This document summarizes a presentation on water issues in the Lake Baikal and Selenge River basins shared by representatives from Russia and Mongolia. Key points include: Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world, located in Russia. The Selenge River is its main tributary and flows through both Russia and Mongolia. Both countries cooperate on managing the river under an intergovernmental agreement. Major environmental problems discussed include industrial pollution, outdated infrastructure, and the impacts of climate change and development. Tourism is highlighted as an important future economic sector for both regions.

1. 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
Darima Tsibudeeva,
Valerii Molotov
Agency for lake Baikal water resources,
Federal Agency of water resources
Ulan-Ude
Republic of Buryatia,
Russian Federation

2. 2
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

3. 4
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%

4. 4

5. 5
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)

6. 6
Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)
Main tributaries Ider, Delger, Khanui, Eg, Dzhida, Chikoi, Khilok,
Orkhon Uda
Population, thousand people
2000 1 328,6 758,8
2010 1 713,0 724,5
Density, people/square km,2010 5,7 5,1
1,8 in Mongolia 2,7 inBuryatia
Major cities Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, Ulan-Ude,
Erdenet Gusinoozersk,
Zakamensk, Kyahta
GDP, million $ USA, (official
course),
2000 638,9 770,3
2009 3 705,1 4 120,7 (in Buryatia)
Main sectors of economy Mining, light industry, Industry, mining,
agriculture, tourism agriculture, tourism

7. 7
Main economic activities
Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)
1. Mining – export of copper, 1.Industry (22% of GRP in 2005) –
molybdenum concentrate, fluorite power engineering, machine-
concentrate, gold, coal building, instrument-making, pulp
and paper production, building
materials production, food industry
2. Light industry –wool, leather and 2. Mining
cashmere manufacturing
3. Agriculture (live-stock) – sheep, 3.Agriculture (9,6% of GRP in 2005)
goat, cattle, horse – cattle-breeding and vegetable-
growing
4. Tourism 4. Tourism

8. 8
Main ecological problems
Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)
The nature impact
Low precipitation, climate The floods and mud-flows,
conditions – “White and Black climate change impacts,
Dzuds”, drought seasonal variations
The anthropogenic factors
Industrial wastes pollution, Industrial wastes pollution,
growing water demands for outdated water supply system
industrial and power use and its inefficient operation
Mining –pollution, Mining –pollution,
morphological changes, morphological changes
increased water use

9. 9
Main ecological problems
Mongolia Russia (Buryatia)
Urbanization processes, Outdated water supply system
growing population, scarce and its inefficient operation,
wastewater treatment systems municipal wastes pollution
The soil erosion of plough land, The soil degradation,
decomposition processes, loss of reduction of biodiversity,
nutrient balance, insufficient use decrease of plant-growing
of organic fertilizer, non-point production, non-point
sources sources
Deforestation, forest fires Environmentally harmful
clear cutting method of forest
extraction, forest fires

10. 10
Main ecological problems

11. 11
The small river Modonkul
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.

12. 12
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.

13. 13
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.

14. 14
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

15. 15
Delta of the Selenge river –
natural filter and indicator
of the real ecological status
of the lake Baikal

16. 16
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;

17. 17
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)”

18. 18

19. 19

20. 20

21. Thank You for Your attention
and invite for co-operation