The most dangerous lake in the world: find out why it is called the killer lake. Urban reservoirs, their dangers, behavior on reservoirs in the city, injury prevention and safety measures
Nature can create truly beautiful and mysterious places. Previously, such places were given a mystical color. In the modern world, most “mystical” explanations have been destroyed by science. The Factinteres online magazine has collected for you the 8 most dangerous bodies of water that are best avoided.
Boiling Lake, Dominican Republic
This lake in the Dominican Republic could become a popular thermal resort. However, the water temperature is around 90 degrees Celsius. It becomes obvious why you can't swim here. Moreover, the authorities prohibit even approaching this body of water. The fact is that periodically a mixture of lava and boiling water bursts out from the depths of the reservoir. It looks beautiful, but it is not recommended to be near it.
Rio Tinto, Spain
The Rio Tinto River has a beautiful red color of water. However, this beauty is dangerous for humans. The fact is that the redness of the water occurs due to the high concentration of iron and copper. The concentration is so high that not a single species of fish can be found in the river.
The appearance of the red tint of the water is explained by mining operations near the river. Mining began in this area more than 100 years ago. During this time, the river has become very dirty, and it is now forbidden to even approach it.
Chitarium, Indonesia
The Citarum River was an ordinary river. At one time, the river began to be used for industrial purposes, agriculture, and water supply. All this brought the river to the point where it became a real garbage dump. Samples from this river are surprising, because... the level of pollution is very high. By the way, more than 5 million people live in the river bed.
Kivu, Africa
The Kifu River looks very beautiful. She is a beautiful blue color. However, this beauty is deceptive and poses a danger to humans. This is because there is a lot of carbon dioxide and methane under the water column. Everything would be fine if the lake were not located in an area of volcanic activity. This means that a very strong explosion could occur at any moment. A similar thing happened before, when as a result of volcanic activity the lake boiled and all the living creatures were simply cooked.
Karachay, Russia
This river was not originally dangerous. However, in October 1951, liquid radioactive waste began to be buried in this place. By now, a lot of waste has accumulated and the groundwater has become polluted.
Potomac, USA
The Potomac River has been dangerous to humans from the very beginning. The fact is that there are very strong undercurrents here. Every year, several dozen water extreme sports enthusiasts who want to conquer this river become victims of the Potomac River.
Tualatin River, USA
This river is mesmerizing with its bright green color. However, this color comes from algae, which is deadly to animals. For humans, this river poses a slightly less danger, but death is quite possible. At best, the person will feel weak and have diarrhea. In the worst case scenario, paralysis or death. Hundreds of animals die in this river every year.
Jacob's Well, USA
Thousands of divers from all over the world come here every year. The winding tunnels of the cave attract many divers who love extreme sports. However, these tunnels are not only beautiful, but also very dangerous. About 10 people have already become victims of Jacob's Well.
Water gives life to all living things, but it also happens that water becomes a murder weapon. There are many deadly bodies of water on our planet that you should stay away from. In our review we will talk about some of them.
1. Lake Karachay (Chelyabinsk region, Russia)
Not far from the Mayak chemical plant in the Urals is Lake Karachay, known for its radioactive waters. This production facility produces nuclear fuel, nuclear weapon components, and disposes of waste. Since the 1950s, thousands of tons of radioactive waste have been dumped into the lake. Anyone staying on the lake for more than an hour risked receiving a lethal dose of radiation. This has made Karachay one of the deadliest places on the planet.
Due to the drying up of the lake and the spread of dangerous radioactive dust, it was decided to remove it. Having spent 17 billion rubles, in 2015 the lake was finally filled with concrete and covered with soil. But still, this is definitely not the best place to relax.
2. Boiling Lake (Dominica)
The hottest lake in the world is Boiling Lake on the island of Dominica. It is located in the Valley of Despair. The water in it reaches a temperature of 92 degrees Celsius.
During the rainy season, temperatures can drop to 10 degrees, but even then swimming is strictly prohibited. Hot springs continue to flow underwater, and lava may even flow. This is as common as the fact that at times the water level drops sharply and then quickly rises again. All this madness is the result of volcanic activity.
3. Citarum River (West Java, Indonesia)
Providing water to approximately 28 million people, Indonesia's Citarum River is also one of the most polluted rivers in the world, if not the dirtiest. This is because hundreds of industrial units have made it a habit to pollute water by dumping textile waste and garbage.
Local families who once lived by fishing have switched to collecting recyclables from the river, such as plastic bottles, rubber gloves, and even broken chair legs. But the future doesn't look entirely bleak. In 2011, a $4 billion, 15-year project began to save the river and the people who depend on it.
4. Rio Tinto (Andalusia, Spain)
Around 3000 BC In the areas around the Rio Tinto (Red River) in southern Spain, rich deposits of gold, silver, copper and other valuable minerals began to be developed. Since then, the water has been contaminated with heavy metals, mining chemicals and acids.
As a result, the river waters acquired a screaming red color. Surprisingly, they are not devoid of life. Bacteria live there that can live in extreme conditions.
5. Blue Lagoon (Derbyshire, UK)
The Blue Lagoon in England is actually a former quarry that was flooded after it closed. And this is the last place where you would want to go relax and swim with your family. The water is tinted turquoise by calcite, which is washed out of the limestone rock. And calcium oxides increase the alkalinity of water to dangerous levels.
The water contains a lot of garbage, but locals do not refuse to swim in the Blue Lagoon. In their opinion, if you do not dive headlong, there will be no harm to your health.
6. Horseshoe Lake (California, USA)
California is home to sun, surf, and toxic lakes like Horseshoe Lake, located in the Mammoth Lakes region. Horseshoe emits high concentrations of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Harmful gases are produced by underground volcanoes throughout the area.
The toxic mixture of gases has already destroyed 170 hectares of trees, and even killed people. A healthy 58-year-old hiker died in 1998, and three park patrol workers died in 2006.
7. Mono Lake (California, USA)
Mono Lake, also located in California, is one of the oldest lakes in the United States, and one of the deadliest. In the absence of flowing rivers, due to evaporation, the water level decreases, and a large amount of salts is deposited in the lake. This makes it three times as salty as the oceans and gives it a pH balance of 10. While the salt has led to the amazing limestone tuff columns, it has also made the lake much more dangerous.
Microscopic shrimp, flies and some types of algae are the only inhabitants of the pond. Any birds will not be able to live long if they decide to get drunk. Of course, water is not always poisonous, as toxicity varies depending on depth and time of year.
8. Lake Kivu (between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo)
Lake Kivu in East Africa is scary not because of its location or the composition of the water. It is deadly due to the huge amount of methane and carbon dioxide contained at the bottom. These gases themselves are harmless, but they can immediately come to the surface during a volcanic eruption or earthquake. Because there are many volcanoes in this area, you can hear the ticking of a time bomb coming from Lake Kivu. There is a constant danger of a methane explosion or carbon dioxide suffocation of the two million people living in the surrounding area. Also, a disaster could be caused by some kind of violation when trying to extract these gases. The first towers for the extraction of methane from this rich deposit have already been installed on the lake.
It’s amazing that the brightest and most attractive rivers and lakes are so deadly. See even more striking photos.
The world is 70% water, we drink it, swim in it, grow food with it, and simply exist thanks to it. But some bodies of water are very dangerous. I present to your attention a list of lakes and rivers that can cause serious harm or even kill a person.
The Rio Tinto is one of the most acidic rivers, with a pH of 2 at best, which is approximately equal to the acidity level in the human gastrointestinal tract. This is enough to kill any fish that dares to swim into this river. In all likelihood, the same thing threatens humans. Water is dangerous because of a special bacterium living in it. Similar substances have been found on Mars, causing scientists to think that perhaps the key to the mystery of the Red Planet lies in this river. While this is just a pipe dream, there is no doubt that you should be as wary of Rio Tinto as you are of an angry grizzly bear - after all, both the river and the animal are something that is pleasant to watch, but better not to touch.
Boiling Lake, Dominican Republic
Whoever came up with the name for this place did not have to think long: Boiling Lake fully lives up to its name. The lake was first discovered by two Englishmen in 1870. Five years later, it was possible to measure the temperature in the lake, which ranged from 82 to 91.5 degrees Celsius. This alone is enough to cause burns, but this is the temperature at the edges of the lake. In the center it is much higher - so much so that it cannot even be measured without the person measuring it being boiled alive. 
Lake Kivu, on the border of Congo and Rwanda
300 meters of Lake Kivu is a ticking time bomb. About 250 cubic kilometers of carbon dioxide and 65 cubic kilometers of methane are hidden in the depths of this lake. It can flood all nearby settlements, claiming thousands of lives. So far, the gas is harmless, but one volcanic eruption is enough (and given that there are many of them located there, this could well happen) for the gas to rise to the surface, destroying everything around. 
Citarum River, Java, Indonesia
The Citarum is one of the most polluted rivers on earth. Due to the 500 factories located on the banks of the river, the lack of waste collection systems and a modern water supply system, the river is so filled with garbage that the water itself is almost invisible underneath. This river can take many lives, but only through our fault. And this is the most important waterway in that area! Locals use the water for drinking, bathing and even cooking! But, unfortunately, they have no other choice. They made their own bed and now they will have to sleep on it. 
Rivers of Johannesburg, South Africa
There is little pleasure in being infected with E. coli, but now imagine that you are swimming in water that is teeming with them. This is the reality for many rivers in Johannesburg, South Africa, where levels of E. coli bacteria exceed the acceptable limit, in some places by 240 times. This problem will not go away because local government officials actively deny it. Although when health experts say that drinking from this river means putting your life in mortal danger, then it would probably be worth listening to them... 
Blackwater River, Virginia, USA
Too much water is also no good. Ask any Virginian living near the Blewwater River, who has seen more flooding than anyone in the past few years. After 60 years of calm, the Blackwater River has flooded and inundated nearby towns about six times in the last 10 years. Fortunately, this has not yet resulted in the death of any of the residents, but it is only a matter of time if this continues. And, unfortunately, no one can say why Blackwater spills so often. But whatever the reason, the locals are determined to find out so they can finally stop worrying about everything they lived for being swept away by the river's turbulent flow again. 
Tualatin River, Oregon, USA
The Tualatin River in Oregon is not the best place to go swimming with your pet: every year animals die in the river due to toxic blue-green algae. The algae, which is actually nothing more than deadly bacteria, grows rapidly, filling the water with a deceptively beautiful turquoise color. Those unfortunate people who plunged into this river will, at best, experience weakness and diarrhea, and at worst, paralysis and even death. 
Lake Karachay, Russia
Like a supermodel with a bomb hidden under her dress, Lake Karachay in Russia is beautiful but deadly. This is the most radioactive body of water in the whole world. This has been the main disposal site for nuclear waste since the 90s. The lake is so toxic that you can die without even touching the water. Just by standing on the shore of the lake for about an hour you will receive radiation of 600 roentgens. For comparison: most people die from radiation of 500 roentgens. Now everything possible is being done to solve this problem and recently tests have shown either low levels of radiation or no radiation. Maybe in 500 years people will even be able to swim in this lake. May be.... 
Belle Forche River, South Dakota-Wyoming border, USA
The Belle Forche is not a boiling, not poisonous or radioactive river, but nevertheless poses a huge danger. It has already claimed several lives. In 2010, a father, his daughter and a friend drowned when fast rapids threw them from their boat. A few years later, another case was reported that nearly resulted in the death of a person, again due to the rapid current and dangerous rapids. Although this river rarely attracts the attention of the press, it can still be considered quite dangerous. 
Potomac River, on the border of Maryland and West Virginia, USA
Although most people know this river only because Washington, D.C. is located on it, the legendary river has another feature - it often claims lives. From Great Falls to the Chain Bridge, the river forms a series of rapids and waterfalls that carry victims 1.5 km in a seething stream. Approximately 6 people a year die in the waters of the Potomac River and many more risk their lives simply by playing on the banks of the river. It is so dangerous that local authorities have launched a campaign to warn the public, using the clearest wording: “If you go into this river, you will die.” 
The world is 70% water, we drink it, swim in it, grow food with it, and simply exist thanks to it. But some bodies of water are very dangerous. We present to your attention a list of lakes and rivers that can cause serious harm or even kill a person.
The Rio Tinto is one of the most acidic rivers, with a pH of 2 at best, which is approximately equal to the acidity level in the human gastrointestinal tract. This is enough to kill any fish that dares to swim into this river. In all likelihood, the same thing threatens humans. Water is dangerous because of a special bacterium living in it. Similar substances have been found on Mars, causing scientists to think that perhaps the key to the mystery of the Red Planet lies in this river. While this is just a pipe dream, there is no doubt that you should be as wary of Rio Tinto as you are of an angry grizzly bear - after all, both the river and the animal are something that is pleasant to watch, but better not to touch.
Whoever came up with the name for this place did not have to think long: Boiling Lake fully lives up to its name. The lake was first discovered by two Englishmen in 1870. Five years later, it was possible to measure the temperature in the lake, which ranged from 82 to 91.5 degrees Celsius. This alone is enough to cause burns, but this is the temperature at the edges of the lake. In the center it is much higher - so much so that it cannot even be measured without the person measuring it being boiled alive.
300 meters of Lake Kivu is a ticking time bomb. About 250 cubic kilometers of carbon dioxide and 65 cubic kilometers of methane are hidden in the depths of this lake. It can flood all nearby settlements, claiming thousands of lives. So far, the gas is harmless, but one volcanic eruption is enough (and given that there are many of them located there, this could well happen) for the gas to rise to the surface, destroying everything around.
The Citarum is one of the most polluted rivers on earth. Due to the 500 factories located on the banks of the river, the lack of waste collection systems and a modern water supply system, the river is so filled with garbage that the water itself is almost invisible underneath. This river can take many lives, but only through our fault. And this is the most important waterway in that area! Locals use the water for drinking, bathing and even cooking! But, unfortunately, they have no other choice. They made their own bed and now they will have to sleep on it.
There is little pleasure in being infected with E. coli, but now imagine that you are swimming in water that is teeming with them. This is the reality for many rivers in Johannesburg, South Africa, where levels of E. coli bacteria exceed the acceptable limit, in some places by 240 times. This problem will not go away because local government officials actively deny it. Although when health experts say that drinking from this river means putting your life in mortal danger, then it would probably be worth listening to them...
Too much water is also no good. Ask any Virginian living near the Blewwater River, who has seen more flooding than anyone in the past few years. After 60 years of calm, the Blackwater River has flooded and inundated nearby towns about six times in the last 10 years. Fortunately, this has not yet resulted in the death of any of the residents, but it is only a matter of time if this continues. And, unfortunately, no one can say why Blackwater spills so often. But whatever the reason, the locals are determined to find out so they can finally stop worrying about everything they lived for being swept away by the river's turbulent flow again.
The Tualatin River in Oregon is not the best place to go swimming with your pet: every year animals die in the river due to toxic blue-green algae. The algae, which is actually nothing more than deadly bacteria, grows rapidly, filling the water with a deceptively beautiful turquoise color. Those unfortunate people who plunged into this river will, at best, experience weakness and diarrhea, and at worst, paralysis and even death.
Like a supermodel with a bomb hidden under her dress, Lake Karachay in Russia is beautiful but deadly. This is the most radioactive body of water in the whole world. This has been the main disposal site for nuclear waste since the 90s. The lake is so toxic that you can die without even touching the water. Just by standing on the shore of the lake for about an hour you will receive radiation of 600 roentgens. For comparison: most people die from radiation of 500 roentgens. Now everything possible is being done to solve this problem and recently tests have shown either low levels of radiation or no radiation. Maybe in 500 years people will even be able to swim in this lake. May be….
The Belle Forche is not a boiling, not poisonous or radioactive river, but nevertheless poses a huge danger. It has already claimed several lives. In 2010, a father, his daughter and a friend drowned when fast rapids threw them from their boat. A few years later, another case was reported that nearly resulted in the death of a person, again due to the rapid current and dangerous rapids. Although this river rarely attracts the attention of the press, it can still be considered quite dangerous.
Although most people know this river only because Washington, D.C. is located on it, the legendary river has another feature - it often claims lives. From Great Falls to the Chain Bridge, the river forms a series of rapids and waterfalls that carry victims 1.5 km in a seething stream. Approximately 6 people a year die in the waters of the Potomac River and many more risk their lives simply by playing on the banks of the river. It is so dangerous that local authorities have launched a campaign to warn the public, using the clearest wording: “If you go into this river, you will die.”
Do you want to quit everything you do in this stuffy city and go to warmer climes, to the beach, closer to the water, but there’s no way? We invite you to take a look at our selection - perhaps your desire will disappear.
Lake of Death, Italy
On the island of Sicily, famous for the destructive power of Mount Etna and the no less frightening, although not exposed, power of mafia clans, there is one very dangerous attraction. The waters of the Lake of Death, which are essentially not water at all, but concentrated sulfuric acid, are so destructive that this place, according to rumors in Sicily, was used by Cosa Nostra to hide the corpses of their unlucky enemies. In a matter of minutes, the deadly reservoir, fed by two underground springs with H2SO4, destroys any organic matter, leaving only lifeless space around.
Rio Tinto River, Spain
The blood-red waters of the Rio Tinto River, which originates in the Spanish province of Huelva and flows through Andalusia, are not only unattractive in appearance. Due to the high concentration of metals coming from copper, silver and gold mines, this body of water has gained fame as one of the most acidic places on Earth. Water, the pH value of which fluctuates between 1.7-2.5 and practically corresponds to the acidity of gastric juice, is dangerous for any living creature. The only inhabitants of the “Martian river” are aerobic extremophile bacteria, beloved by scientists, that feed on iron.
Lake Black Hole, Russia
A few years ago, according to the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the swampy lake Black Hole, located between Nizhny Novgorod and Dzerzhinsk, should have been covered with sand and razed to the ground. The reason for such a barbaric attitude towards the reservoir is simple - this object of socialist heritage, saturated with waste from the Plexiglas plant, is recognized as one of the most polluted in the world. The stench emanating from the Black Hole is so strong that it even overcomes the fumes from the fires that engulf Russia on hot summer days, and the liquid filling the lake completely resembles a caustic black tar that sucks in all living things.
Yangtze River, China
The third longest river in the world, second only to the Amazon and the Nile in length, surpasses them in another, not at all positive, quality. Due to the fact that 17 thousand Chinese settlements located along the banks of the Yangtze do not have purification systems, all their waste is discharged into the reservoir without filtration. Numerous chemical plants, steelmaking and oil refining complexes, as well as regular transportation of dangerous goods do not add to the cleanliness of the river. According to the most conservative estimates, the volume of polluted water in China's main waterway reaches 34 billion tons and continues to grow.
Lake Karachay, Russia
Until recently, one hour spent on the shores of Lake Karachay in the Urals was enough to meet a painful death due to radiation of 600 roentgens. This is all due to the explosion that occurred at the fissionable materials storage facility at the Mayak plant in 1957 and caused unprecedented pollution of the Techa River and the cascade of its ponds. Although every year the enterprise receives several million rubles to eliminate the consequences of the disaster, groundwater continues to spread deadly radiation. Fortunately, according to recent studies, the situation in the Lake Karachay area is gradually improving.
Amazon River, South America
The lake, located near the Valley of Despair in the Dominican Morne-Trois-Piton National Park, is notorious. If you accidentally plunge here during the dry season, you can easily be boiled alive, repeating the path of the persistent king from The Little Humpbacked Horse. The water temperature in the center of the Boiling Lake, shrouded in thick white steam, reaches 92 ° C and is only suitable for making tea. This body of water has caused so many accidents that even during the rainy season, when the lake becomes relatively cool, swimming here is strictly prohibited.
Ganges River, India
The Indian epic "Ramayana" tells that the waters of the sacred Ganges River are endowed with the power to bring the dead back to life and relieve illnesses. Unfortunately, the reality is far from the myths: the main river of India is included in the list of the most clogged reservoirs in the world. Waste from numerous industries and feces coming from overpopulated cities flow here. Even swimming in the Ganges, where the number of enterobacteria is 120 times higher than normal, leads to infectious diseases and causes the death of thousands of people every year. Adding to the problems hampering the cleansing of the sacred reservoir is the ritual burial of bodies in Varanasi.
Onondaga Lake, USA
In the 19th century, Onondaga Lake, located near Syracuse, America, was a popular vacation spot. A century later, the reservoir, which came under the influence of technical “progress,” found itself on the verge of an environmental disaster. In 1901, Onondaga water, saturated with nitrates, phosphates, mercury and pathogenic bacteria from industrial waste, was banned from use in the food industry. In 1940, swimming was vetoed, and in 1970, fishing was vetoed. After the ban on waste discharges, the installation of treatment facilities and the adoption of the Clean Water Law, the situation with the lake is gradually improving, but it will still take a very long time for the reservoir to be cleaned.
Citarum River, Indonesia
With the advent of progressive technologies, more than half a thousand factories have sprung up along the banks of the once picturesque, and now one of the most polluted rivers in nature, located on the island of Java. The reservoir, which previously served as a source of income for numerous fishermen, has become home to other hunters - scavenger hunters. Dirty water, teeming with bacteria and invisible under a thick layer of household and industrial waste, is still used for drinking and irrigating fields. Scientists predict that in the coming years, the pollution of Citarum will reach a critical level and could lead to the shutdown of the largest hydroelectric power station in Java.