The water level in the lake depends not only on the ratio of precipitation in its drainage basin and the inflow of surface and groundwater (inflow), evaporation and runoff of the Angara River (flow), but also on the operating mode of the Irkutsk HPP.

In 2022, on March 16, the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 379 "On the maximum and minimum values of the water level in Lake Baikal in 2022-2023" was adopted, which determined the maximum values of the water level in Lake Baikal in conditions of varying water content.:

– the maximum and minimum values of the water level in Lake Baikal during the period of average water content at 457 and 456 m, respectively;

– the minimum value of the water level in Lake Baikal during the period of low water content (low-water period) at around 455.54 m is;

– the maximum value of the water level in Lake Baikal during the period of high water content (high-water period) at around 457.85 m TO.

The water level of Lake Baikal in 2023 varied depending on the useful inflow into the lake and the regulation of the operating modes of the Angarsk hydroelectric power plants, which was carried out on the basis of instructions from the Federal Agency for Water Resources in accordance with the "Basic Rules for the use of water resources in reservoirs of the Angarsk Cascade of Hydroelectric Power Plants", the provisions of Resolution No. 379, recommendations of the "Interdepartmental Working Group on Regulation of Operating Modes reservoirs of the Angara-Yenisei cascade and the Northern hydroelectric power plants, the water level of Lake Baikal."

In 2023, Lake Baikal was regulated in conditions of high water content. The level limits determined by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated March 16, 2022 No. 379 "On the maximum and minimum values of the water level in Lake Baikal in 2022-2023" have not been reached.