[MC-56917] Any block in any empty chunk section (16x16x16) is invisible on some graphics cards

Workaround

Disabling Advanced OpenGL solves this issue (Options -> Video Settings -> Advanced OpenGL -> Off)

Or just simply press F3+A to reload the nearest chunks.

If you don't have that option in your video settings, please check your .minecraft/options.txt for the entry

advancedOpengl:false

If it's true, change it to false (Quit Minecraft, edit this file, restart Minecraft)

Affected:
ATI Radeon HD 4300/4500 Series GL version 3.3.11653 Compatibility Profile Context, ATI Technologies Inc. Thijmen F
ATI Radeon X1600 OpenGL Engine GL version 2.0 ATI-1.5.48, ATI Technologies Inc. Simons Mith
Nvidia GTX 460 with latest drivers (337.88) [Mod] Torabi
AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series , Driver version: 9.12.0.0 & Driver version: 14.100.0.0 Marcono1234
GeForce GTX 660M/PCIe/SSE2 GL version 4.4.0, NVIDIA Corporation Kyle
Not affected:
AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series GL version 4.4.12874 Compatibility Profile Context 14.100.0.0, ATI Technologies Inc. (AMD Catalyst 14.4, have no Advanced OpenGL switch) Kumasasa

pillar up from the bottom of the sea all the way up. keep stacking until the blocks turn invisible (about two blocks above water)
This is cancelled when mipmapping is turned on/off