Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2020 number 4

The study area is located on the watershed of the surface runoff into Lake Baikal and the Vitim river. It has been shown that in the settings of goletz tundra landscapes a considerable proportion of atmospheric precipitation (700-800 mm/year) flows down the surface (more than 70 %). Fault tectonics and mountain-valley glaciation have had a dramatic effect on the formation of the river network whose degree of channelization is 0.8 km/km ² . The area has several lakes of glacial origin which contain considerable reserves of clean water. The valleys of all large rivers are located on faults which are well distinguishable in the relief and have been active to date. The Kholodnaya river whose channel runs on a deep fault serves as the regional natural drainage system. The runoff of surface and subsurface water from this territory enters largely the river. The low-mineralized water of hydrocarbonate calcium composition is due to an intense water exchange. We can notice the high level of lake and river water mineralization. The places where carbonate rocks are located show a local increase in mineralization of river and lake water which can reach 100 mg/L. The Kholodnaya polymetallic deposit influences the formation of the trace element composition of the Aelita, Avkitskoe, Meteoritnoe lakes. Increased zinc content is observed in the Kholodnaya, Tyya and Gasan-Dyakit rivers. A case study of Lake Aelita showed that trace elements enter the surface water due to drainage of fissure-vein water.