Large rivers and lakes of Kamchatka. South Kamchatka Nature Reserve - a world of brown bears and salmon pandemonium

The Kamchatka Peninsula owes its mountainous volcanic relief to a turbulent geological past, when it sank into the ocean and then rose above it again. The activity has not disappeared to this day: seismic stations record up to 800 earthquakes a year, and three dozen volcanoes (out of three hundred in total) remind themselves from time to time with powerful (and not so powerful) eruptions.

In the basin of one of the long-extinct Kamchatka volcanoes (caldera), lies the picturesque Kuril Lake. This is the second largest freshwater body of water in Kamchatka: 77 sq. kilometers (larger is only Kronotskoe Lake with an area of 242 sq. kilometers). His average depth is estimated at 195 meters, and the maximum reaches 316 meters.

Kuril Lake is located on the territory of the South Kamchatka Nature Reserve, included in the List world heritage UNESCO, at an altitude of 104 meters above sea level. Its surface is decorated with islands of volcanic origin: Chayachy, Nizkiy, Heart of Alaid and the Samang archipelago: domes made of lava up to 300 meters high.

Adjacent to the northeastern part of the reservoir is the active 1578-meter Ilyinsky volcano with an ideal conical shape. Its lava flows descend directly into the lake, forming several bays. And the western coast is framed by the Wild Ridge ridge with its highest elevation of 1080 meters. In calm, clear weather, volcanoes, as if in a mirror, are reflected on the surface of the lake, creating fantastically beautiful landscapes.

The lake is fed by snow and rain, with water levels fluctuating up to 1.3 meters (maximum in May/June, minimum in April). The average water temperature off the coast is about +7.6°C, while the water has never warmed above +10.8°C in the entire history of observations of this Kamchatka landmark. However, on the shores of this reservoir there are many hot springs, up to +45°C.

In winter, an unparalleled concentration of large birds of prey gathers here: 300-700 Steller's sea eagles, 100-150 white-tailed eagles, 50 golden eagles. Once on the lake they observed the arrival of a bald eagle - a rare bird whose species is on the verge of extinction. And even such an ordinary bird as the slaty gull is represented here in record numbers: more than 1.5 thousand pairs.

Kuril Lake is the largest spawning ground for sockeye salmon (Pacific salmon) in Eurasia. Many rivers and streams flow into the lake, but only one river flows out, Ozernaya. When the fish goes up against the flow of the river, the water in it literally boils. Salmon numbers range from 2 million to 6 million!

Another unique feature of Kuril Lake is the long spawning period of sockeye salmon: from June to March. Both of these factors attract many brown bears to the shores of the reservoir. Under normal conditions, clubfoots avoid each other, but during salmon spawning they gather together near the lake. Up to 20 individuals can be observed here at the same time, and they are so keen on fishing that they do not pay attention not only to their relatives, but also to people.

However, tourists are not allowed close here, and you can admire the fishing bears from the territory of the excursion camp and observation towers. Well, or with the help of our panoramas!

And the story about another amazing trip to Kamchatka will consist mainly of an emotional essay by the producer and wonderful muse of our team - Alina Trigubenko, who has already participated in Airpano projects, for example, in Hong Kong, and my comments on it.

Well, Stas and I fell in love with Kamchatka right away, even while filming the eruption of the Tolbachik volcano in December 2012. Nature, people, and even the frost - minus 25 degrees: everything around us was somehow friendly and sincere. Therefore, the thought of returning there haunted me. When, in early August, the phone rang and the woman’s voice on the phone said: “They are bothering you from the Kronotsky Nature Reserve,” it was an opportunity that could not be missed.

The “season for tourists” in Kamachatka is very short: July-August-September. The most “delicious” thing is the autumn colors at the very end. This is exactly the time we dreamed of catching. A month of negotiations, phone calls and approvals... Finally, tickets were purchased, 2 days before departure!

Alina Trigubenko: The expedition to Kamchatka began with an arrival in Elizovo, a small Far Eastern town. On the walls of some houses there is metal cladding in order to protect the buildings from the violence of the elements.

A thought immediately popped into my head; or rather, even hope - what if the weather is already preparing another surprise that will take us by surprise during filming? So powerful, so cinematic.

Surprisingly, contrary to my stereotypical expectations, it was very warm in Kamchatka in early September. Much warmer than in rainy Moscow.

Upon arrival, we, still sleepy, were immediately taken to meet the director of the reserve, Tikhon Igorevich Shpilenok; explained the tasks, signed the papers and immediately sent us on a sightseeing trip to Petropavlovsk (this is the only way to enter local time- don’t sleep until their, Kamchatsky’s, evening). And so as not to relax, we scheduled a flight for the next morning: to the bears, to Kuril Lake.

AT: Our film crew was incredibly lucky - we had the lucky opportunity to spend the night at the Grassy cordon. There, an impudent fox willingly posed for us, tempted by easy prey in the form of human food, and in the mornings he was on duty at the door of the kitchen, where I prepared food for our men. The rivers surrounding Travyanoy are literally a den of bears!
Only a small electric fence separated us from these seemingly dangerous and huge creatures. But he fulfilled his role: touching the stretched wire with his wet nose, the animal received sufficient rebuff.

Although there was a case when precautions seemed like a hindrance to a person. A few years ago, a famous Japanese photographer came to the cordon and decided not to embarrass himself and his communication with wildlife with a guest house at the cordon: he set up a tent outside. The bear did not miss his chance, and the incident turned out to be tragic.

But in general, according to the inspector Konstantin accompanying us, it is more necessary to protect animals from people than people from animals. Of course, we went to each shoot with a full set of protective equipment, but the inspector’s main weapon was knowledge of the psychology of the bear, its habits, habits, and tastes. It turns out that if you don't provoke them, bears are not aggressive. Four bipedal bipeds with an unknown flying and filming object cannot compete for his attention with a juicy fish, for which you just have to stretch out your paw. During spawning there are millions of delicious sockeye salmon, full of caviar and the desire to die. It sounds creepy, but it’s true - sockeye salmon dies after spawning, literally providing its offspring with all the necessary microelements!

We managed to film bears fishing, islands, and the most interesting cliffs of Kutkhina Bata in good sunshine, but on the day of departure it started to rain. The AirPano team is lucky!

It was a pity to leave Kuril Lake: where else can you find yourself surrounded by 10 real bears, walking at a distance of several meters, who do not care about our presence? (Perhaps this is how the inspector’s gaze affected them?) This is an incomparable sensation. On the way back, the helicopter made a stop at the Khodutka hot springs, but instead of plunging into the 40-degree healing water, chose to do the shooting. If we talk about Kamchatka, then with all the details!

AT: Next stop was the Valley of Geysers. Truly amazing place- one of 5 such places on the planet and the only one on our continent. During a powerful landslide in 2007, some of the geysers were under water, but no one was injured: the mudflow stopped a meter from the house in which there were people. The panorama of the Valley clearly shows the scale of the disaster.

Fortunately, many geysers survived, and over time, the water in the lake acquired an emerald color, and it became another attraction of the Valley. The first day of shooting was amazing. By the second morning we had already gotten used to it, and we wanted to shoot a 360 video of one of the geysers - “Bolshoi” in all its glory: a column of water reaching 12 meters in height, clouds of steam...

AT: When we were trying to film an erupting geyser from above, our helicopter was hit by a powerful jet of steam, it lost control and crashed at an impressive speed into an earthen wall on the opposite bank. Our pilot Stas had to go on an expedition to rescue equipment: first become a rock climber, then dive into the muddy water of the lake, where hidden hot springs awaited him. All parts of the filming apparatus were assembled, and Stas escaped with a slight burn to his heel.

I would like to talk more about the filming, but it so happened that another natural disaster took us by surprise, and we found ourselves blocked in the Valley of Geysers with virtually no food supplies and no communication.

AT: A powerful cyclone came, which previously killed dozens of people in Japan; our wooden “guest house” was shaking from the gusts of wind. The rain did not stop for three days. By a fantastically lucky coincidence, just before the cyclone, a helicopter with a group of wealthy tourists and a large supply of food landed in the Valley. Moreover, they brought a professional chef with them! Thanks to Dmitry, who fed us homemade sweets after our film crew shared the last chocolate bar. And when, by the fourth day, their food supplies had melted, we proudly contributed with a bag of oatmeal.

On the fifth day, the cyclone disappeared, and with it, as it turned out, three meters of water in the lake! Our team, naturally, was the first to photograph this federal event and fly around the shallow lake with a video camera. We were the lucky ones who saw and, of course, filmed how several geysers, previously hidden under water, started working. How a geyser bursts into life from under layers of mud: it literally tears apart matter and sweeps away everything in the path of a powerful stream of boiling water! The spectacle is fantastic.

Yes, the sky cleared, helicopters with tourists began to arrive, Alina flew away mainland, and Stas and I headed to the Uzon caldera.

Uzon greeted us with a riot of colors: yellow birches, red blueberry and lingonberry bushes, green spruce trees, the blue color of thermal lakes... Without exaggeration, one of most beautiful places on the planet, especially when viewed from the air.

It was there that the Soviet science fiction film “Sannikov Land” was filmed.

Everywhere you look, everything around is boiling, gurgling, smoking: the underground kitchen works continuously. Boiling mud volcanoes of different colors, jets of steam escaping to the surface, hot streams and lakes... This is probably what our planet was like at the beginning of its formation.

Returning from another shoot, Stas noticed a large bear picking blueberries, about thirty meters from the path. The beast didn't even bat an ear when we passed by. I rushed into the hut to get the TV. No, people did not come into his field of attention - eating berries for the hibernation season was much more important than reacting to a person with a tripod. Later, inspectors warned that such calm was deceptive. “Two jumps,” they rated my photo.

Days in the Uzon caldera flew by unnoticed. According to forecasts, another bad weather was approaching, and we could also be “stuck” for several days, like in the Valley of Geysers. We decided not to tempt fate, but to fly to Petropavlovsk on the first plane...

“Bear Region, Kuril Lake, Kamchatka” is part of a trilogy of virtual tours dedicated to photographing Kamchatka landscapes from the air. Other tours from the series of Kamchatka panoramas: “” and “”.

The AirPano team thanks the Russian Geographical Society for financial support during the creation virtual tour, as well as the administration of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve” and personally the director Shpilenok Tikhon Igorevich for the ideal organization of the filming process, warmth and care for our film crew.

Among the many bodies of water that our planet is rich in, Kuril Lake especially stands out for its pristine beauty. This is one of the main natural objects Kamchatka region, which is of great importance for scientific and educational tasks.

Description

Lake Kurilskoe is the second largest among all freshwater bodies of water located in Kamchatka. Its area is 77 square kilometers, and its greatest depth reaches 306 meters. The lake is filled with numerous streams and mountain rivers flowing into it from the surrounding hills. Water supplies are replenished by rain and snow. The highest water level is observed in June, the lowest in April. Its average temperature ranges from 7.8 to 10.6°C.

One of the shores of the lake is decorated with the cone of the Ilyinsky volcano, and on the opposite is Kambalnaya Sopka. Weather in this climate zone cannot be called favorable. They are unstable. Thaws, accompanied by snowfalls, give way to frosts when the thermometer drops to 20 degrees below zero. Quite often strong winds are observed in the lake area, the speed of which reaches more than 30 meters per second.

Where is Kuril Lake located?

Despite its name, it is picturesque lake is not located in the Kuril Islands at all. It is located in the southern part of the land of which belongs to the South Kamchatka Federal Reserve. A lake formed in the basin extinct volcano, height above sea level - 104 meters. It is hidden among wild rocky shores and bushes, so it can only be reached by helicopter.

Origin

According to experts, this unique reservoir was formed more than 8 thousand years ago. The origin of Kuril Lake is associated with a beautiful legend, which tells that a huge mountain formerly rose in this place, blocking the sun for the nearest neighboring mountains. This caused quarrels and resentment on their part. As a result high mountain, tired of the strife, went to sea. And in its place a lake appeared.

Scientists have found out the true reason for the formation of this unique reservoir. Powerful eruptions The volcanoes that occurred in this place during the Holocene era devastated the volcanic depths and formed a basin, the depth of which exceeded 300 meters. Gradually, over millions of years, this caldera filled with water, and the Kuril Islands were formed, the origin of which is confirmed by pumice deposits up to 150 meters thick.

Features and attractions

The most unique phenomenon on Kuril Lake is the spawning of sockeye salmon, which lasts from April-May until October. The only outflowing river, Ozernaya, along which the largest herds of salmon in Eurasia move upstream, is literally teeming with fish. Sometimes up to 6 million spawners enter the lake. All this attracts many brown bears here. Avoiding each other under normal conditions, they are so passionate about fishing that they do not pay any attention to their relatives at this moment. In one place, up to 20 bears can feast on fish at the same time.

The nature near Kuril Lake is simply fantastic. Just like many lakes Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and Kamchatka, it attracts a huge number of tourists with its beauty. The real highlight is the active Ilyinsky volcano, whose height is 1578 meters. Particularly noteworthy is its shape in the form of a regular cone, as well as young lava flows descending directly into the lake.

Main rivers

Several small rivers flow into the lake. Among them are Etamynk (18 km), Khakytsyn (24 km), as well as Kirushtuk and Vychenkiya. The water in these rivers is unusually clean and transparent, as it flows from high-mountain sources formed as a result of melting snow. During the spawning period of sockeye salmon, mother bears and cubs gather near the mouth for fishing. Adult males fish a little higher upstream, where the channel is narrower. Along the banks of the rivers flowing into Kuril Lake there are dense and impenetrable forests. Here you can only move along bear trails.

The only river that originates from Kuril Lake is Ozernaya, which flows into Its length is 62 kilometers, and the width closer to the mouth can reach up to 100 meters. Grayling, kuja, and nine-spined stickleback are constantly found in Ozernaya; chum salmon, pink salmon, sockeye salmon, and coho salmon spawn. The river is fed by 18 tributaries.

Vegetable world

The flora of the South Kamchatka Nature Reserve, where Kuril Lake is located, is simply unique. On the shore, a fern rises as tall as a man. It emits an intoxicating aroma that makes your head spin. There are 380 species of different plants here. Some of them grow only in this region. In the lake basin, large areas are occupied by sparse thickets of stone birch in combination with Kamchatka forbs. There are also alder, willow, and cedar.

Animal world

Countless herds of sockeye salmon, rising into the lake during spawning, lure the surrounding bears to the shores. By the end of summer, up to two hundred of them gather here. Bears are real gourmets. They are only interested in caviar in fish. They throw the gutted remains right on the shore. They are instantly collected by foxes waiting for their turn. Red-haired cheats do not bother themselves with hunting. They know very well that their patience will be rewarded.

The largest population of brown bears inhabits the territory where Kuril Lake is located. Kamchatka is a place where you can safely observe these animals. Being under the protection of the reserve, the bears are very trusting and are not at all afraid of humans. However, tourists are not allowed to approach them.

The largest colony of slaty gulls inhabits the islands located in the center of Kuril Lake. Its number reaches 2.5 thousand pairs. Closer to winter, birds of prey - the Steller's golden eagle - gather here. Whooper swans and ducks spend the winter on the non-freezing water surface. For all these birds, the main food is sockeye salmon and its caviar.

Islands

The volcanic eruption, which is associated with the origin of the Kuril Lake basin, contributed to the formation of several islands that decorate the water surface today. The names of some of them are associated with legends. Thus, the rocky island Heart of Alaid, located in the southern part of the lake, appeared, according to legend, after a high mountain that went into the sea left its heart in the lake. The trail left by the mountain later became the bed of the Ozernaya River.

From a geological point of view, the Heart of Alaid, as well as other islands of the Kuril Lake (Nizkiy, Chayachy, Samang archipelago) are of volcanic origin. Their domes, created from lava, reach a height of up to 300 meters. Most northern island formerly it was also called Alaid (named after the volcano located on it), then it was renamed Atlasov Island. Alaid Volcano is the most active in the archipelago; its last eruption was recorded in 1996. This highest point Kuril ridge, the top of the volcano is at an altitude of 2339 meters.

Heart Alaid and Chayachy are islands, the inaccessibility of which makes these places convenient for breeding. But since there is not always enough food in the lake, you can often observe a picture when gulls fly 40 km to the Sea of Okhotsk. There, at the fish processing plant, they collect waste from fish production and return back, regurgitating the semi-digested food they brought into the beaks of the chicks.

Hot Springs

This is another one of the main attractions of Kuril Lake. The springs are located on the shore in Teplya Bay, which was formed due to lava flows that descended from the volcano. They are small streams of water with a temperature of 35-45⁰C.

Kuril Lake is a real natural monument. The South Kamchatka Nature Reserve, on the territory of which it is located, is included in the list of the World Natural and cultural heritage UNESCO.

Lake, called Kurilsky, is the third largest lake in the list of lakes in Kamchatka and ranks second in size among fresh water lakes (Kronotsky Lake takes the lead).

The lake is the largest spawning ground for sockeye salmon in the Eurasian region. There is an assumption that there is no larger spawning ground for this fish in the whole world. Salmon arriving here are counted by employees of the TINRO observation station. Its workers also pay attention to the offspring of sockeye salmon. The station is located in the western part of the coast of the reservoir. Among the frequent guests of the lakeside area are brown bears.

The South Kamchatka Federal Reserve, to which the reservoir belongs, along with the state Kronotsky Reserve, is a Natural Heritage Site, noted by UNESCO together with the volcanoes of the Kamchatka Peninsula (1996).

Geographical features

Water supplies are replenished by rain and snow. The average depth of the reservoir is 195 meters, and the maximum is 316. Fluctuations in the water level reach 1.3 meters, the highest level is observed in May-June, the lowest is recorded in April.

The lake covers approximately 77 km². The crater Kuril Lake in Kamchatka formed in a large caldera in the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, where the lands are managed by the South Kamchatka Federal Nature Reserve.

Nearby, in the northeastern part, there is a volcano - Ilyinskaya Hill. There are some islands near the reservoir, including Chayachy, Serdtse, Nizkiy, Glinyany, and Samang. These are the largest, in particular the latter occupies 0.66 square meters. km. The shores are formed by two capes - Tugumynk (in the southern part) and Pulomynk (in the northwestern part). In the eastern part of the reservoir, where Teplaya Bay is located, there are hot mineral springs.

Khakytsyn and Etamynk, Vychenkiya and Kirushtuk are the names of streams and rivers whose beds flow into the Kuril reservoir. And the Ozernaya river flow originates from here, and then in the west it connects with the Sea of Okhotsk.

Bears on Kuril Lake

Many tourists go here precisely to observe bears with their own eyes. Their number in the reservoir is 200-250 individuals. There are adult representatives and cubs. Brown bears on this lake are quite trusting and friendly. They have a lot of food - fish are found in huge quantities, and they should not be afraid of people, because the territory is protected, like all its inhabitants. The largest number of brown bears is observed here in August. They fish, relax, play - an incredible sight, considering that all this happens in the wild.

Kuril Lake is the most bearish place in Kamchatka. Although in Russia these animals are found in almost all regions with the exception of the southern regions. You can observe the life of bears literally ten meters away from them.

However, you should be careful with wild animals. Typically, groups of tourists are accompanied by guards with weapons for safety of movement.

Weather on Kuril Lake

Kamchatka is a cold region. The tourist months here are July and August. Even in May-June it can still be cold, and in September cold days and sometimes frosts already begin. The weather on Kuril Lake is very unpredictable. Winds, rains and high clouds often prevent tourists from coming here. Almost everyone gets there by helicopter, so sunny and clear weather is the main condition for visiting the bear region. Sometimes you can wait weeks for the weather to be good enough.

The lake is too cold for swimming. Average water temperatures are 7.6 °C, with a maximum of 10.8 °C. Therefore, people come here to enjoy nature and wild animals, and choose hot springs for swimming.

Flora and fauna

Kuril Lake belongs to the only federal reserve in Kamchatka. Volunteers and workers keep order here very strictly. The main task is to preserve the population of rare animals and birds, nature. Brown bears, bighorn sheep, Steller's sea eagles, spotted spotted seals, Kamchatka beavers, sea otters, anthura seals, and bean goats are protected.

There are also Kamchatka sable, reindeer, gyrfalcon, capercaillie, Kamchatka marmot, wolf, fox, ermine, weasel, wolverine, otter, hare, muskrat, newt, Siberian salamander, golden eagle, and white-tailed eagle.

The flora in Kamchatka is also rich - 380 species of herbs, shrubs and trees grow in the reserve. The most common forests are cedar and alder, and near rivers - willow.

Tours to Kuril Lake in Kamchatka

Tour groups meet on the lake almost always. Therefore, the infrastructure has already been developed here. Here you can have lunch and buy souvenirs. All excursions to the reservoir include a boat ride and a visit to the island.

Helicopter tours include several landings in different places, so the traveler will visit not only Kuril Lake. Hot springs are usually included in the tour as well.

The helicopter tour will allow you to enjoy the unique landscape and water monuments of Kamchatka, which are located near the Kuril Lake:

Volcano Ilyinsky called a hill, it is dormant and has a height of 1577 meters above sea level, a diameter of 8 kilometers. Last eruption happened in 1901. Located next to Kuril Lake. Nearby is Zheltovskaya Sopka.
Island "Heart of Alaid"- the most famous on the reservoir. Legends are associated with him. The island is located opposite the Ozernaya River and has a cone-shaped shape.
Khodutkinsky hot springs with fresh water are located near the Khodutka volcano in the Elizovsky region. They are located on an area of 0.3 km². There are 22 springs in total, and the hottest of them has a temperature of 88 °C. Swimming in them is good for health and will give you unforgettable emotions.
Caldera of the Ksudach volcano- a grandiose basin of volcanic origin that arose after the collapse of the crater walls. It consists of two stages with a drop of about 200 meters. A similar volcano, Ozernoy, is located nearby.

Price helicopter tour with a group is 30-40 thousand rubles. This type of tour will take only 6-8 hours in time, but will be the most productive, since the most interesting places on the Kamchatka Peninsula are inaccessible to humans.

How to get to Kuril Lake

The best option is helicopter. There are a few travel companies who organize such excursions. Their cost varies from 30,000 to 40,000 rubles.

Jeep tours also developed in Kamchatka. For example, car excursions in jeeps are also organized to Kuril Lake. The duration of the trip is about 5 days, the distance is long, you can see river valleys, forests, almost untrodden paths, enjoying nature, living in tents. The cost of such tours is also high due to the distance of the trip and amounts to at least 80,000 rubles per person.

On your own car It will not be possible to get to the lake; it is located too far from cities and the highway. However, excursion jeeps head here off-road. Urals, Kamazs, Zils and Gazys also go there for fresh fish, but due to their weight and frequent rains, the only non-paved road is very washed out. The second point is that you need to overcome deep rivers. Ferries operate here, but only in good weather. The route passes through Ust-Bolsheretsk, the Pauzhetka River valley, the border of the South Kamchatka Nature Reserve from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

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Introduction

3. Water resource protection

Conclusion

Introduction

Lake Kurilskoye is a natural monument, which is located in the area of the South Kamchatka Federal Reserve, and has been included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List since 1996.

Kuril Lake occupies a large basin with a depth of about 300 m, the height above sea level is 103 m. It is the third largest among all lakes in Kamchatka and the second among freshwater lakes, second only to Kronotsky.

The picturesqueness of the lake, above which the Ilyinsky volcano rises on one side and the Wild Ridge on the other, is enhanced by rocky capes and several islands jutting into it.

At the source of the Ozernaya River from the lake there is an observation station called TINRO, which records the salmon that come here to spawn.

Several rivers flow into the lake. The sources of one of them go to the Kambalny volcano, the river washes out and brings a lot of pieces of pumice to the lake.

Teplaya Bay is located southwest of the Ilyinsky volcano. Its shore is dotted with outlets of mineral hot waters. They warm the water in the bay itself.

Kuril Lake is a nature reserve and at the same time a natural monument of a zoological nature.

1. Physiographical sketch

Lake Kurilskoye, one of the largest lakes Kamchatka Peninsula, located at an altitude of 104 m above sea level in the south of the peninsula, 60 km from Cape Lopatka, 14 km from the coast Pacific Ocean and 32 km from the coast Sea of Okhotsk. Located in the river basin. Ozernoy and gives rise to this river. The morphological and hydrological characteristics of the lake were assessed and clarified repeatedly throughout the entire period of its research (Derzhavin 1916, Krokhin, Krogius 1937, Ponomarev and others). By latest version(Nikolaev, Nikolaeva, 1991), lake. Kurilskoe has the following characteristics: area - 77.05 square meters. km, volume - 15,042 cubic meters. km, maximum depth - 316.0 m, average depth - 195.2 m, catchment area - 392.0 sq. km, the period of complete water change in the catchment is 18 years, the littoral area (depth 0-5 m) is 1.0%, the average transparency in summer is 10.0 m. Powered by snow and rain.

Phytoplankton of the lake Kurilsky has been studied for many years (Vorokhnin, 1937, Nosova, 1968, Lepskaya, 1988, 2002). According to the latest published data (Lepskaya et al., 2003) on the composition of phytoplankton in the deep-water part of the lake, 59 species and intraspecific taxa have been identified.

Lake Kurilskoe is a crater. Born from a powerful volcanic explosion, filled with snow and rain water, framed by volcanoes. Once upon a time, lava flows of the Ilyinsky stratovolcano flowed directly into the lake, creating picturesque bays. Mountains approach the lake closely from almost all sides: from the west, the lava-extrusive massif Dikiy Greben, over 1000 m high, approaches the lake itself; from the north-west and north - the spurs of the Golyginskaya peak, from the north-east lava flows of the andesite-basalt volcano Ilyinskaya Sopka (1576 m) descend to the lake; from the east and southeast, the lake basin is surrounded by low-mountain relief formed by volcanic-sedimentary rocks of different ages. In the south, the mountains retreat 5-6 km. Here, directly adjacent to the lake is a plain composed of river sediments that formed the most significant tributaries of Lake Kuril: the rivers Gavryushka, Kirushutk, Khakytsin and Etamynk. From the south, this plain is limited by the spurs of the Kambalnaya and Kosheleva hills].

The lake has a round shape, slightly elongated in the meridional direction, predominantly steep shores with a number of terraces and weak ruggedness coastline. The threshold, located at a depth of 150 m, divides the lake basin into two parts - northern and southern. Northern part, called the Northern Bay, reaches a depth of 200 m. The depression in the southern part has very steep stepped slopes, quickly descending to a depth of 300 m, and a flat bottom.

25 rivers and streams flow into the lake. Only one river, Ozernaya, flows through the trench on the western side of the lake. Evaporation makes the smallest contribution to the water balance of the lake. The lake belongs to reservoirs with slow water exchange; The time for complete water exchange is, on average, 17.4 years.

In the northeastern part of Lake Kurilskoye there are three outlets of geothermal waters to the surface, located at the water's edge and confined to the foot of the Ilyinsky volcano. The water temperature in these springs reaches 35-40°C.

The waters of Lake Kurilskoe in summer are characterized by a very low content of mineral phosphorus and a high content of mineral nitrogen and silicon.

The active Ilyinsky stratovolcano adjoins the northeastern part of the lake. The youngest lava flows of this volcano descend directly into the lake.

2. Economic use

This feeding and spawning lake is the most economically important body of water on the entire Asian coast of the North Pacific. When the fish goes to spawn at the mouth of the lake river, it is caught. Types of fish living in the lake: Pink salmon, Sockeye salmon, Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, Three-spined stickleback, Nine-spined stickleback. The scarlet waters are always churning with an abundance of fish. In August-September, up to 5 million sockeye salmon come to spawn in the Kuril Lake.

Kuril Lake in Kamchatka is an exceptionally beautiful place where you can see the unique spectacle of Kamchatka bears hunting salmon going to spawn. It is here, on Lake Kuril, that the largest population of brown bears and the largest spawning ground for sockeye salmon on the peninsula are located. The abundance of sockeye salmon for such a long time is the most important feature natural complex of the lake. There is no more convenient model in Kamchatka for studying the ecosystems of salmon spawning grounds.

In terms of economic use, this lake is a very important object on the peninsula. The reservoir is an important base for organizing a highly productive fishery for industrial breeding and cultivation of a variety of valuable fish to supply the population in live and fresh form.

In addition to being a source of large quantities of fish, the lake is also tourist area. Although the lake is located in the State Nature Reserve, excursions and hikes are conducted there along special trails in order to affect the wildlife of this truly unique place as little as possible.

3. Water resource protection

Kuril Lake is located in the State Nature Reserve of federal significance "South Kamchatka". The South Kamchatka Nature Reserve is the only federal nature reserve in Kamchatka. It is part of Kronotsky state reserve and unites the lands in the extreme south of the peninsula, including a three-mile zone of the Pacific Ocean. The real owners of these places are birds and animals, sea and land. In official language, the reserve is engaged in the preservation of the natural complexes of the south of Kamchatka, including the ecosystem of the Kuril Lake basin, ensuring the protection of mass migration routes of migratory birds, preserving the populations of the sea otter (sea otter), bighorn sheep and brown bear. The core of the reserve is Kuril Lake. In December 1996, the South Kamchatka Nature Reserve was included in the UNESCO List of World Natural Heritage Sites as part of the “Volcanoes of Kamchatka” nomination. The purpose of creating the reserve is to preserve and study the natural course of natural processes and phenomena, the genetic fund of flora and fauna, individual species and communities of plants and animals, typical and unique ecological systems of the southern Kuril Islands. The natural complexes of the reserve are unique and have no analogues in the world.

You can only enter the territory of the reserve if accompanied by inspectors who are responsible for the safety of visitors, and the area reserved for camping at the source of the Ozernaya River, protected from uninvited four-legged guests by a special fence.

On the banks there are also monuments of human history: sites and burial mounds of the mysterious Ainu people, also called Kurilians, discovered by archaeologists.

Kuril Lake Kamchatka phytoplankton

Conclusion

The lake has no prospects for development as a fishing site yet, since it is under protection, but in the future it will develop as a cultural object and attraction of the Kamchatka Territory.

List of sources used

1. Guseva N.R. South Kamchatka State nature reserve// Kamchatka - 2002 - No. 12

2. Dobrovolsky V.V. Geology: textbook / V.V. Dobrovolsky - M.: Humanit. ed. VLADOS center, 2001. - 320 p.

3. Krasheninnikov, S.P. Description of the land of Kamchatka: 2 vols. /S. P. Krasheninnikov; Ross. Academy of Sciences, 1755

4. Yakusheva A.F., Khain V.E., Slavin V.I. General geology. M.: Moscow State University. 1988. 591 p.

5. V.F. Bugaev, V.E. Kirichenko Feeding and spawning lakes of Asian sockeye salmon 2008. - 280 s

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Kambalnoye Lake

Lake Kambalnoye is located on the territory of the South Kamchatka Nature Reserve and year after year attracts numerous tourists, lovers of harsh and wildlife. This is due to the fact that fog prevails on the lake, which gives it a unique flavor. The lake also attracts the attention of nature lovers; it is small in size and surrounded by hills on all sides, and grizzly bears are a frequent visitor to its shores. Interesting excursions, pristine nature and unforgettable landscapes - all this will leave an indelible impression on guests of the Kamchatka Territory.

Sarannoye Lake

Lake Sarannoe is located on Bering Island in the Aleutian region of the Kamchatka Territory. The lake is of lagoonal origin and was formerly a seabed. The reservoir is connected to the ocean through a small river, thereby serving as the largest spawning ground for sockeye salmon in this region. The lake itself is rich in salmon fish during the spawning season; on the shores you can find blue fox and a huge field of blooming irises, but in the reservoir itself there is almost no plant life. Sarannoe Lake is surrounded by a ring of hills, and the fact that there are many small lakes and streams nearby makes it an attractive place to visit for anyone traveling in Kamchatka.

Lake Costacan

Lake Kostakan, located in the Kamchatka Territory, is a freshwater body of volcanic origin. It is located near the Bakening volcano and is part of a ring of lakes of this type around it. Since 1998, this place has been a natural monument; many tourists come to see the unique landscapes around the lake. In the area there are many berry fields of lingonberries, honeysuckle, and blueberries; the most common animals are bears, and the most common fish are char. In the summer, you can get to the lake by horseback!

Nachikinskoye Lake

Lake Nachikinskoye, located in one of the most lacustrine regions of Russia, Kamchatka. Being big enough alpine lake, it is of glacial origin, and the formation of its familiar image occurred with the participation of an ash eruption. The lake is very popular among different categories of people, largely due to its natural features. The reservoir is a large spawning ground for salmon species; it is also home to such valuable fish species as sockeye salmon, coho salmon, and pink salmon. Among the fauna around the lake you can find bears, foxes and others. A visit to this place is possible and interesting at any time of the year!

Lake Shtyubel

Lake Shtyubel is located in the eastern part of the caldera of the Ksudach volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula. The freshwater lake has an oblong shape and is surrounded on almost all sides by steep walls 400-500 meters high, this is due to its tectonic origin. To the northwest of Lake Shtyubel there are thermal springs, forming the Hot Beach. Currently, this reservoir is quite popular both for tourists and for scientific research.

Opalinskoye Lake

Lake Opalinskoye is a unique natural monument located in the Kamchatka Territory and is a system of lakes. Opalinskoye Lake itself is located at 130 meters above sea level and has a peculiar plate-shaped bottom. The peculiarity of the reservoir is its steep banks and the absence of tributaries. In addition to the fact that this place is a spawning ground for late sockeye salmon, in the fall you can see an abundance of swans and ducks. Lake Opalinskoe is surrounded by rings of mountains, which are overgrown with stone birch, cedar and alder trees, which gives a very picturesque view to the already beautiful view of the surrounding area of the lake.

Khodutkinskoye Lake

Khodutkinskoe Lake is one of the lakes of the Kamchatka Territory, which has a tectonic nature of origin. The lake is located at the foot of the Khodutkinsky volcanic massif, and its dimensions reach 150 meters in length and up to 200 meters in width. The lake is famous for its hot springs, which are located along the banks of the reservoir itself and the river flowing from it. Khodutkinskoe Lake is freshwater, replenished by snow, rain, and about 60 liters of boiling water per second flows from the hot spring!

Palana Lake

Lake Palanskoye is located in the foothills of the western part of the Sredinny Range of the Kamchatka Territory. Like many lakes in Kamchatka, Palanskoye was formed by lava domes and their flows blocking the valley; the Palana River, known to many tourists and scientists for its rapids and hot springs, flows out of it. The lake itself is a zoological reserve and has received the status of a natural monument. It is noteworthy that in its western part there are several forested islands, which are the tops of semi-submerged hills, which greatly enlivens the view of the picturesque lake.

Golyginskoye Lake

Lake Golyginskoye is located in the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula on the watershed of two rivers. This is a freshwater body of water, into which many streams flow, which makes the water flowing and very clean. Despite the fact that the lake lies on a vast flat plain, the landscape of the surrounding area is very distinctive; from the east you can see mountain range, and from the west there is a ridge.

The lake is a large spawning ground for salmon, which makes it attractive to fishermen. Along its shores you can meet bears, foxes, and whooper swans spend the winter here. The highlight and unique object of the lake’s fauna is the Kamchatka Middendorf’s pearl mussel, which also lives in the river flowing from it.

Vitamin Lake

Lake Vitaminnoye is one of the few lakes in the Kamchatka Territory that has a tectonic origin. Located in the Kuril Lake basin, it amazes with its power and beauty. On the eastern shore is the Wild Ridge volcano, and a small river flows from the lake, all of which add unsurpassed complexity to the landscape.

The small area of Vitaminnoye is a spawning reservoir; in addition to sockeye salmon, you can find coho salmon and Arctic char there. Another feature of the lake is a low-temperature gas stream escaping from the bottom with its inherent aroma of hydrogen sulfide!

Lake Dalneye

Lake Dalnee is located in the Kamchatka Territory near the village of Paratunka and is a natural monument of significant scientific and practical interest. This is a freshwater body of glacial origin, the territory of which belongs to landscapes of high aesthetic value.

It consists of steep slopes forming a ring shaft, covered with picturesque thickets of cedar and alder trees, as well as the most bizarre shape of the lake, which seems to be stretched from north to south and forms a rectangle. Lake Dalneye is an ideal place for aesthetes and connoisseurs of natural beauty!

Lake Vasilyevskoye

Lake Vasilyevskoye is a flowing reservoir of the Kamchatka Territory with freshwater springs. It is famous for the fact that the water in it is clean and transparent, which allows you to see the trees that stand on the bottom of the lake, not reaching the surface of the water by 1.5–2 meters. The origin of the lake is tectonic, this can be seen by looking at the rocks of the right bank.

The landscape of Lake Vasilyevskoye is exceptionally picturesque, and the forest thickets at the bottom of the reservoir increase the aesthetic value of the landscape. The wide and long reservoir fascinates with its beauty and natural value!

Kharchinskoye Lake

Lake Kharchinskoye is another wonderful body of water from a series of lakes in the Kamchatka Territory, and is a state zoological reserve. Back in 1977, it was created to protect birds and the Canadian beaver. At the moment, this lake, 11 km long, stretching from northwest to southeast, is the most important spring stopping place for birds during migration. This lake is favored by waterfowl, lesser white-fronted goose, eagles, and along with salmon species, crucian carp and Amur carp are also found there. One of the peculiarities of the lake is that in the middle of it there is a rocky Spider Island.

Vershinskoye Lake

Lake Vershinskoye is one of the freshwater lakes in the Kamchatka Territory, which belongs to the Nalychevo Natural Park and is a specially protected area. Located on a pass at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level, it belongs to the mountain lakes and offers a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding area.

Not far from the lake you can visit cold mineral (ferruginous) springs, mountain ranges, and the lakeside nature is considered very valuable. For example, such rare plant species as golden and pink rhododendrons, listed in the Red Book, grow around the lake.

Kronotskoye Lake

Kronotskoye Lake is the largest lake in the Kamchatka Territory by area; it also ranks second in volume and third in depth in the entire region. This reservoir is located at the foot of one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world, Kronotsky, in honor of which it was named by its researchers back in 1908.

The uniqueness of the lake is confirmed natural complex within its basin, namely, the mechanisms of speciation in this ecosystem, such as the population of a variety of sockeye salmon, as well as groups of char, are of interest to scientists around the world. There are 11 scattered in the eastern part of the lake picturesque islands, rising 25–50 m above the water, which gives extraordinary beauty to this magnificent lake!

Azhabach Lake

Lake Azhabachye is located in the Kamchatka Territory and has unique natural properties. The uniqueness of the lake lies in the fact that it is the largest spawning ground for sockeye salmon on the eastern coast of the peninsula, for example, it ranks fourth in area, namely 62.5 square meters, among Kamchatka lakes. The name of the lake comes from this phenomenon, since “azhaba” is translated as sockeye salmon. Lake Azhabachye is of marine relict origin, has unique features of natural fertilization by volcanic ash, and on the shore you can find a variety of animals, such as brown bear, golden eagle, muskrat and many others!

Blue Lakes

Blue Lakes is a system of lakes in Kamchatka, which has the status natural park regional significance. Three small lakes, located at different heights and filling natural depressions in ancient rocks, are connected to each other by a small stream.

These lakes got their name due to the ultramarine color that appears during the period of rapid melting of ice. Another remarkable fact is that the lake is surrounded by picturesque hills, and the water in it is distinguished by its extraordinary purity and transparency. That's why they love to go there so much local residents region and visiting guests!

Two-Hurt Lake

Lake Dvuhyurtochnoye is a wonderful freshwater reservoir in the Kamchatka Territory. It is noteworthy that surrounded on all sides by rocky mountains, the lake is one of the large spawning reservoirs of the peninsula, and Oleniy Volcano can be seen above the northern shore of the lake.

The lake is of glacier-dammed origin, but at the same time it has a flow-through system, that is, the river of the same name passes through it, flowing in in the west and flowing out in the east. The lake is also known for its diversity of animal life, for example, on the shore you can find brown bears, otters, foxes, minks and others. This is a great place for all fishing lovers!

Lake Tahkoloch

Lake Takhkoloch is another lake from a series of numerous reservoirs in the Kamchatka Territory. Located in the Elizovsky region at the foot of the ancient extinct Vachkazhets volcano, it is of glacial origin and is a favorite place for many guests of the region. Lake Tahkoloch attracts with its picturesque nature, it occupies the entire extinct volcano basin, 150 meters long and about 100 meters wide, from where a river flows, subsequently forming a beautiful waterfall.

Lake Kluchevoye

Lake Klyuchevoe is one of the unique reservoirs of the Kamchatka Territory, located in the caldera of the Ksudach volcano. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the lake does not have an open drain, so water is filtered through a dam, and it is also surrounded on almost all sides by steep walls, the height of which is 400-500 meters.

Lake Klyuchevoye maintains a constant composition of water from the bottom to the surface; there is practically no flora and fauna, and the level of bottom water temperature in the lake is 40C. The lake is of volcanic origin and is interesting for scientific research all over the world!

Lake Tolmacheva

Lake Tolmacheva is undoubtedly included in the list of one of the most beautiful Kamchatka lakes. This is a deep-sea body of water with very cold water temperatures and maximum depth 60 meters. As scientists note, the origin of the lake is dammed; it was formed after the collapse of rocks in the area of the Tolmachevo River. This place is popular for sedentary sockeye salmon; waterfowl build nests on the banks; bears and other predators may also appear here. In the vicinity of the lake there is also a rich vegetable world, which is represented by park birch forests, thickets of alder and cedar, as well as berry forests, moss moss and rhododendron thickets.

Nerpichye Lake

Nerpichye Lake is located near the port of Ust-Kamchatsk in the east of the Kamchatka Peninsula and is the largest brackish body of water in the area. As a result of the long rise of the coastline sea bay separated and on the resulting residue, Nerpichye Lake appeared, thereby having a lagoonal origin. Its name, as it is not difficult to guess, comes from the name of the sea animal seal, which lives in large numbers in the reservoir. The lake is also known for its rich and diverse fauna; it is the habitat of a special form of lake herring, some species of carp, salmon; near the shoreline you can see dolphins, seagulls, puffins and many others. At any time of the year, the lake attracts numerous guests to its shores!