TANKHOI /The Republic of Buryatia/, January 11. /TASS/. The water volume in Lake Baikal is expected to return to normal levels in 2017, Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoy told reporters.

"The trend towards an increased level of water is stronger now than it was in 2015 and 2016. In February, the level will fall below the minimum of 456 meters but as far as dynamics go, we can see that the negative trend is about to end. Probably, by next year the level won’t sink below the minimum," Donskoy elaborated.

At the same time, he noted that the level of water in the lake had begun to increase.

"A more stable process of increasing the water level in Baikal has begun, the process is underway, and we believe that the negative factors will dry up so Baikal could develop steadily," the minister stressed.