Expedition to the Verkhnyaya Angara valley on July 3-11, 2024
The field works were carried out within the State Assignment of LIN SB RAS No. 0279-2021-0005 “Study of seasonal and long-term transformations of the state of water bodies and watercourses in East Siberia in the context of climate change, geological environment and anthropogenic loads” (led by A.P. Fedotov).
The purpose of the expedition was to carry out hydrochemical and hydrobiological studies of the Verkhnyaya Angara River, the second largest tributary of Lake Baikal in terms of water capacity
In the Verkhnyaya Angara, water samples were taken at three sites:
- 350 km from the mouth, in the area of the Angarakan river inflow (above the influence of the BAM and the highway);
- near Novy Uoyan settlement (about 190 km from the estuary);
- in the area of Verkhnyaya Zaimka settlement (lower reach of the river).
Studies were also conducted at the mouths of 4 tributaries of the Verkhnyaya Angara (Angarakan, Yanchukan, Yanchuy, and Kotera rivers), and water samples were taken in small tributaries of North Baikal (Rel, Tyya, Kholodnaya, and Kichera rivers).
Quantitative indicators of chemical composition (isotopic composition, dissolved oxygen content, concentrations of basic ions, nutrients, organic substances, and heavy metals) will be determined in river water; abundance, biomass, and species diversity of phyto- and bacterioplankton will be studied; river water quality will be assessed in the current period.