Lake Onega water per year, of which 46% are industrial and household water, 25% is stormwater runoff and 16% is melioration-related drainage. This drainage contains of phosphorus and of nitrogen; respectively of these elements are removed through the River Svir whereas the rest accumulates in the lake. Ships and motor boats (about 8,000 units) bring oil pollution at the level of about per navigation year, as well as phenols (), lead () and oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, and carbon. The lake basin is a major source of granite, marble and black schist in Russia which have been exploited in the area since
Lake Vozhe Vozhega and the Modlona. The lake freezes up in October - November (some parts freeze to the very bottom) and stays icebound until May. Administratively, the lake is divided between Kirillovsky District (west) and Vozhegodsky District (east) of Vologda Oblast. The northern shore belongs to Kargopolsky and Konoshsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, but the boundary between the oblasts is drawn such that the whole area of the lake is in Vologda Oblast. In terms of the area, Lake Vozhe is the third natural lake of Vologda Oblast (behind Lake Onega and Lake Beloye and just ahead of Lake Kubenskoye) and