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
Ermindo Onega old. Ermindo Onega Ermindo Ángel Onega (30 April 1940 – 21 December 1979) was an Argentine footballer, attacking midfielder and forward from River Plate. He played for River Plate from 1957 to 1968, scoring 98 goals in 222 matches. In 1972, he played for Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield, scoring 6 goals in 30 matches. Onega also had spells with Peñarol in Uruguay and La Serena in Chile. He was the older brother of Daniel Onega, also a River Plate footballer. Onega died in a road accident in 1979 on his way to the city of Rosario. He was only 39