Competing for the World Water Phenomenon title
World Water Phenomenon is a project devised by Global Underwater Awareness Association (GUWAA) and Whiteflag International. The goal of the project is to promote the authentic natural beauty of unprecedented aquatic ecosystems and to make people all around the world more familiar with their locations and uniqueness. Once a year, a nominated Phenomenon will be competing for the World Water Phenomenon title. All aquatic ecosystems can be nominated (oceans, rivers, lakes, seas, reservoirs, etc.). The awarded location will carry the White Flag recognition as a symbol of clean water and human efforts to preserve them as such for coming generations.
This place has been nominated for the World Water Phenomenon and, if it is chosen by the GUWAA jury, it will become a White Flag holder. It will be protected by the Whiteflag divers and will be one of the few places on our planet that have the World Water Phenomenon recognition.
Some of the world’s greatest natural phenomenons:
1. The Pingualuit Crater Lake
Located on the Ungava Peninsula in New Quebec, Canada, Pingualuit Crater Lake is actually an impact crater formed around 1.4 million years ago. It has a diameter of 3.44 with the height of 160 m and depth of 400 m, of which 267 m is filled with water that forms a lake. Surprisingly, this makes it one of the deepest lakes in North America. Since the water in the lake has been accumulated solely from rain and snow, with transpiration as the only mean of water loss, it is one of the purest fresh water reservoirs in the world with salinity under 3 ppm. It is also one of the most transparent lakes in the world, measuring over 35 meters.
2. Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Geirangerfjord is a fjord which is located in Norway, in the Stranda Municipality. Geirangerfjord is a 15-kilometre long fjord next to a village of Geiranger, just next to where the Geirangelva River empties into the sea. It is also one of the most visited touristic sites in Norway and in 2005 the location was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are several waterfalls in the Geirangerfjord, two of which are most famous and oppose each other, called Seven Sisters and the Suitor (also known as Frair).
3. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Located in the Coral Sea, right next to the coast of Queensland, Australia, The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest coral reef system on the planet. It stretches over 2300 kilometers and over an area of 334,400 square kilometers. It is so large that it’s visible from space. The Barrier Reef is built by tiny living organisms known as coral polyps and is assumed to be the biggest structure made by any living organism. The Reef itself is made out of 2,900 individual reefs and also around 900 smaller islands. Because of its biodiversity and complex ecosystem network it supports, it has been proclaimed as the World Heritage Site in 1981 and is without any doubt one of the natural wonders of our planet.
4. The Blue Lake (Croatian: Modro jezero or Plavo jezero)
Located in Croatia near Imotski, the Blue Lake is a karst lake which was formed by the collapse of a big cave system. During a year the water level varies in hot summers the entire lake dries out, only to be filled again by rainfall and snow. The entire formation, from the lake bed to the rim is 220 meters deep. Water rises up to 90 meters high during the spring. It is a popular touristic destination and is a place where local people and tourists come to swim or play water sports. Interestingly, during the periods when the lake dries out, local population organizes football matches on the lake bed. There are also stories and legends about the creation of the lake among the local population.
5. The Amazon River
Located on the South American continent and flowing through several countries, the Amazon River is the largest river by the discharge of water in the world. Amazon basin is the largest drainage basin in the world with the area of 7,050,000 square kilometers. The width of the river is between 1.6 and 10 kilometers but during flooding seasons it can go over 48 kilometers wide. Every year the Amazon River rises over 9 meters and floods the surrounding forests, making them the biggest habitat of that type in the world. It provides habitat to a unique plant and animal life and is considered as a location with the biggest biodiversity on this planet. One-third of all known species life in Amazon rainforests and river basin with new species still being discovered and described. River dolphins, piranhas, giant otters, anacondas, caimans and many other animals are characteristic for the Amazon basin.
