Hidden Nature

energies, and if it is prevented from excessive warming by trees on

its banks, it recharges the groundwater of the surrounding country-

side. The richness of movement of the young stream is carried into

the body of the meandering river. The water is creating its own form

which in turn regulates its flow.

Entering the plains the river, in its natural way, would meander

across the flat country, and when a bend twists back on itself, a

shortcut will be created at flood time, leaving behind an oxbow

crescent lake. It is in the plains country mostly that people try to

manipulate the river, heavy with silt, by straight embankments to

stop the river spreading where it wants to. These natural floods are

not particularly destructive, and remineralize the soil which

becomes much more productive. But technical man believes he can

control Nature. The old river is now typically forced to perch some-

times 50 feet above the surrounding countryside. If the river should

burst its artificial banks at this stage, the flooding is catastrophic.

Lacking its normal twisting movement and positive temperature

gradient which keep the silt in suspension, it is deposited, blocking

the channel. Its natural path thus obstructed, it becomes angry and

unpredictable. There are now very few major rivers which are

allowed to flow naturally.

Temperature and the movement of water

Viktor Schauberger made inspired studies of the natural flow in

rivers. He found that the temperature gradient in moving water

plays a very decisive role both in the way it moves and in the struc-

ture of the water masses within the river.

To regulate a waterway by means of the riverbank itself is ver-

ily to fight cause with effect... It cannot and should not be the

task of the river engineer to correct Nature by violating her.

Rather, in all watercourses requiring regulation his job should

be to study the natural harmony of the river, and to emulate

the examples that Nature provides in the way of healthy

streams ... Every violation, however, rebounds on the perpe-

trator ... As water flows down a natural gradient, it does so

according to a sublime inner law whose power our hydraulic

experts are quite unable to comprehend ... The more the engi-

neer, ignorant of the nature of water, tries to channel water by

HIDDEN NATURE