 This spurred protests by the local population that the lake would be drained of its water, at which point the local government halted the plans pending analysis.According to "The Moscow Times" and "Vice", an increasing number of an invasive species of algae thrives in the lake from hundreds of tons of liquid waste, including fuel and excrement, regularly disposed into the lake by tourist sites, and up to 25,000 tons of liquid waste are disposed of every year by local ships.The first European to reach the lake is said to have been Kurbat Ivanov in 1643.