Lake Taymyr
Lake Taymyr, located in the Taymyr Plateau of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, is a significant freshwater lake known for its vast size, covering approximately 1,760 square miles (4,560 square kilometers). It is the second-largest lake in Asian Russia, following Lake Baikal, and features an irregular crescent shape with several islands, including rocky outcrops and sandy formations. The lake experiences extreme cold, remaining frozen for most of the year, with only about seventy-three days of thawing during the short summer months from July to September. During this brief period, the region's wildlife, including around twenty species of fish such as whitefish and grayling, and numerous birds like geese and swans, thrive.
Despite its harsh climatic conditions, the flora and fauna of Lake Taymyr have adapted remarkably, drawing the interest of scientists studying their resilience. The lake is part of a sparsely populated nature preserve, situated above the Arctic Circle near the Byrranga Mountains, and receives water from multiple rivers, including the Upper Taymyra. The surrounding landscape features a mix of tundra, steppe, and taiga ecosystems, showcasing the natural diversity of Krasnoyarsk Krai. Overall, Lake Taymyr represents a unique ecological area with rich biodiversity, despite the challenging environmental conditions.
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Lake Taymyr
Lake Taymyr (or Taimyr) is a large body of water in the Taymyr Plateau of Krasnoyarsk Krai, a region in the central Russian Federation. It is part of the sparsely populated Taymyr nature preserve. The lake covers about 1,760 square miles (2,832 kilometers) across its irregular crescent-like shape. The Upper Taymyra River is among several sources of water for the lake, which in turn drains into the Lower Taymyra River. Lake Taymyr is the second-largest body of water in Asian Russia.
Although it is frozen for much of the year and only in a liquid form for about seventy-three days annually, Lake Taymyr and its surrounding lands are home to an abundance of fish and birds. This wildlife and the region’s plants thrive during the short but intense summer, which usually lasts from July to September. Scientists have studied the region’s flora and fauna to learn about their ability to adapt to, and thrive within, the prevailing harsh climatic conditions.
Background
Known for its huge size, the Russian Federation spans two continents as well as a significant number of landforms, ecosystems, and climatic conditions within its borders. Situated near the center of the Russian Federation is a large, oval-shaped region known as Krasnoyarsk Krai. Its northern border forms a coastline of the Arctic Ocean, while its southern border lies along the Sayan mountain range. Krasnoyarsk Krai is an example of the natural diversity of Russia, as it encompasses at least three major landform types.
The landforms of Krasnoyarsk Krai include tundra, steppe, and taiga. The tundra is known for its freezing Arctic temperatures and flat, often snow-covered plains with few trees and little vegetation. Steppe lands are vast grassy plains that are often situated near mountain ranges and inhabited by people. Taiga, the most common landform in Russia, is heavily forested land with primarily evergreens, which grow well in cold temperatures.
Notable landmarks in Krasnoyarsk Krai include the Igarka Permafrost Museum, a building over a subterranean labyrinth of rooms and halls carved into ancient ice blocks that preserve plants and other remnants of times gone by. Plotbishchenskoe Lake is another well-known feature of the region, believed by many in the nineteenth century to have healing qualities and religious sanctity.
Krasnoyarsk Krai also features several plateaus, or flat, elevated lands, that are home to many lakes and waterfalls. These plateaus include the Putorana and the Taymyr (or Taimyr). The latter plateau, in the northeastern part of the region, is home to Lake Taymyr (or Taimyr).
Overview
The Taymyr Plateau extends from the northeastern corner of Krasnoyarsk Krai into the Arctic Ocean. Within this plateau is a large body of water known as Lake Taymyr. Lake Taymyr covers an area of approximately 1,760 square miles (4,560 square kilometers) and reaches a maximum depth of about 85 feet (26 meters). It is shaped like a long, thin, irregular crescent with several offshoots mostly reaching north and south. Lake Taymyr hosts many islands. In the western stretch of the lake, small rocky islands abound. Meanwhile, the eastern region has Sokolova-Mikitov Island, an unusually sandy landform.
Lake Taymyr is the second-largest body of water in Asian Russia, behind Lake Baikal.
Few people live in the Lake Taymyr region, which sits well above the polar circle and just below the Byrranga Mountains. On average, the yearly temperature of the region is about 8 degrees Fahrenheit (-13 degrees Celsius). Winters are characterized by heavy snows, strong winds across the plains, and roiling water. A meteorological station once operated in the area but has since been closed.
Due to its location in Russia’s frigid northern regions, the lake’s water is extremely cold. At the warmest point of summer, it is usually about 46 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius) but is close to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) during the coldest part of winter. Considering the latter figure is the freezing point of water, Lake Taymyr is covered with ice for much of the year. On average, the ice lasts from late September to July, with only about seventy-three days per year being fully thawed. Much of the area is locked in permafrost, ice that almost never melts.
Despite the scarcity of year-round residents, the Lake Taymyr region is considered an important nature preserve. Visitors have noted that the summers, while short, occur with great intensity. Sunshine in the summer months is almost nonstop. This helps the plants and animals of the region reproduce before the snow and ice return.
About twenty species of fish inhabit the lake, mainly whitefish, grayling, pike, sculpin, and omul. Birds also abound in the region, particularly during the brief summers. Some of the most common are geese, swans, ducks, falcons, and buzzards. Migratory birds regularly pass through the area. Scientists have taken particular interest in the fauna of Lake Taymyr because of how it has adapted to the intense cold. Mainly, the fish are notable for their ability to live in the lake even when the oxygen and plankton they would normally rely upon are scarce.
The Taymyr Plateau has several other minor lakes and swampy areas, mainly in the flatter areas south and east of Lake Taymyr. Smaller lakes include Lake Portnyagino and Lake Kungusalakh. Lake Taymyr is, however, by far the largest lake in the region. The rivers that feed Lake Taymyr include the Upper Taymyra, Zapadnaya, Bikada-Nguoma, Yamu-Tarida, Severnaya, and Kalamissamo. In turn, the Lower Taymyra River drains the lake as it flows north.
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