This satellite image shows the intricate network of channels of the Lena Delta in northeastern Russia. The Lena River flows from Lake Baykal in southern Siberia for 4,400 kilometers before draining into the Laptev Sea far north of the Arctic Circle. The delta, formed by sediment deposited by the river as it reaches the sea, has developed its lace-like network as a result of regular flooding of the delta channels; with each major flood, channel banks are breached and new channels form. The delta is an extensive protected wilderness area that is an important refuge and breeding ground for many species of Siberian wildlife.