of Special Economic Zone is building on the shore of Lake Baikal.

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The main uses for water resources in the Selenge River Basin

Water supply for the population, industry and agriculture

Drainage water discharge

Production of mineral resources, fishing, navigation and recreation

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Delta of the Selenge river – natural filter and indicator of the real ecological status

of the lake Baikal

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Russian Federation Water Laws and Regulation

• Federal Law “On the protection of Lake Baikal” (No 94, May 1st, 1999);

• Federal Law “On the protection of environment”(No 7, January,10th,2002);

• Federal Law “Water Code of Russian Federation” (No 74, June 3rd, 2006);

“Concept of Long-Term Socio-economic Development of the Russian Federation to the year 2020”, produced by Ministry for Economic Development of the Russian Federation, adopted by Government of Russian Federation 17.11.2008 No. 1662-p;

“Water Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2020”, adopted by Government of Russian Federation 27.08.2009 No. 1235-p;

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The Regional Target Programs:

“The ecological safety of Republic of Buryatia 2009-2011 and till 2017”;

“The program of socio-economic development of Selenginski region of republic of Buryatia 2008–2012 and till 2017”;

The Republic Target program “The Clear Water of Republic of Buryatia 2009-2017”;

Measures for reconstruction of irrigated lands; The Program “Tourism and recreation in Republic of

Buryatia”; “The Scheme of complex use and protection of water

resources of Selenge river basin (Russian part)”

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Thank You for Your attention

and invite for co-operation