Underground rivers are a part of urban utility services communication that make our life comfortable. But we can’t live in a city full of rivers or canals. Moscow has hundred of them and they are hidden underground in concrete manifolds.

Public utilities do not often do their work as they should and do not control the condition of the rivers. Some car washes, for example, discharge dirty water with chemicals into underground rivers. It may spoil a manifold, soil, ecology.

Neglinka is the most famous river in Moscow, it falls into the Moskva river

Neglinka used to be clean but by the end of the 18 century the population of Moscow grew pretty much and a lot of dirt and trash flowed into the river. After the fire of 1812 it was hidden in the manifold because it simply became stinky. The manifold, however couldn’t manage with the streams of water and floods occured rather often.

Neglinka

Portal where the Neglinka flows into the Moskva

Manifold under Tsvetnoy Boulevard

In the rivers various creatures can be met: wood louses, mice, cockroaches etc. Another kind of life: mould, rootlets, plants.

The river Chura. It’s under the territory of the heat station so it’s very warm and in cold weather walking here becomes difficult, you don’t see your own legs.

Kingdom of Snow Queen

Portal of the river Khimki in summer

In conclusion:
1. Never go down a river in heavy showers and high water.
2. If you have a trouble anyway and it began raining, speed of the flow rises fast and various garbage appears in the water, it’s better immediately go up.
3. In the places where a manifold is not big and current is almost absent be aware of pollution with gasses.
4. Light is your best friend.

Location: Moscow

via leprosorium