Lake Baikal streamflow increases sharply after decades of decline

Tree rings reveal recent recovery

Researchers led by Shijie Wang of Yunnan University analyzed pine tree cores to track water changes. Their analysis covered a period spanning 343 years of historical data from the region. The team found that streamflow from the Selenga River dropped by up to 90 percent during severe droughts in the 20th century. Since 2017, however, the trend reversed with a 145 percent increase in flow above long-term averages.

Ocean temperatures drive the shift

The scientists attribute this regeneration to changing weather patterns rather than local land temperature or evaporation rates. Lower sea surface temperatures and higher ice cover in the North Pacific and Arctic oceans correlate with increased streamflow. Moisture from the Nordic and Siberian shelf seas appears to be the primary source of this renewed water supply. Researchers point out that an identical cold mass has developed in the North Atlantic region south of Greenland.

Natural variability explains the trend

The study suggests a slowdown in regional Arctic warming contributed to reduced sea ice loss in specific seas. Researchers emphasize that this change stems from natural climate variability instead of a significant shift in global warming. Rising lake levels and enhanced vegetation growth serve as other visible signs of this landscape improvement. These abrupt increases in flow contrast with the gradual decline seen previously over the last century.