Buzz
Numerous rivers around the world naturally flow underground, but some have been pushed underground due to factors like flooding, pollution, location, and diseases. Several of these rivers were dammed, concealed, and rerouted through concrete or brick sewer systems, with cities constructed above them.
These once-vibrant rivers became victims of urban development, yet some have managed to be revealed again in recent years. Many people are unaware that rivers run beneath their cities.
10. Neglinnaya River Moscow
Beneath Red Square, Alexandrovsky Sad, and the Metropol Hotel in Moscow flows the Neglinnaya River, also called Neglinka, Neglinna, and Neglimna. This natural river once flowed freely from northern Moscow to the southern part of the city, cutting through the center.
The river was initially used as a moat around the Kremlin to defend against foreign invasions, but it proved largely ineffective. Residents of the area began to experience frequent floods, and the Muscovites realized that something needed to be done with the river.
In 1792, a new canal was built parallel to the Neglinnaya River, diverting its waters into a newly created tunnel. The original riverbed was then sealed off by the builders. After the Fire of Moscow in 1812, the canal became so contaminated that it was eventually covered with a vault.
Since the initial construction, several tunnels have been added, expanded, or built. The river now flows into the Moskva River through two tunnels near the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge and Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge.
9. The Senne Brussels
A pivotal moment in the history of Brussels was the burial of the Senne. The city was originally built along the Senne, which once ran across Brussels from one side to the other.
As industries moved into the city, the river soon became an open sewer, overflowing during most rainstorms. The water became extremely polluted, emitting a strong, unpleasant smell throughout Brussels. Persistent flooding and a cholera outbreak were major factors in the Senne’s decline.
When city officials decided it was time to cover the river, the construction took just four years. The Senne was replaced with canals, and buildings were erected on top of the buried river. The underground waterway was eventually rerouted, and by 1976, the old river tunnels were repurposed for the Brussels subway system.
In 2000, the first modern wastewater treatment plant was introduced to help restore the Senne to its original function. A second treatment facility became operational in 2007.
8. The River Fleet London
The River Fleet runs beneath the streets of Holborn, King’s Cross, and Camden, hidden from view as one of London’s most notable lost rivers. It is the largest of London’s enigmatic underground rivers.
The Anglo-Saxons referred to it as the “hollow stream.” Even earlier, it was an important river for the Romans, who depended on it as a vital water source for butchers, brewers, and mills that required large amounts of water.
Over time, London grew into a sprawling industrial hub, and the once-pristine waters started to vanish. The river became highly polluted, emanating a strong, unpleasant odor.
Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, there was a proposal to widen the river to serve as a firebreak, but the idea was dismissed. Instead, the River Fleet was transformed into a canal, which failed to gain popularity and remained largely unused.
Eventually, the river was covered up and integrated into the sewer system. Locals claim that the sound of the flowing water can still be heard in Clerkenwell, and on certain days, the waters of the Fleet can be seen flowing into the Thames.
7. Tibbetts Brook New York City
Located just north of the Bronx, Tibbetts Brook starts and flows into a small lake at Van Cortlandt Park. More accurately described as a stream than a river, it disappears underground and travels through a brick sewer. However, it is one of the underground rivers New York City is aiming to bring back to the surface.
The region was once inhabited by Native Americans, who utilized the stream for both water and food. They named the brook Mosholu, meaning “smooth or small stones,” due to its flow over these types of rocks.
In 1691, Jacobus Van Cortlandt built a dam across the stream on his property, forming Van Cortlandt Lake. The water from the lake powered a gristmill and sawmill.
Years later, the city acquired the land that would become Van Cortlandt Park. Efforts are currently underway to daylight Tibbetts Brook, which would bring the stream back above ground, flowing between the lake and the Harlem River rather than being channeled through a sewer.
6. Park River Hartford, Connecticut
Centuries ago, a river ran through Hartford, Connecticut. This wasn’t the Connecticut River, but the smaller, less known Park River.
Initially, the river served as a vital source for mills and factories, but it quickly became a dumping ground for industrial and human waste. It was also referred to as “Hog River” due to the numerous farms with pigs that once bordered its banks.
Because of the severe pollution in Park River, local authorities decided to encase it beneath the city in concrete tunnels and drainage systems. This massive project, which began in 1940, became one of the largest and costliest undertakings by the Army Corps of Engineers.
The project took over forty years and cost more than $100 million to complete. Today, the river runs underground beneath Hartford, though its upper sections are visible and accessible to the public. The subterranean portion, however, remains hidden, keeping the lost river out of sight for curious onlookers.
5. Wien River Vienna
The Wien is an Austrian river that flows through the heart of Vienna. Following devastating floods, often accompanied by cholera outbreaks, the riverbeds were reinforced with concrete.
The river was redirected underground, and today, most of it is hidden beneath the city and incorporated into the sewage system. In 2013, Vienna's city planners approved the construction of three separate terraces along the river.
Stadtpark, Vienna's first public park, sits along the Wien River, offering scenic landscapes, artistic sculptures, and tranquil, shaded paths.
4. River Bievre Paris
The Bievre is a 36-kilometer (22-mile) river that flows into the Seine in Paris. For years, it has been covered and redirected into tunnels as part of the city's sewer system.
Initially, the river flowed directly into the Seine within Paris, but it was later diverted to meet the river further downstream. The pollution from nearby industries led to the Bievre's burial and redirection.
Efforts to restore the Bievre have been ongoing for many years, with various groups advocating for its revival. Many hope that bringing the river back to the surface will provide new habitats for plants and animals, while reducing flood risks and creating new “green corridors” through urban spaces.
3. Bradford Beck River England
Once a pristine and visible river, Bradford Beck now flows through elegant, arched foundations beneath Bradford, England. It was historically used to power corn mills and fulling mills, contributing to Bradford's rise as the heart of the global wool industry.
By 1840, Bradford Beck became heavily polluted with raw sewage and industrial waste. Despite this, people in the area continued to consume the water, resulting in outbreaks of typhoid and cholera. Life expectancy in Bradford was among the lowest in the country.
By 1870, Bradford Beck was enclosed in a culvert and built over, effectively concealing the river from sight. While water quality has improved since the river was forced underground, little has changed in terms of the river's physical character.
Daylighting the beck presents a significant challenge due to the numerous buildings above which the river flows. Across the city, 15 plaques have been placed to mark the hidden river's path. Each plaque features a couplet from a poem dedicated to the river. The first plaque is located near Bradford Live, while the final one is positioned across from Broadway.
2. The Cheonggyecheon Seoul
The revitalization of the Cheonggyecheon proved that a natural sanctuary could thrive within a concrete jungle. Once the main river of Seoul, many homes were built along its banks. Over time, the water became tainted with trash and waste, turning into a major eyesore for the city. To make way for an elevated highway, the Cheonggyecheon was buried beneath concrete.
In the early 2000s, government officials made a promise to remove the freeway and bring back the Cheonggyecheon. The once-busy freeway has since been transformed into a 5.8-kilometer-long (3.6 mi) waterway corridor, now filled with natural beauty.
The restoration project offers flood protection against events as extreme as a 200-year flood. Additionally, it led to a 15.1% increase in bus ridership, a 3.3% rise in subway ridership, and a 30–50% boost in land values for properties located within 50 meters (164 ft) of the site.
The Cheonggyecheon restoration project, attracting 64,000 visitors daily (including around 1,400 international tourists), is recognized as one of the most significant river daylighting projects in history.
1. Sunswick Creek New York City
Sunswick Creek, a freshwater stream running through Queens, is believed by scholars to derive its name from a Native American term meaning “woman chief.” In the 1800s, both the creek and its marshy environment became tainted by sewage and industrial waste. By 1879, the marshes were drained, and the creek was either filled in or diverted into the sewer system.
The process of burying Sunswick Creek seems to have been carried out in stages. Urban explorers have documented several images of the large, sewer-like pipes that now channel the water. The creek still flows beneath the modern streets. If you stand near the old Somer Piano Factory building on Vernon, close to Socrates Sculpture Garden, you can hear the creek's rush below!
