Buzz
The peaceful sight of a serene lake, river, or beach often lures people in, whether it’s for fishing, swimming, or simply unwinding. However, sometimes it’s best to steer clear, as these waters can pose hidden risks.
Lakes, rivers, and lagoons can become hazardous to both humans and animals. Factors such as industrial pollution, human waste, bacterial outbreaks, and natural phenomena contribute to these dangers. Here are ten bodies of water that have the potential to harm you.
10. Blue Lagoon: Off-Limits for Swimmers
Appearances can be misleading, especially when it comes to water. This is true for the Blue Lagoon in Buxton, England. What appears to be a beautiful lagoon is actually a flooded, abandoned quarry that has become a popular spot for swimming. The vivid blue water may resemble a tropical paradise, but it is dangerously toxic.
The lagoon’s striking turquoise hue is caused by chemicals leaching into the water from surrounding limestone rocks. The quarry’s use of calcium oxide has resulted in a water pH level similar to ammonia. A warning sign near the water cautions that these high pH levels can cause skin and eye irritation, digestive issues, fungal infections, and rashes. The lagoon is also known to be a dumping ground, with signs stating: 'Lagoon known to contain: Car Wrecks, Dead Animals, Excrement, Rubbish.'
Despite numerous warnings about its toxicity and unsanitary conditions, the Blue Lagoon remains a popular destination, with families visiting and children swimming, despite being told not to swallow the water or submerge their heads. Although local authorities considered draining the flooded quarry, they were advised that it would endanger the town’s water supply. In 2013, the town council attempted to deter swimmers by dyeing the water black, but by 2015, the lagoon had returned to its original turquoise shade.
9. Lake Titicaca: A Threat to Endangered Frogs
South America's largest lake, Lake Titicaca, has become severely polluted by industrial and human waste. Situated between Peru and Bolivia, the lake was once a sacred site for the Incas, who believed it to be the birthplace of the Sun. However, today, the water is contaminated with dangerous heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. Many of the pollutants originate from El Alto, where a large percentage of factories operate illegally without pollution controls.
Moreover, more than half of the residents living along the shores of Lake Titicaca lack access to plumbing facilities.
In 2015, approximately 10,000 endangered frogs were found dead on the shores of Lake Titicaca and its connected river. The Titicaca water frog, one of the largest aquatic frogs in the world, is known for its loose, baggy skin, earning it the nickname “scrotum frog.” The mass die-off is believed to be a result of sewage contamination and heavy metal pollutants in the lake.
8. Pinto Lake: A Killer for Sea Otters and Other Wildlife
Pinto Lake, located in Watsonville, California, is infamous for being one of the most toxic bodies of water in the state, primarily due to the presence of harmful blue-green algae.
The algae, also known as cyanobacteria, thrive on nitrogen and phosphorus, which are found in the sediments at the lake's bottom. Bottom-dwelling fish, such as carp, disturb these sediments, releasing the chemicals into the water, which fuel the algae blooms. These blooms generate a dangerous toxin called microcystin.
Exposure to or consumption of microcystin can lead to symptoms like nausea, fever, and even liver failure. The toxin has been implicated in the deaths of various animals, including birds, fish, sea otters, and dogs in the area. Warning signs are posted around the lake, advising against any direct contact with the water and urging people not to consume any fish caught there.
7. Buriganga River: A Silent Killer for Fish
The Buriganga River flows through Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, serving as the city's main water source. Unfortunately, it also doubles as the primary dumping ground for waste from the tanneries in the Hazaribagh district, which houses 95 percent of the country's leather tanneries. These tanneries release an estimated 22,000 liters (5,300 gallons) of toxic waste into the river daily.
The waste from these tanneries contains animal remains, as well as a variety of chemicals, dyes, oils, and heavy metals. Although Bangladesh has environmental regulations in place, there is a significant lack of enforcement and monitoring. Wastewater samples from the tanneries show chemical and toxin levels far exceeding allowable limits. In 2002, the government ordered the relocation of Hazaribagh tanneries outside Dhaka, but the deadline for relocation has been repeatedly extended for over a decade.
Along the Buriganga’s shores, trash piles up, and the water quality has deteriorated so severely that all the fish have perished. Many residents, particularly in the city's slums, rely on the river for bathing, cooking, and even drinking. These individuals often face severe health issues, including headaches, diarrhea, and jaundice, due to the polluted water.
6. Karymsky Lake: A Deadly Boil for Its Inhabitants
The Kamchatka Peninsula, located in far-eastern Russia, is home to numerous active volcanoes, as well as geysers and hot springs.
One of the most active volcanoes in the region is Karymsky, which is situated around 5 kilometers (3 miles) north of Karymsky Lake. The lake formed when a massive eruption emptied a magma chamber, creating a caldera that eventually filled with water. Initially thought to be dormant, the caldera erupted again in 1996.
The eruption began at midnight on January 2 with an explosion from the Karymsky volcano. Later that afternoon, the lake began to erupt as well. The underwater eruption released steam and ash for approximately 18 hours. The material from the eruption fell back into the lake, creating a toxic mix of sodium, sulfate, calcium, and magnesium. The lake's water reached boiling point, killing all the life within.
Before the eruption, Karymsky Lake was a clear body of water with a pH level of 7.5. After the eruption, the water turned yellowish-brown, and its pH level dropped to 3.2. The freshwater lake transformed into the largest natural reservoir of acidic water in the world.
By 2012, the lake’s pH had returned to 7.54, and the water became clear once again. However, the new hot springs that formed during the eruption have made the lake three times saltier than it was before.
5. Matanza-Riachuelo River Harms Locals with Pollution
The Matanza-Riachuelo, which translates to 'slaughter brook,' flows through Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. Once a dumping ground for waste and sewage, this river is now among the most polluted water sources in the world.
The Matanza-Riachuelo passes through urban slums that are home to nearly five million people. Factories, tanneries, and chemical plants pour around 82,000 cubic meters (2.9 million ft) of industrial waste, including toxic metals and pesticides, into the river each day. As a result, 25 percent of children living in these slums have detectable lead in their blood.
The riverside slums suffer from a lack of proper plumbing, with many homes relying on outhouses whose drainage pipes empty directly into the Matanza-Riachuelo. Residents face a range of undiagnosed health issues, including skin conditions, respiratory illnesses, and severe gastrointestinal problems that can be fatal.
In 2005, an environmental minister from Argentina promised that the Matanza-Riachuelo river would be cleaned up in 1,000 days, even declaring that she would be the first to drink from the water. Unfortunately, neither of those commitments were fulfilled.
4. Berkeley Pit Mass-Kills Snow Geese
On November 28, 2016, thousands of snow geese landed on Berkeley Pit, a small body of water in Butte, Montana. The incident resulted in the death of an estimated 10,000 geese.
Berkeley Pit is the site of a former mine where nearly 300 million tons of copper were extracted between 1955 and 1982. The mining process created a massive pit, which later filled with 275 meters (900 ft) of water, contaminated with arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, and various other toxic compounds.
The tragic death of snow geese in Berkeley Pit wasn't a unique event in 2016. In November 1995, 342 geese were found dead in the pit, and postmortem examinations revealed that the cause was the water's high acidity, strong enough to corrode a steel propeller. The birds had burns and lesions on their trachea, esophagus, and internal organs.
As the water level in Berkeley Pit continues to rise, so do concerns over contamination. By 2023, the water is expected to reach Butte’s groundwater. Without a proper treatment plan, the polluted water will flow into the local water supply.
3. The Jacuzzi Of Despair: An Underwater Danger
The Jacuzzi of Despair is an underwater lake situated 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, on the ocean floor.
Underwater lakes, or brine pools, form when salt from ancient seabeds seeps into the surrounding water, making it so dense that it no longer mixes with the surrounding seawater. This creates a distinct underwater lake with its own surface, shoreline, and current.
The Jacuzzi of Despair is a crater-like pool that rises 3.7 meters (12 ft) from the ocean floor, named for its notably warm temperatures. The lake’s water reaches about 18 degrees Celsius (65 °F), whereas the surrounding seawater is only 4 degrees Celsius (39 °F).
While mussels thrive along its shoreline, the high concentrations of salt and methane in the lake itself make it lethal for most sea creatures. The warmth of the lake lures marine animals like crabs in search of food, but if they fall in, they do not survive.
Though most sea creatures cannot endure the harsh conditions of the lake, scientists have discovered microbial life thriving within it. These creatures, which have adapted to the extreme environment, may offer insight into life forms that could exist on other planets.
2. Lake Natron Mummifies Its Victims
Lake Natron, a saltwater lake situated in northern Tanzania near the Kenyan border, gets its name from natron, a naturally occurring compound made up of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (commonly known as baking soda).
Lake Natron’s unique chemical composition is the result of a nearby volcano called Ol Doinyo Lengai, or ‘Mountain of God.’ It is the only active volcano on Earth that erupts natrocarbonatites rather than silicates. The lava from this volcano is relatively cooler than typical volcanic lava and has an oily appearance, resembling an oil spill rather than flowing magma. When cooled, this lava forms a whitish powder, which is carried by rainfall runoff into Lake Natron, raising the water’s pH to levels between 9 and 10.5. During warmer months, temperatures in the lake can rise to as high as 60°C (140°F).
Photographer Nick Brandt discovered Lake Natron during a photo shoot for his book on East Africa. He was astounded by the sight of hundreds of carcasses scattered across the shore, mostly of bats and migratory birds. These birds often mistake the shallow lake, which is less than 3 meters (10 ft) deep, for a safe landing spot, possibly due to its reflective surface. Once the birds die, the sodium carbonate in the water preserves their skeletons, much like the mummification process used by ancient Egyptians. As the water levels drop, the preserved bodies wash ashore, a sight that Brandt documented with the help of locals by arranging the corpses in lifelike poses for an eerie photo series.
Despite Lake Natron’s corrosive nature, it is a key breeding ground for one species: flamingos. The flamingos’ tough, leathery legs allow them to withstand the salty waters. Lesser flamingos, the smallest members of their species, construct their nests on salt crystal islands that form when the lake level is low. These nests are located in the middle of the lake, providing protection from predators such as cheetahs and baboons, as the caustic water deters them and keeps the chicks safe.
1. Yamuna River Dies In Delhi
The Yamuna River starts as a pure, clear stream flowing from a glacier in the Himalayas. To the north of Delhi, it is home to various wildlife, including turtles, fish, crocodiles, and diverse aquatic vegetation. However, the Yamuna that reaches Delhi is vastly different from the pristine water that first flows from the mountains.
The river's water is diverted north of Delhi to provide one-third of the city's drinking supply, and is also used for irrigation of rice paddies. As a result, much of the riverbed is left dry, only to be replenished with pollution and sewage in its place.
According to a 2011 water quality report, the water leaving Delhi contained over a billion fecal coliform bacteria per 100 milliliters, far surpassing the acceptable bathing standard of 500 coliform bacteria per 100 milliliters. More than five million residents in unauthorized settlements without proper sewer systems contribute to the pollution, defecating directly into the river. Industrial waste, including heavy metals, is also dumped into the Yamuna on a daily basis.
In Hinduism, the Yamuna is revered not only as a river but also as a goddess. Some devotees are deeply troubled by the river’s decline, believing that the goddess is suffering and in need of restoration. Others argue that, as a goddess, the Yamuna can never truly be polluted, regardless of how much physical harm she endures.
While there may be debate about whether the goddess is truly dying, there is no doubt about the tangible harm the river is causing to human lives. The 23-kilometer (14-mile) section of the Yamuna that runs through Delhi is devoid of any aquatic life. This polluted stretch of water is linked to numerous cases of typhoid fever and has contributed to an alarmingly high rate of infant deaths. Additionally, heavy metals leach from the river into nearby fields, contaminating crops and leading to arsenic and lead poisoning, which has caused the suffering and death of children in the surrounding area.
