Lake Lacha
Encyclopedia
Lake Lacha is a freshwater lake, located in the south of Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast
in Russia
, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of the town of Kargopol
. It is the biggest lake in Arkhangelsk Oblast. The area of the lake is 334 square kilometre, and the area of its basin is 12600 square kilometre. Lake Lacha is the source of the Onega River
, one of the major waterways of the White Sea
basin.
The etymological origin of the name is unclear.
The river basin of Lake Lacha includes the southern and western parts of Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, as well as north-west of Vologda Oblast
. In particular, it includes two of the biggest lakes of Arkhangelsk and Vologda Oblasts, Lake Vozhe
and Lake Lekshmozero
. Southern part of the Kenozyorsky National Park
also drains into Lake Lacha.
The stretch between Kargopol and the lake is navigable, however, neither the Svid River
upstream from the lake nor the Onega River downstream from the lake are navigable because of the rapid
s. There are occasional recreational boat trips from Kargopol to the lake, but no passenger or cargo navigation.
Several villages are located on or close to the banks of Lake Lacha, including Morshchikhinskaya, Tobolkino, and Filosofskaya. The latter two are located on the road which connects Kargopol with Lipin Bor
via Sovza. Another unpaved road runs from Kargopol along the right bank of the Onega to the lake and then to the village of Bolshaya Kondratovskaya, several kilometers from the lakeshore.
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of the town of Kargopol
Kargopol
-Culture and recreation:Today, Kargopol is a sleepy historical town adjoining the Kenozyorsky National Park. It is best known in Russia for Kargopol toys , which are small, simple clay figures painted in traditional style....
. It is the biggest lake in Arkhangelsk Oblast. The area of the lake is 334 square kilometre, and the area of its basin is 12600 square kilometre. Lake Lacha is the source of the Onega River
Onega River
The Onega is a river in Kargopolsky, Plesetsky, and Onezhsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. The Onega connects Lake Lacha with the Onega Bay in the White Sea southwest of Arkhangelsk, flowing in the northern direction. The discharge at the source is and at the mouth is . The river is ...
, one of the major waterways of the White Sea
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
basin.
The etymological origin of the name is unclear.
The river basin of Lake Lacha includes the southern and western parts of Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, as well as north-west of Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is Vologda. The largest city is Cherepovets.Vologda Oblast is rich in historic monuments, such as the magnificent Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Ferapontov Convent , medieval towns of Velikiy Ustyug and Belozersk, baroque...
. In particular, it includes two of the biggest lakes of Arkhangelsk and Vologda Oblasts, Lake Vozhe
Lake Vozhe
Lake Vozhe, also known as Lake Charondskoye , is a lake in the northern part of Vologda Oblast in Russia. The area of the lake is , and the are of its basin is and the area of its basin is . The average depth is around . Lake Vozhe drains through the Svid River into Lake Lacha, from which the...
and Lake Lekshmozero
Lake Lekshmozero
Lake Lekshmozero is a freshwater lake, located in the north-west of Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is one of the biggest lakes in Arkhangelsk Oblast and the second biggest in Kargopolsky District . The area of the lake is , and the area of its basin is . Lake Lekshmozero...
. Southern part of the Kenozyorsky National Park
Kenozyorsky National Park
Kenozyorsky National Park is the national park in the north of Russia, located in Kargopolsky and Plesetsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast. It was established December 28, 1991. Since 2004, the National Park has the status of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.- History :Kenozero was always a...
also drains into Lake Lacha.
The stretch between Kargopol and the lake is navigable, however, neither the Svid River
Svid River
The Svid is a river in Kargopolsky District in the south-west of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It connects Lake Vozhe and Lake Lacha and belongs to the river basin of the Onega River...
upstream from the lake nor the Onega River downstream from the lake are navigable because of the rapid
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
s. There are occasional recreational boat trips from Kargopol to the lake, but no passenger or cargo navigation.
Several villages are located on or close to the banks of Lake Lacha, including Morshchikhinskaya, Tobolkino, and Filosofskaya. The latter two are located on the road which connects Kargopol with Lipin Bor
Lipin Bor
Lipin Bor is a rural locality and the administrative center of Vashkinsky District, Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the northern shore of Lake Beloye. It also serves as the administrative center of Lipinoborsky Selsoviet, one of the twelve selsoviets into which the district is administratively...
via Sovza. Another unpaved road runs from Kargopol along the right bank of the Onega to the lake and then to the village of Bolshaya Kondratovskaya, several kilometers from the lakeshore.