From beautiful but toxic turquoise waters to contaminated rivers entire cities depend
on, here are 11 bodies of water that want to hurt you.
11.
Tualatin River, USA
Oregon’s Tualatin River is not the place to be if you want to take your dogs for a
swim; close to a dozen dogs die there every year from exposure to toxic blue-green algae.
A deadly form of bacteria, this algae can grow fast, quickly polluting a body of water
into a deceptively pretty shade of turquoise.
Those unfortunate enough to swallow the stuff can expect sickness and diarrhea at best,
paralysis and death at worst.
The local Clean Water Services have a temporary solution, should the algae ever get too bad:
They’d collect fresh water from elsewhere and dump it into the Tualatin in an attempt
to break up algae clusters and wash away as much of it as possible.
However, that’s only a temporary solution.
Like the bad guy from the movies, the algae always finds a way to return and wreak massive
amounts of murderous havoc.
10.
Rio Tinto, Spain
You might look at this water and think that something isn’t quite right.
Deep red water is strange and is usually not a good sign.
Probably anyone will think that something is not right when a river has deep red water.
Rio Tinto (or Red River) is a highly acidic river with a pH of 1.7 – 2.5.
This means the Rio Tinto is as strong as stomach acid and is more than powerful enough to kill
any fish that dare swim in it.
Originating from the Sierra de Huelva mountains, the river has become red from 5,000 years
of mining.
Amazingly enough, it’s considered the birthplace of the Copper Age and the Bronze Age.
The river has seen Iberians, Tartessians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, and
Moors!!
If the waters could talk...
The high acidity level also makes it dangerous to humans but scientists love it!!
Similar occurrences have been found on Mars, prompting scientists to wonder if Rio Tinto
has something to offer in the quest for life on the Red Planet.
While that may just be a pipe dream based on both places being red, there’s no question
that, much like an angry grizzly bear, Rio Tinto is both beautiful and something you
should never ever touch.
Just admire it from a distance!
The river is also rich in heavy metals like gold, silver, and copper but after the thousands
of years of extraction throughout history, the river has become an extreme environment.
It’s great for breeding chemolithotrophic organisms such as iron-oxidizing bacteria
and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.
Extremophile aerobic bacteria in the water provide conditions similar to those found
in other areas in the solar system.
Europa, Jupiter’s Moon may have an acidic ocean underneath it’s surface with water
similar to what we see in Spain’s Rio Tinto.
9.
Lake Kivu, Africa
Lake Kivu is a shared resource between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It sits on a rift valley that is slowly being pulled apart, causing volcanic activity around
the area.
However, 300 meters (1,000 ft) below the surface of Lake Kivu lies a ticking time bomb.
Over 250 cubic kilometers (60 cubic miles) of carbon dioxide, along with around 65 cubic
kilometers (15 cubic miles) of methane gas, lurks under this body of water, enough to
provide electricity to several countries.
Problem is, it’s also enough to flood every nearby settlement, killing thousands in the
process.
Right now, all those gases are dormant, but all it would take is one volcanic eruption
which could happen at any moment.
There are a lot of volcanoes nearby.
If an eruption occurs, the gases would rush to the top, resulting in massive destruction
for the area.
A New York–based company called ContourGlobal has a plan to remove the methane and use it
to start up a local power plant.
But if their plan fails and they only succeed in rustling up the dormant gases below, the
consequences could be deadly for everyone around.
The good news, though, is that the lake is, technically, a safe place to swim in.
Have fun!!
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8.
Jacob’s Well, USA
Jacob’s Well is known to be one of the world’s most dangerous diving spots.
The well is near Cypress Creek,in Texas and descends 9.1 meters vertically.
If you go straight down you will reach the first chamber.
Go further down and at an angle and you’ll reach the second chamber which is 24 meters
below the surface.
Recreational scuba is not allowed but daredevils have gone in to explore the underwater caves
and it is easy to get lost.
There are passages that look like exits but can instead trap the diver.
There are also third and fourth chambers that await the bravest of the brave.
Jacob’s Well has a total depth of 40 meters and since you can’t tell up from down or
left from right, you may run out of air before you can get back out.
7.
Blackwater River, USA
Too much water can be a bad thing, even if the water itself can’t hurt you, the power
of nature can.
Just ask the folks around Blackwater River in Virginia, who have seen the waters rise
and attack far more than usual these past few years.
After close to 60 years of normalcy, the Blackwater River has overflowed and flooded nearby towns
six times in the past 10 years.
Luckily no one has been seriously injured but the waters show no sign of calming down.
Unfortunately, nobody seems to know why the Blackwater is flooding so much.
Several theories have arisen, such as too much asphalt along the areas that are supposed
to soak up the water.
The river is probably unable to drain properly due to extensive roadwork.
Whatever the culprit is, the local townsfolk are eager to figure it out so they don’t
have to worry about having their lives washed away again and again.
The only option is to risk it, or move.
6.
Citarum River, Indonesia
The Citarum River plays an important role in the life of the people of West Java, however
it is not doing well.
In fact, it is known as the most polluted river in the world.
And it’s all human’s fault.
The place is so filled with non-biodegradable waste and harmful chemicals that it’s practically
toxic.
Over 2,000 textile factories line the river’s banks.
Dyes and chemicals like arsenic and mercury are all dumped into the river.
There used to be fishermen who made their livelihood from catching fish but now, they
have had to make a living collecting garbage.
Add the millions of residents who treat the river as a huge trash bin and it would seem
that no one would be crazy enough to drink from it.
Unfortunately, this is the main water supply.
Locals use this river for drinking, bathing, and even boiling food.
Suffice to say, they put their health and lives on the line every day.
The levels of lead in the Citarum River are 1000 times worse than the US standards for
drinking water.
But for many people, they don’t have a choice.
5.
Potomac River, USA
Just outside Washington D.C., the Potomac River Gorge is a 14-mile stretch that extends
from the Key Bridge in the District of Columbia north to the Great Falls of the Potomac.
The gorge is a popular site for outdoor activities like kayaking, boating, fishing, and hiking
enthusiasts.
However, there is no doubt that this river is deadly.
The water rushing through the Potomac River creates roiling underwater currents in even
the calmest-looking places.
The river’s currents can quickly capture swimmers, waders, and people who slip and
fall into the water.
The area between Great Falls and Chain Bridge forms a series of rapids and waterfalls that
send their victims spiraling downward for almost an entire 1.5 kilometers (1 mi).
If that’s not enough, the river’s strongest currents are actually underwater, so if you
get sucked down, you stay down.
Around six people die each year at the Potomac, and many more risk their lives simply by playing
near or around it.
It’s gotten so bad that the local officials have launched a campaign to warn the public,
featuring the most blunt and straightforward message we’ve heard in years: “If you
enter the river, you will die.”
4.
The Blue Lagoon, UK
In Derbyshire, UK, there is a lake with a beautiful turqouise color but this is utterly
deceptive.
It turns out it was a former quarry that was flooded and filled with calcium oxide.
The famous “Blue Lagoon” looks beautiful and became a popular swimming spot for locals
even though warning signs already stated the dangers it possesses.
First, the water is as toxic as ammonia with a pH level of 11.3 which is highly alkaline
and can cause fungal infections and stomach problems.
The lagoon is a toxic soup full of cars, carcasses and trash.
The signs say “ Warning!
Polluted water.
Lagoon known to contain: Car Wrecks, Dead Animals, Excrement, Rubbish” and “Warning!
Do not enter water, due to high pH levels.
This can cause: Skin and eye irritations, Stomach Problems, Fungal infections such as
thrush” and “Think! would you swim in ammonia or bleach?”
Because people had trouble believing all of these things when they saw the beautiful water,
the town council decided to dye the water black to deter people from going in for a
swim.
It seems to be working!
3.
Boiling Lake, Dominica
The Boiling Lake in Dominica is not a lake at all but actually a flooded fumarole, which
is a hole in the Earth’s crust.
Located in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, it is the world’s second largest hot
spring and looks like it took its hotness to an entirely new level.
Discovered in 1870, the water temperature along its edges is 82 to 92 degrees Celsius
(180 to 197 degrees Fahrenheit).
The center’s temperature is, well, no one knows.
Measuring the center of the lake’s temperature is impossible since it continues to boil and
going near its center is very dangerous.
You could be boiled alive!!
How does the water get so hot?
It seems impossible even for a hot spring.
The theory is that the Boiling Lake sits on top of a bunch of molten lava, and the gases
shoot up into the water, heating it to a monstrous degree.
The lake changes in size and temperature and about 2 years ago, it was reported that the
boiling lake had stopped boiling.
So, people started swimming in it!!
This is NOT a good idea since it can start boiling again at any moment.
Also every now and then the lake will release strong toxic gas that can kill you.
Local authorities have closed the lake to tourists.
2.
The Rivers of Johannesburg, South Africa
Catching E. coli is no fun under normal circumstances; now imagine you were literally swimming in
the stuff.
That’s the reality around various rivers in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the amount
of E. coli bacteria in the water goes way beyond acceptable levels.
Some areas, like the nearby Cheetah Bridge, host 240 times more E. coli than what experts
consider healthy.
The more fit-and-trim areas, such as Kaalspruit, only exceed the healthy limit by 190 times.
The problem doesn’t appear to be going away, however, as the local government is in full
denial about it.
However, when health officials make it clear that drinking or swallowing some of this water
could very well kill you, it’s probably not the worst idea to listen to them.!
1.
Lake Karachay, Russia
Located in the southern Ural Mountains in eastern Russia, Lake Karachay has been described
as the most radioactive body of water in the world.
It could also be considered the most polluted place on the planet.
The pollution came from Mayak, one of Russia’s most prominent nuclear weapon facilities.
It was a major dumping ground for nuclear waste until the ’90 when the secret got
out.
Karachay’s toxicity was so bad that, for a long time, you didn’t even have to touch
the water for it to kill you.
Simply standing on the shore for an hour or so would bombard you with 600 roentgen of
radiation.
To compare, we can die from 500 roentgen in five hours.
Russia is attempting to solve the issue by dumping massive amounts of concrete into the
lake in order to absorb the radiation and keep it away from the surface and shore.
It appears to be working, and tests on downstream waters have revealed little to no radiation
at all.
You might be able to stand on the shore and not die!
Maybe in another 500 years, our great-great-great-grandkids can swim there.
But not counting on it.
Thanks for watching!!!
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