Switzerland. When you mention this word, the first associations that come to mind are watches, jars, chocolate, cheese and ski resorts. No one often thought about discovering this wonderful corner of the Alps from the other side. The nature of this country is no less famous than its way of life and culture. And Verzasca is proof of this.
Verzasca is a mountain river in the canton of Ticino. The length of the river is relatively small, only 30 kilometers. The source of the river is at the top of Pizzo Barone, at an altitude of 2864 meters, and its mouth is in Lake Lago Maggiore, on the border with Italy.
First of all, Verzasca gained fame and popularity because of its crystal- clean water. On this moment Since then, it has the status of the cleanest river in the world. It also attracts tourists with colorful multi-colored stones lying at the bottom.
The banks of the river are decorated with chestnut forests and vineyards. Verzasca attracts travelers, divers and, of course, lovers of landscapes. This is one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe.
Swimming in the river is prohibited due to its temperature. The maximum is 10 degrees Celsius. However, this does not stop divers. Swimming in crystal clear water, from the bottom of which you can see the sky, is a significant fact for underwater photographers. The depth reaches 10 meters. But there are places where Verzasca can be treacherous, due to strong undercurrents.
To avoid incidents, guards walk along the shore and point out the places where daredevils can plunge into ice water. Over a long period of time, Verzasca formed abrasive forms of underwater relief in hard rocks, that is, it created natural baths in which tourists prefer to swim in the summer.
Another phenomenon of the river is the absence of living organisms. Unfortunately, scientists cannot explain the reasons for this phenomenon. Perhaps everything is related to acidity, but again, its level does not exceed a critical point; for example, in similar rivers you can find an abundance of fish.
Verzasca has two attractions that have caused an increase in the flow of tourists. One of them is a dam 220 meters high. It was built back in 1959 to reduce the discharge of water into Lake Lago Maggiore. However, she gained popularity after filming the James Bond film GoldenEye. In the film, Bond jumped from this very dam. Now at the top there is an area for bungee jumping - an extreme jump on an elastic rope.
The second attraction is the Roman Bridge. It is a stone structure with two arches. This is a favorite place for photographers and lovers of natural landscapes. From here you have stunning views of the Alps, as well as crystal water flowing along a winding channel.
- Where is
- Features of the river
- Tourism
- What is Verzasca known for?
- Roman Bridge
- What else can you see
- How to get there
- Video
When you mention Switzerland, the first things that come to mind are banks, watches, cheese, chocolate and ski resorts. But this alpine country is famous not only for these achievements; its nature is also remarkable. For example, in Switzerland there is the most clean river in the world - Verzasca.
Where is
Verzasca is a mountain river flowing in the canton of Ticino, located in southeastern Switzerland. Its source is located almost at the top of one of the mountains called Pizzo Barone, reaching a height of 2.8 km. The Verzasca then heads south, passes 30 km through picturesque mountain valleys and flows into Lake Maggiore, in its northern part.
This lake fills a tectonic basin located in the west of the Lombardy Alps, and is located simultaneously in two countries - Switzerland and neighboring Italy. A few kilometers above the confluence point, the Verzasca is blocked by a wide and high dam Contra 220 m high.
The dam has 2 more names:
- Verzasca Dam;
- Locarno Dam.
It was built in 1959 with the aim of reducing the volume of water entering this Lake Maggiore. Because of this, a large artificial lake, Lago di Vogorno, was formed above the dam.
Features of the river
Throughout its course, the Verzasca passes through beautiful valleys with lush Mediterranean vegetation, in which mainly chestnut forests grow and huge vineyards are planted.
But the main asset of this river is the transparent turquoise water, through which you can see the bottom, located at a depth of 10-15 m. It is so crystal clear that, standing on the shore, you can easily see the colorful stones lying at the very bottom of Verzasca. Both banks of this pure Swiss river are strewn with the same multi-colored boulders of various sizes.
It is noteworthy that in the purest waters of this river there is not a single living organism - neither plant nor animal. Why this happened remains a mystery. Some scientists trying to understand this phenomenon have suggested that this is due to the high acidity of the local water, but studies have shown that in this indicator the Verzasca water is no different from that which flows in most rivers in the world.
Tourism
The extraordinary picturesqueness of the area attracts many tourists and simply admirers of the true beauties of nature. The river is especially attractive in summer, when the vegetation along its banks amazes with its lushness and rich colors.
Interestingly, swimming in the cleanest river is prohibited, because the water in it is cool and even in summer it does not heat up above 10°C. In addition, in some places in the narrow mountainous Verzasca there are seething undercurrents that are dangerous for those who cannot swim well. But, despite the possible danger, in its waters you can often see diving enthusiasts who dive into the depths to:
- see the world through the thickness of exceptionally clear water;
- admire the mass of stones of various colors, smoothly polished by the flow over the past centuries.
To prevent possible incidents, inspectors from local residents are on duty on the shores of Verzasca, who warn those wishing to swim about the danger and show them the most suitable places for diving. Despite the fact that the river is generally quite deep, in some places along its course there are shallow natural depressions filled with body-comfortable, sun-warmed water.
What is Verzasca known for?
This Swiss mountain river gained worldwide fame after the release of the 17th film in the James Bond series, GoldenEye, in 1995. It features a scene in which Pierce Brosnan, playing the famous English spy, makes a spectacular jump from a 220-meter dam on the Verzasca River. This jump, according to numerous surveys of film fans, is considered one of the best stunts in modern cinema.
Today everyone can repeat the famous jump of agent 007. For them, the Contra Dam has a special structure for bungee jumping, from which you can make an extreme jump from a considerable height on a flexible cable. These jumps are called:
- "007 Jump";
- "GoldenEye Bungee Jump".
Those who dare to take the risky jump are guaranteed 7.5s. free fall from a high dam and a lot of thrills. This type of entertainment is available both during the day and at night, but at night it costs a little more. Those wishing to jump must undergo a medical examination, choose a jump time and pay the specified amount for it.
For those visitors who are not yet ready for such an extreme, many entertaining excursions around the dam have been prepared.
Roman Bridge
Another famous landmark of Verzasca is the Roman Bridge, built at the beginning of the 17th century. This is a narrow stone bridge, made in the form of 2 long arches.
Many locals and visiting tourists walk along it, as it offers an amazing view of the surrounding rocks and the clearest water flowing along the narrow winding bed of this mountain river. When going for a walk along the Roman Bridge, it is worth taking a camera with you to capture the most exciting moments. In addition to the Roman Bridge, you can also visit ancient colorful villages, many of which are more than 4 centuries old.
Attractions Verzasca
In addition to the Roman Bridge, Verzasca is also notable for the medieval villages located along its banks. One of them - Korippo, dating back 4 centuries, has the status of national historical monument. It is very picturesque: the houses in it are built from layered gneiss - rock, close in composition to granite and shale.
Inside many of them today remained:
- antique fireplaces;
- floors made of chestnut planks.
But despite this, most of the houses in Corippo, as in many other mountain settlements in the Alps, are empty, as young people leave to live in the cities, and only old people remain in place. For example, today the population of Corippo does not reach even 20 inhabitants, and the only working one is the mayor of the village.
There are no shops in Korippo, as well as other institutions, including schools. Although the village is located half an hour from Locarno, Switzerland, not everyone wants to drive there every day along a narrow mountain road with sharp bends. IN Lately To remedy the situation, a fund has been set up to preserve the village, and a project has been developed according to which in the future several empty traditional houses will be converted into comfortable hotel rooms.
What else can you see
You can also visit Locarno itself. In this city it is worth visiting the famous shopping area on Via Pessina and old church Madonna del Sasso, which is the main attraction of the city.
It is located on a steep mountainside, so you can climb it in 2 ways:
- walking along steep stairs;
- on the funicular.
The church is famous for the fact that it was built on the spot where the Virgin Mary herself appeared to one of the monks in the 15th century.
In Locarno you can also visit the nearby medieval castle Castello Visconteo, dating back more than 10 centuries. Over all the years of its existence, this fortress has been rebuilt and reconstructed more than once, as a result, now only 1/5 of the buildings built at the very beginning remain. But even the surviving buildings represent a huge single architectural ensemble.
The fortress has preserved ancient interiors and houses a small archaeological museum, among the exhibits of which:
- antiquities dating back to the Bronze Age and the Roman conquest;
- a unique collection of exceptionally beautiful locally made porcelain and glassware.
While in the castle museum, you cannot pass by the colorful frescoes of the 15th century, preserved on the walls in the passages between the museum halls. Now you can even organize a celebration in the fortress, you just need to rent the right hall.
How to get there
As they say local residents and numerous tourists, the easiest way to admire the delights of the Verzasca is in the place where it flows into Lake Maggiore. You can get there from Locarno, and to it, in turn, from Basel, Lucerne, Zurich or Italian Milan by railway. To raft on this mountain river, it is better to go upstream and choose any of the small towns located there as your starting point.
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The Voncha River flows through the wilderness of the Mari forests, through pine and spruce thickets of trees, through shrubs - alder, bird cherry, raspberry. It is replenished by clean springs and small rivers.
Few people know that this river Voncha is the cleanest river in the world, and not just the Republic of Mari El and Europe.
The length of the Voncha River is 33 km, it is a tributary of another small river, Ilet. The width of this river is only 2-3 m, and the depth is 1.5 m. The cleanliness of the river was determined experimentally at the Mari State University. To do this, an ethyl-trebutyl analysis was carried out and then repeated. results laboratory research amazed scientists; it has long been known that mostly clean rivers flow in the republic, but this is the first time the scientific community has encountered such crystal purity.
If you ask on the Internet for information about the cleanest river in the world, any search engine will certainly return information about the Vonch. Unfortunately, few people know about this river; even many residents of Mari El have not heard of Vonch.
Name of the river " Woncha"translated from the Mari language as " I'll move on», « go over"(vonchash - move, move). There is some variation in the sound of this name - in the upper reaches it is called “ Wonja”, and from it came the names of the villages “Vonzhedur” and “Vonzhepol”. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the Mari language; the sound “Ch” is pronounced in the Mari version as something between “Zh” and “Ch”.
The Voncha flows in the most wonderful regions of Mari El - in the Morkinsky district, which is famous for its unique environmental situation. There are no nearby industrial facilities and enterprises, the cleanest rivers flow in the area and you can enjoy the reservoirs with the most clean water, and walk through pristine scaffolding. The Morkinsky district still honors the traditions of the Mari people; here you can get acquainted with their ancient rituals and beliefs.
Many Mari writers, composers, poets and others, talented and wonderful people, which are known not only in their homeland, but also in other parts of our country.
Near the Voncha River you can find other natural, historical and cultural monuments. For example, such as Chuksha Mountain, Poklonnaya Mountain, pagan groves - kyusoto, historical villages, Big and Small Karman-Kuryk, Yurdur Mountain.
In the 1980s, the State National Park"Mari Chodra" specifically for the preservation and protection of this untouched corner of nature. On the territory of the reserve there is most of the bed of the Voncha River.
The source of the Voncha River begins in the Morkinsky district of Mari El near the village of Vonzhedur (Vonchydur). The very name of the village indicates the proximity of the river; translated from Mari, the name of the village sounds like a place near the Voncha River (Vonzha). Near the village of Vonzhedur, 2 streams merge, which turn into a permanent river.
The source streams themselves originate on the slope of the Vyatka ridge - in Mount Chuksha. Once upon a time, the Voncha River was full-flowing, which is determined by the vast valley it occupied. Then the river became shallow due to deforestation and the formation of fields. At the moment, cultivation of the fields has been stopped, which has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the cleanest river in the world.
Further, the river’s path passes through the lakes Kozhlaerskoye and Yurdurskoye. Kozhlaer is translated as spruce lake, and the translation Yurdur means the land of many lakes. According to legend, this place was once filled with impenetrable forests. But then the Mari were forced to retreat further into the forest, hiding from the Bulgars and Kazan Tatars. In the depths of the forest, the Mari hunted, uprooted the forest, and fishing. Once upon a time this region was a land of lakes and reservoirs. Villages built near water bodies still retain their ancient names. And now many of these lakes have been preserved, which gives the region its name - Mari Karelia. More than 20 lakes can be counted from the Yushut River to the Vonchi River.
After the Voncha River passes Lake Yurdur, it enters a dense forest, passes through another lake and passes the Morkinskoye Highway. There are more than 30 names of springs and streams in this region. Some streams and springs have been developed. For example, a spring near Kutyuk-Kiner and a spring near Poklonnaya Gora. It is thanks to the fact that the springs feed the Voncha that it rightfully proudly bears the status of the cleanest river in the world.
After Papanino, the Vonchu is replenished by a new tributary - Malanmash, this tributary originates near the village of Chavainur. This village is famous for the fact that Sergei Chavain, a classic of Mari literature, lived there. Malanmash from Mari means “searched and found.”
The Vonchi Valley is made up of a thicket of impenetrable forest. There are many fallen dry trees here, which makes the area inaccessible to ordinary person. There are also many birds and animals here.
The Voncha River ends its path after 4-5 km, here it flows into the Ilet River. Nearby there is a forest guard house of the Mari Chodra Nature Reserve in the village of Leushkino and a large apiary.
The cleanest river in the world Voncha is also famous for its rare fish specimens. For example, European grayling, a very rare species of fish, is found in its waters. This once again confirms the status of the river and its uniqueness!
It’s quite possible that you won’t have to travel far to admire the cleanliness of river waters. Let's find out which rivers deservedly take first place on this list.
The cleanest river in Europe
Let's start our story with the most beautiful river Khoper, which is major influx Don. It flows through the European part of Russia, capturing the Penza, Saratov, Voronezh and Volgograd regions. This is one of ancient rivers, the beginning of which was laid about 10 million years ago.Associated with the history of this river beautiful legend. It has long been said that the old man Khoper, who lived in that area, once came across a hill from which 12 springs of crystal clear water flowed. The elder connected them into one stream and built a mill in that place. They named it after the discoverer of the river, and a monument to him was erected not far from the sources of the river. They say that that mill has also survived to this day.
Today this river is one of the most popular places for tourism. Unique nature its coastal part, sandy bed, bizarre bends - all this attracts many lovers of recreation on the river. Almost along its entire length it is accessible for kayaking, and fishermen will be able to enjoy the rich catch, without which rarely does anyone leave the banks of the Khoper River.
Clean rivers of the Moscow region
Well, if you don’t want to go to the Don expanses, then in the Moscow region you can find rivers in which you can swim without fear. Hundreds of rivers and reservoirs with favorable environmental conditions can become an excellent place for you to relax. The basins of the Volga and Moscow Rivers are very popular among fishermen. 
And in the Oka River basin there is one of the cleanest rivers in the Moscow region - the Ugra. The peculiarity of this river is that it is fed big amount streams that bring her clean spring water. After prolonged rains, the level of this river rises significantly. She is one of richest in fish rivers, it contains sterlet, catfish, pike perch, as well as more common species such as bream, pike, burbot, roach and others.
The cleanest and most transparent river in Russia
The river, considered the cleanest river in Russia, is also located not very far away - in the Mari El Republic. This small river, only 33 kilometers long, is not familiar to many even among the indigenous population. They call her Woncha, which means “cross over.” And it’s no coincidence, because you can ford this river almost anywhere. Its depth rarely reaches more than one and a half meters, and its width is about three. 
There are few large industrial enterprises, factories, and that is why such clear rivers have been preserved here. And Voncha was found by chance while exploring the Mari forests. Repeatedly held in Mari State University analyzes confirmed that travelers had discovered real wealth among Russian forests. The water of this river is crystal clear, and it is free of both impurities and bacteria.
There are no large rivers on the banks of the Voncha settlements, which helps it maintain its status as the cleanest river in Russia. These places are also notable for the fact that in a few villages the traditions of their ancestors are still honored and remembered, with reverence for folk clothing, native language and pagan beliefs. Near Voncha there are nature reserves that preserve rare species plants and trees. And in the river itself there are grayling, which once again proves the unique purity of this river.
Clean rivers of Ukraine
Well, in Ukrainian lands with clean rivers the situation is much more complicated. According to environmentalists, all rivers of Ukraine, except for the mountainous regions of the Carpathians, do not meet sanitary standards for the presence of fertilizers, heavy metals and petroleum products in them. But even here there are rivers that are ready to compete for the title of the cleanest river not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe. 
One of these rivers is Limnitsa, which flows into the Dniester. It owes the purity of its waters to the fact that its floodplain is located in the most sparsely populated region of the Carpathians. Mountain ranges reliably protect the sources of Limnica, and on the upper reaches of the river there are practically no enterprises or large settlements. Therefore, people who miss privacy and peace come here with pleasure to relax.
The cleanest river in the world
But still, in which river does the most clear water in the world? Residents of Switzerland can easily answer this question. After all, they were lucky enough to live next to a river whose waters are so clear that you can easily see the bottom. The name of this amazing river is Verzasca. It originates in the very high point one of the local mountains. 
The Verzasca is considered not only the most transparent river in the world, but also one of the most beautiful. Flowing along the rocky mountain slopes, it made bizarre passages in the rocks. Numerous tourists visit these places with the aim of making beautiful pictures and enjoy the magnificent view. Swimming in Verzasca is prohibited, although some people ignore this ban, but diving is popular.
Admirers of ancient architecture also have something to admire. A stunning man-made structure was built across Verzasca - the Roman Bridge. It offers amazing angles for contemplating this river. These places are also famous for the fact that it was here that one of the best movie stunts was filmed - James Bond's jump from a height.
In any case, no matter which river you choose for your vacation, it will be great option. After all, in our modern world It is very important to take a break and give your stress-weary body a break. The sound of water and Fresh air perfect for filling you with new strength.
Well, the longest rivers, unfortunately, are not always clean, but their other parameters are simply amazing. According to the website, this much flows through the Amazon River every 30 seconds. fresh water, that 1 liter is enough for every inhabitant of the Earth.
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bathe in hot weather everyone loves it. Relaxing on a river or lake is the best pastime during the scorching summer heat. Unfortunately, not all bodies of water in our country are clean.
Can't see the bottom
There are more than 2.8 million rivers in Russia and almost as many lakes. About 96% of lake water reserves are concentrated in the eight largest reservoirs, and 95.2% of them are found in Baikal alone. Almost all of them suffer from Wastewater, coming from nearby cottage villages and enterprises.
According to the report of the Ministry of Natural Resources on the state environment in Russia for 2016, overall volume wastewater discharged amounted to 14.7 billion cubic meters. This is 2.1% more than in the previous year, when a slight decrease was recorded. And the discharge of contaminated wastewater, which has not undergone any treatment at all, in 2016 compared to 2015 increased by as much as 10%.
Substances of every taste and color get into the water: oil and petroleum products, manganese, tin, aluminum, mercury, arsenic, furfural, chlorides, phosphates and several dozen more items. The presence and concentration of each of them are criteria for assessing the condition and pollution of water bodies, which is constantly carried out by Roshydromet.
Based on more than 60 hydrochemical indicators, 5 classes of the level of pollution of water bodies were compiled: 1 class - “conditionally clean”; Class 2 – “slightly polluted”; Class 3 – “polluted”; 4th grade – “dirty”; 5th grade – “extremely dirty”.
Angara is the head of everything
According to a 2016 study, there were not many rivers in Russia classified as first class. A partially corresponding assessment can only be given to the Angara River: 51% of its waters are clean, 31% are slightly polluted, 15% are polluted, and the rest are varying degrees dirty. The main sources of sewage for the Angara are insufficiently treated wastewater and industrial stormwater from Irkutsk enterprises, including the Irkut Corporation.
The situation is a little different along the tributaries of the Angara. Water from streams flowing through the area Irkutsk region, according to Roshydromet, good, but not perfect quality: in 38% of sites it was classified as first class; in 52% of sections - to the second; in 10% of sections (the Iya River within the city of Tulun, the Vikhorev and Biryusa rivers) - to the third. At the same time, 2-8 ingredients and quality indicators out of 13-16 taken into account by Roshydromet in the comprehensive assessment of water were polluting.
But as for the tributaries of the Angara in the territory Krasnoyarsk Territory, then the quality of water in them, the department found, was worse. In 44% of the sections it turned out to be dirty, in 56% - “very polluted”.
At the same time, 7-9 ingredients and quality indicators out of 14-16 taken into account in a comprehensive assessment of water quality were polluting. Critical indicators of water pollution in individual tributaries included copper compounds in the Chadobetz and Karabula rivers, aluminum in the Kamenka River and oil products in the Taseyeva River.
Everything will be found
Also in 2016, Roshydromet called about 12% of rivers clean Kola Peninsula. 47% of them were assigned the second class, 23% - the third.
A little more than 4% of the waters of the Lena River are also recognized as clean, about 16 are slightly polluted, and 75 are polluted. Highly appreciated The rivers of Crimea flowing into the Black Sea also received – almost 82% of them were assigned the second class. To a large extent, the Neva River is classified in the second category - by 37.5%. Another 62.5% of its waters are classified as polluted.
But the rivers Amur, Ussuri, Kama, Kolyma, Irtysh, Ob and other large objects are almost completely classified as third class. At the same time, the Ob, Volga and Amur basins experience the maximum load from pollution - they account for over 70% of cases of high and extremely high pollution. In total, 2990 of them were recorded in 2016: 988 on the Volga, 809 on the Ob, 372 on the Amur.
Approximately 60% of all pollution cases surface waters occurs with suspended solids, manganese, nitrite and ammonium nitrogen. The total contribution of zinc, iron and dissolved oxygen deficiency to surface water pollution is about 10–14% annually. The share of surface water pollution with heavy metals (total iron, mercury, nickel, molybdenum, cadmium, lead) over a five-year period is within 23–30% of total number cases. At the same time, the number of lead hits alone increased multiple times: to 28 from three to eight cases in 2011-2014. Also in 2016, the amount of surface water pollution with nickel, molybdenum and cadmium increased compared to the previous year.
At the same time, for several years in a row there has been a decrease in the number of cases of contamination with mercury and total iron.
Lots of work to do
If you don’t intervene in the situation today, then gradually environmental class largest Russian rivers, as, indeed, smaller objects, will gradually decrease. And the state understands this. At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced plans to carry out environmental rehabilitation of more than 40 water bodies.
Almost the greatest amount of work remains to be done to preserve the long-suffering Volga River. It is assumed that the fight against its pollution will begin with clearing the shore and coastal waters of debris.
However, you can be sure that other works will be affected water bodies. It’s not for nothing that Russian President Vladimir Putin in his last Address Federal Assembly called on parliamentarians to ensure compliance with environmental standards throughout the country.
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