This 'Astonishing water' photos section offers some mystery and/or astonishing water photos that illustrate the diversity of innovative water uses and devices globally. Enjoy our astonishing water world!

 

Astonishing photo 1

Niagara Falls (USA/Canada)

"Until the development of the New York State Reservation Park in 1885, nearly all the shoreline property along the Niagara Gorge and every viewing area of the Falls was privately owned. Following the creation of the Reservation Park, the State of New York continued to entice industrialization with an offer of cheap water power"

See more details at

http://www.niagarafrontier.com/milldistrict.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Falls_Hydraulic_Power_and_Manufacturing_Company

Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_well_

 

Astonishing photo 2

Raised beds, Suphan Buri, Thailand

Raised beds are very popular in Southeast-Asia for vegetable and fruit tree crops in hydromorphic soils, most especially in deltas  (see a Mexicain equivalent: chinampas).

Irrigation of crops occurs directly through maintaining the water levels in the ditch but also through sprinklers : where can water be sourced from ? from the ditches of course, through a small floating pump that follows the farmer as he proceeds along the bed…

See the original photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48357951542/in/dateposted/

Photo credit: François Molle/IRD

 

Astonishing photo 3

'Aerial well', Trans en Provence, France

An aerial well is a structure or device that collects the condensation of moisture from air. This idea is actually quite old, as can be seen from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_well_(condenser).  This impressive mega-structure has been designed by Belgium engineer Achille Knapen in 1930. It never worked… but is still there to be seen.

See, in French, ‘Des fontaines sans source’ by A.Gioda

http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_5/b_fdi_31-32/34749.pdf

http://www.transenprovence.info/archives/2015/02/16/31533708.html

Photo Credit Wikipedia : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Puits_aerien_Knappen.jpg

 

Astonishing photo 4

Lobuche, Kumbu Valley, Nepal (5000 m in altitude)

A washing machine on top of the world ! Water is sourced directly from the torrent and electricity is generated by a gas engine.

Original : www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48914265436/in/dateposted/

Photo credit : Patrice Garin

 

Astonishing photo 5

Damnoen Saduak area, west of Bangkok

Raised beds can be planted with coconut trees, especially in areas under tidal influence where the average salinity is higher. But harvested nuts have to be hauled out of the beds, which are often connected to the plot's surrounding dyke by a simple plank or bamboo.... Water provides a solution: nuts are cut, thrown into the ditch, assembled in garlands, and finally tugged to the exit of the plot with a minimal effort.

Original à https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48951433961/in/dateposted/

Credit photo: Surachit Chirawet

 

Astonishing photo 6

Free lunch

Les poissons qui passent par les dissipateurs d’énergie des déversoirs des barrages le font à leurs risques et périls…

American White Pelicans gather at the base of Pyramid Lake’s Marble Bluff Dam, USA

https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/31415805198/in/dateposted/

Credit: USBR (US Bureau of Reclamation)

 

Astonishing photo 7

Boat lift at Saint-Louis-Arzviller, northeastern France

Le plan incliné de Saint-Louis-Arzviller is a boat lift which is part of the canal linking the Marne and the Rhine rivers and allos the crossing of the Vosges Mountain range, in northeastern France.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plan_inclin%C3%A9_de_Saint-Louis-Arzviller

The lift celebrated its 50th anniversary this year (2019)

Credit : Patrick Giraud 

 

Astonishing photo 8

Created wetlands, California

These are created wetlands, mostly from previously planted agricultural fields.  Most of these are created by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife in collaboration with the Audubon Society, CA Waterfowl Association and Ducks Unlimited to accommodate and encourage winter waterfowl migrants to stop and stay for the season.

Photo with full resolution : https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/45450597871/

See other incredible ‘constructed wetlands’ in California and other exceptional pics by Bruce Barnett

Credit : Bruce Barnett

 

Astonishing photo 9

Natural cooling ‘system’ near Tengchong, Volcanic park, in Yunnan, China

Keeping fruits and bottles cool thanks to the river

Full resolution version at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/40773128405

Credit : Karen Conniff

 

Astonishing photo 10

Tea pot at Hammam Meskoutine, Algeria

Last week's astonishing photo showed how to make use of the cooling power of rivers.

Why not do the opposite and prepare… tea, temperature allowing of course!

See full resolution pic at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49038145303/in/photostream/

Credit : Eliott MM

 

Astonishing photo 11

Ladybower reservoir plug hole (spillway), UK

Full resolution original: https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/46970323874/

Credit: Tim Hill

 

Astonishing photo 12

Mobypompe, Burkina Faso

This device allows a motorcycle engine to be used to pump water and, for example, irrigate small areas

Other photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48610862283/

Credit : Bruno Barbier/Cirad

 

Astonishing photo 13

‘Water saving winegrowing’

When saving water is becoming a commercial argument for winegrowers in Chile !

Full resolution original: https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48693918106/

 

Credit : Sophie Bradford 

 

Astonishing photo 14

Temple pavillon (chozuya), Kyoto, Japon

Shinto water ablution pavilion for a ceremonial purification rite known as temizu, that can be found at the entrance of temples.

Other chozuya

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=143925215%40N04&sort=date-taken-desc&license=2&advanced=1&text=chozuya&view_all=1

Original : https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/44536717955

Credit : François Molle

 

Astonishing photo 15

Dividing groundwater between users, Yemen

Each right holder has a distinct pipe.

Original photo at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/38345251985/

 

Credit : Frank van Steenbergen

 

Astonishing photo 16

Irrigated terraces along steep wadi, Yemen

Original at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/36497595280/

Credit: Jochen Regner

 

Astonishing photo 17

Collecting lotus flowers in a flooded field, Central Thailand

Original at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/24076625297/

Credit: François Molle

 

Astonishing photo 18

Makeshift swimming pool, Palestine

In the vicinity of BirZeit, a Palestinian father built a swimming pool with plastic sheets in his vegetable garden for the children of the village.

Original at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/28442840289/

Credit: Heiner Schmitz

 
Astonishing photo 19

Sharing water equitably

Village Water Supply System - Kis - Near Sheki – Azerbaijan

Credit: Adam Jones @ Flickr/ see Adam's great albums at www.flickr.com/photos/adam_jones/albums

 

Astonishing photo 20

Enjoying curative mineral waters, Madagascar

Credit: Rod Waddington; see Rod's amazing collection at www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington

 

Astonishing photo 21

Terraced paddy-fields, Yunan, China

Whether from China, Vietnam or Philippines, terraced paddy-fields are inevitably irresistible

See our dazzling collection of terraced fields

See original HD at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/43993334710/

Credit: Isabelle Chauvel

 

Astonishing photo 22

Moving wood on Lake Tana, Ethiopia

No boat needed here. The wood is clustered and floated across the lake.

See original resolution at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/36450196553/

Credit: François Molle

 

Astonishing photo 23

Bride on boat, Vietnam

The bride is taken to the groom’s house for the wedding ceremony

Presumably he leaves on the other side of the lake

See original resolution at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/30743147047/

Credit: Quang Nguyen Vinh (on pixabay)

 

Astonishing photo 24

Alluvial fan and spate irrigation in Iran

The art of diverting and sharing water

Source: NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data from NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Rebecca Lindsey, based on interpretation provided on the ASTER Project Science Imagery Gallery Website. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=36041

 

Astonishing photo 25

Lovely oasis
Huacachina oasis, Ica, Peru

See original resolution at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/45760376022/

Credit : Willian Justen de Vasconcellos; unsplash

 

Astonishing photo 26

Taum Sauk reservoir failure, USA

An elevated view of the path of the failure and the drained reservoir.
This conspicuous elevated reservoir has been constructed on top of Proffit Mountain to store water pumped out of peak time and to generate electricity during peak times.

See Hydropower Reform Coalition - www.hydroreform.org see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taum_Sauk_Hydroelectric_Power_Station

And original resolution at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/44845821054/

 

Credit: Missouri Attorney General's Office.

 

Astonishing photo 27

Waste from drip irrigation lines, Diama, Senegal

Drip irrigation generates considerable plastic waste, as drip lines have to be replaced between one and five years, according to their quality and local conditions.

Original resolution photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/38612487830/

Credit: Jean-Yves Jamin, Cirad 

 

Astonishing photo 28

People releasing fish to acquire merit, Bangkok

Fish released in water by Buddhist people willing to acquire merit (tham bun), Wat Yaowarat, Bangkok, Thailand.

The slide is used to release fish without harming them.

See original resolution at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/42557203711/

Credit: François Molle 

 

Astonishing photo 29

Energy dissipating structure after a weir, Japan

Katsu-uri weir on the Kinu River, north of Tokyo

See full resolution original photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/44536694935/

Credit: François Molle, IRD (and thanks to Dr Satoh)

 
Astonishing photo 30

Nilometer, Cairo

Several nilometers allowed the measure of the flood intensity in the Nile valley. The river communicates with the shaft where the water level can be conveniently read.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilometer

See the photo with original resolution https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/38588325590/

Credit: François Molle, IRD

Astonishing photo 31

Seat to cool-down along Karkorum Highway, Pakistan

See the photo with original resolution https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49013401483/

Credit: Karen Conniff

 

Astonishing photo 32

Collective water lifting, Chao Phraya Delta, Thailand

Axial pumps powered by 2-wheel tractors are ubiquitous in Thailand.

Here in Lop Buri province farmers congregate in the dry season to suck up water from a main drain.

See the photo with original resolution https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48611339917/

Credit: Credit: Khun Somboon, Ban Nong Mon

 

Astonishing photo 33

Water mirrors, Tannourine, northern Lebanon

No large-scale dams in northern Lebanon

Locals develop small-scale reservoirs to allow supllmentary irrigation

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48635835231/

Credit: Caroline Coulon

 

Astonishing photo 34

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, UK

The aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal across the valley of the River Dee

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/45502702884/

Credit: Martin Clark https://commons.wikimedia.org/  

Astonishing photo 35

Zorbing

Playing in water

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49616940023/  

Credit: Pxfuel, Public Domain Dedication

 

Astonishing photo 36

Single-leg-rower, Lake Inle, Myanmar

Lake Inle is famous for its fishermen and their unique boating/fishing techniques

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/40792867873

See also https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49617718047

Credit: pixabay.com/fr/users/loggawiggler

 

Astonishing photo 37

Basin irrigation on steep slopes, Algeria

Basin irrigation of olive trees is common on the plains of Northern Africa. But how to water olive trees by gravity on steep slopes? Water is conducted through infiltration ponds constructed at the foot of each tree.

See the photo with original resolution https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49174440492 and also https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49174440607/  

Credit: Nabil Kherbache

 

Astonishing photo 38

Salt evaporation pans, Maras, Peru

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maras,_Peru

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/47706740792/
and other photos of Maras https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=143925215%40N04&view_all=1&text=maras%20salt

Credit: Credit: pixabay.com/fr/users/jdbenthien-2698911/

 

Astonishing photo 39

‘Black hole’, Chao Phraya River bank, Bangkok

Flash floods are a big problem in Bangkok, which has 40% of its area under sea level. Natural drainage through canals, even equipped with pumps stations at their extremity, is insufficient. Tunnels are being built underneath the canals to help convey excess flows to an outlet where vertical pumps will extract the water flow into the Chao Phraya River. The black colour of the water indicates that drainage water is mixed with sewage water, both being conveyed by the same canals.

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/42557204051

Credit: François Molle

 

Astonishing photo 40

Indus - Zanskar river confluence, India

Clear waters encounter a silt-loaded river. There are several well known examples of such confluences, notably the Rio negro – Rio Amazonas confluence https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/31418262348

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49152667678
see also https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/40760094445

Credit: Satish Krishnamurthy; Flickr

 

Astonishing photo 41

Watering onions downstream of Bagré reservoir, Burkina Faso

Large local calabashes (gourds) are used as watering cans

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/37625723256/

Credit: Jacques Lemoalle/IRD

 

Astonishing photo 42

 

Man fishing with a spear on a makeshift raft.

Banani urban Lake, Dhaka, Bangladesh

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/27701753099/

Credit: Benjamin Noury

 

Astonishing photo 43

Irrigated flower production in a flooded field, Sa Dec, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Crop care is done on boats.

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49660897398/

Credit: Quang Nguyen Vinh at Pexel

 

Astonishing photo 44

Spectacular dam spillway New York State, USA

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49008530271/

Credit: //www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/5902919002">www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/5902919002>

 

Astonishing photo 45

Basket-boats are quite common on the channels of the Mekong Delta

With a not-so-easy-to-master rowing technique!

The basket is tar-coated to make it waterproof

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/38905671462/

Credit: WorldFish/Jamie Oliver

 

Astonishing photo 46

‘Pirogues’ on the Mekong River, Laos

These boats were made out of kerosene tanks dropped by B52 air planes during the Vietnam War

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/48827410106/

Credit: Credit: Guillaume Lacombe/Cirad

 

Astonishing photo 47

Urban pool in Dubai

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/45215624615/

Credit: Pixabay/zauber2001;

 

Astonishing photo 48

Children playing in irrigation canals, Morocco

This ‘duck bill weir’ structure in the Haouz, Marrakech, is taken advantage of by children to play in water

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/27617960155/

Credit: François Molle/IRD

 

Astonishing photo 49

Oval-shaped ‘duck bill weir’

Conspicuous weir on a canal in Morocco

Also see another instance of such a weir at https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/43477235480/

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/27617960155

Credit: Thierry Ruf/IRD

 

Astonishing photo 50

Magnificent ‘stepwell’, Rajasthan

Chand Baori at Abhaneri (Dausa, Rajasthan), India

Also see https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=143925215%40N04&view_all=1&text=stepwell

See the photo with original resolution https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/31954010838/

Credit: Chethan/Flickr

"Phumdis are a series of floating islands, exclusive to the Loktak Lake in Manipur state, in northeastern India. They cover a substantial part of the lake area and are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter, in different stages of decay (...)  Phumdis are used by the local people for constructing their huts for fishing and other livelihood uses, and are inhabited by about 4000 people. Athapums are artificial circular phumdis, built by the villagers as enclosures for fish farming; aquaculture has caused proliferation of the phumdis in the lake". (Wikipedia) see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phumdi

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/39843940100/

Credit: Karen Conniff

 

Astonishing photo 52

Archimedean screws evacuating drainage water, Senegal River Delta, Senegal

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/38612490740/

Credit: Credit: Jean-Yves Jamin/Cirad

 

Astonishing photo 53

Canal des Moines, Corrèze, France

Irrigation canal constructed by monks in the XIIth century and now renovated. The canal is either dug in or stuck to the cliff.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_des_moines

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/45451357551/

Credit : François Molle

 

Astonishing photo 54

How to re-use dripper line waste, Algeria

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/49153279242/

Credit: Nassim Ait Mouheb/INRAe

 

Astonishing photo 55

Diversion canal in Alagoas, Brazil

New diversion canal to transfer water from the Sao Francisco River

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/31260631647/

Credit/CODEVASF/Divulgação ;  www.flickr.com/photos/codevasf

Matheus Sandes / Seinfra - AL; and Alzir Lima

 

Astonishing photo 56

The Ivanhoe Reservoir filled with shade balls, USA

Black balls covering LA reservoir: https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-what-s-really-going-on-with-those-black-balls-in-the-la-reservoir

"Yet despite their reputation for saving water, these balls were not put here just to reduce evaporation. The problem actually started with bromide, a natural substance found in salt water.

Bromide on its own is harmless to humans, but if some of this salty water creeps into the reservoir and undergoes ozone treatment with the rest of LA's drinking water, it can form the compound bromate. And bromate is a carcinogen".

"Originally called "bird balls", the solution was both odd and oddly perfect. Typically used around airports to stop birds from perching in nearby water, the black balls also turned out to be highly effective at keeping out sunlight"

https://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-shade-balls-water-quality.html

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/50534073686/

Credit: By Junkyardsparkle - Own work, CC0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44177898

 

Astonishing photo 57

Wasabi fields, Japan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasabi

Wasabi is a rhizome that grows during 15 months in streambeds with the purest running water

It is very difficult to find appropriate sites and only two major ones can be found in Japan

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/50534224052/

And other photos of wasabi https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=143925215%40N04&view_all=1&text=wasabi

Credit: By lienyuan lee, CC BY 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54464514

 

Astonishing photo 58

Baobab cisterns

On the Mahafaly plateau, Madagascar, people carve baobabs to use them as cisterns to store excess water in the rainy season an use it in the dry season.

They can contain up to 9 m3 of water.

See documentary (in French) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JVIn5urKc8&list=PLBZ3LrHoN5qxO8bThoeONKmBbUhg0rTho&index=10

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/50534239431/

Credit: Pascal Danthu/Cirad 

 

Astonishing photo 59

Spillway of the Ataturk Dam, Turkey

See the photo with original resolution  https://www.flickr.com/photos/water_alternatives/37034645333/in/photostream/

Credit: François Molle/IRD 

 

Astonishing photo 60

Pollution and foam in the Yamuna River, India

See more at https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/delhi-pollution-devotees-stand-knee-deep-in-toxic-foam-in-delhis-yamuna-for-chhath-puja-39602/

Credit: https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/delhi-pollution-devotees-stand-knee-deep-in-toxic-foam-in-delhis-yamuna-for-chhath-puja-39602/