Water flowing from Lai da Marmorera Reservoir, Gelgia river, Graubünden, Switzerland

Thirsty?

Consider this shot of rolling Alpine rapids your daily reminder to stay hydrated. We’re seeing a river called the Gelgia as it tumbles from the Lai da Marmorera, a reservoir high in the Swiss canton of Grisons. Switzerland has been called ‘Europe’s water tower’ for its enormous reserves of fresh water, accounting for 6% of the continent’s drinking water supply. On top of that, two of Europe’s most important urban rivers, the Rhine and Rhône, rise here in Switzerland as humble mountain streams not unlike the Gelgia.