Hydrogeology

Kotelnikovsky Spring - Khakussy Spring - Dawsha spring - Snake spring - Goryaschinsk Spring - Arshan - Nilowa Pustyn - Zemchug

Snake Spring

[Map of sampled hot springs]

Snake Spring (Zmeiny Spring) is located in the eastern part of Lake Baikal, close to the entrance to Tschiwirkui Bay. The hot spring got its name from the occurrence of small non-poisonous snakes, which can be observed occasionally. In summer one can get there only by ship. The alkaline thermal waters discharge in a fault zone, in granite gneisses with an estimated outflow of 0.3 L/s. Water is collected in a small wooden waterhole, where the local population and tourists can have a bath.

[snake spring]

The people use these waters for treating external diseases only. Snake Spring has an characteristic carbonate, sulphate sodium composition with an estimated total mineralization of 0.5 g/l (TDS). The water has a strong smell of H₂S, which has a concentration of about 26,2 mg/L. The composition includes also greater amounts of fluorine (8.5 mg/L) and silica (130 mg/L). Close to the main spring there are numerous other springs. In those springs temperatures vary according to the literature (Irkutsk State Technical University 2004) from 28 to 34°C. On our excursion we sampled Snake Spring

[sampling snake spring]

and a smaller one in the immediate area.

[spring in tschiwirkui bay near snake spring]

The waters of the springs are enriched in nitrogen and have one of the highest conductivities of all sampled springs immediately at the shore of Lake Baikal. Furthermore the waters have a negative E_H, so they have reducing effects. In both samples the concentration of iron is very low.

table 1: hydrogeochemical data of snake spring
-----------------------------------------------------
date 07/31/2004
time 5:00 pm
pH = 9.3
temperature = 41.4°C
conductivity = 702 µS/cm
O₂ = 0.32 mg/L = 4.90 %
E_H = -179 mV
Fe (tot) = 0.04 mg/L
NO₃^- = 0.40 mg/L
PO₄^3- = 0.19 mg/L

table 2: hydrogeochemical data of smaller snake spring
--------------------------------------------------------------
date 07/31/2004
time 5:45 pm
pH = 9.3
temperature = 37.6°C
conductivity = 702 µS/cm
O₂ = 0.23 mg/L = 3.8 %
E_H = -210 mV
Fe (tot) = 0.01 mg/L
NO₃^- = 21.30 mg/L
PO₄^3- = 2.8 mg/L

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