No, these aren’t the ruins of an ancient amusement park in Western China. These two water wheels on the Tashkurgan River are part of the irrigation system that helps keep the 13,000 or so residents of Tashkurgan supplied with fresh water even though the region receives less than 3 inches of precipitation each year. That reliable access to fresh water is one of the reasons this area has been inhabited for thousands of years and made it an important stop on the ancient Silk Road trade route. Highlighting the importance of fresh water is the goal of World Water Day, which falls on March 22 every year. This year’s theme is "Leaving no one behind." With over 2.1 billion people living without safe water at home, it’s one of the most ambitious of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Fresh water on the Silk Road
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Honoring our fallen heroes
-
Spot on for International Cat Day
-
It s only Wednesday
-
Tom Turkey takes Manhattan
-
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
-
Raise your hand for Teacher Appreciation Day
-
Porcupine
-
Beautiful baobabs
-
Happy Thanksgiving from an expert face-stuffer
-
Victory in Europe, 75 years ago
-
Balloon Ascension Day
-
World Reef Awareness Day
-
Mont-Saint-Michel
-
Yosemite National Park turns 132
-
A notorious gunfight that was incorrectly named
-
A ‘circus of chaos’ for Stravinsky
-
A shell of many colors
-
The Door County Coastal Byway in Wisconsin
-
World Whale Day
-
Westerheversand Lighthouse
-
A night of art and culture
-
Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
-
Celebrating a young girl s age-old discovery
-
Sailing on thick ice
-
Greece celebrates its independence
-
Computer science on the page
-
World Sea Turtle Day
-
The Girl Scouts celebrate 110 years
-
A horse of many colors
-
Earth Day and National Park Week