Freshwater Lakes
Chloe Wespiser and Nicole Whelpley
Home
About
Location and Climate
Aquatic Life
Interesting Facts
Interesting Facts
Lake Baikal
Baikal is the world's largest volume of fresh water
Judging based on the dimensions of the lake only (volume of 23,000 cubic km) it would be more of a sea than a lake
One-fifth of all of the the fresh eater in the world is located here at Lake Baikal
The lake has a coastline that measures 2100 km (1300 miles)
Lake Baikal has very clear water because it contains very few mineral salts
Lake Baikal is one of the clearest and purest bodies of water
From the surface of Lake Baikal, you can clearly see objects that are 130 feet below
The lake freezes over from January until May or even June
The surface temperature of the water in August is between 50 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit (10-12 degrees Celsius)
Despite the great depth of the lake, the lake is well mixed, and there is an abundance of oxygen even at the greatest depths of the waters
There are 27 islands in the lake, most of which are uninhabited
There are more than 300 streams and rivers that flow into the lake, but there is just one outlet, the Angara
More than half of the species found in the lake are unique to just Lake Baikal
The lake has a higher number of unique species than anywhere else in the world (highest biotic diversity)
The water in the lake creates a mild microclimate around its shores (climate of Lake Baikal)
Lake Baikal is also the world's most ancient freshwater lake, it originated 20-25 million years ago
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is home to the oldest know fossil reef in the world being 450-480 million years old
There are legends that there may even still be a dinosaur still in the lake, Champ
Champ, like the Loch Ness Monster, is a mysterious creature that many have claimed to see while enjoying the lake
It is unknown whether Champ is a dinosaur, plesiosaur, whale or even exists at all
Lake Champlain was founded and named in 1609 by Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer
The lake played an important role as transportation during the Revolutionary War
In the War of 1812, the lake was used for building ships out of Vergennes
Around 1945, the lake started to become a large tourist and recreational entity and is now a vital part of the surrounding communities
There are 3 bridges across Lake Champlain and 3 ferries to get across the widest parts
The lake has 81 species of fish alone and is considered one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country (listed #5)
There are 318 species of birds in Vermont that live on, near, or depend on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain has 587 miles of shoreline (thats 713 less than Lake Baikal)
There are 70 islands in the Lake, compared to the 27 in Lake Baikal (that's more than double!)
Lake Champlain provides drinking water for almost 200,000 people