It is older than humans by 22.5 million years. It holds 20% of the world's unfrozen freshwater. What is this amazing place? Lake Baikal. It is the 7th largest lake and holds more water than all the Great Lakes combined. However, Lake Baikal is being threatened. Soon, there may be no life left and the waters may become muddied and brown. The Baykalsk pulp and paper mill uses chlorine to bleach paper and puts that extra waste straight into the homes of 1,700 animals and plants, ? of which are found nowhere else.

The Russian company Transneft wanted to build and oil pipline that would come only 2,600 feet from the shores. The problem with this is that earthquakes are common, and if it breaks, we would have another situation as dangerous as the BP oil spill of 2010 on our hands. The good news with this is that Vladimir Putin told the company to move the pipeline 25 miles north, so there wouldn’t be a chance of an oil spill. Other pipelines still plan to run near the lake, however, so that is always a threat.

The Russian government said in 2006 they wanted to build a massive addition to an existing nuclear plant that was 59 miles from the shore. The addition is used to enrich uranium, but 90% of the enriched uranium would be stored right next to Lake Baikal. Many people are opposed to it however, and are protesting the addition.

Due to the 300 rivers that flow into Lake Baikal, there are many invasive species and a lot of pollution that flows into the lake. There are many types of algae that are now growing, that could possibly be choking out many other plants and animals. Lake Baikal is under siege. There are so many factors of pollution that soon, there may be no Lake Baikal to save.