12/9/23

#51 Hudson

Flowing 507 km from upstate New York to the Big Apple, the Hudson River serves as a physical boundary between New Jersey and New York before eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. While the river was known to the Mahican Indians as Muhheakunnuk meaning “Great Waters Constantly in Motion”, it is named after the English explorer, Henry Hudson, who ‘discovered’ it while searching for a northern sea route to Asia. But before that dozens of Native American tribes had been using it as a source of water and food and as a major highway. Hudson’s expedition didn’t find a way to Asia but it did pave the way for the founding of the New Netherlands settlement on what is now Manhattan. And the rest, as they say, is history. As New York City developed, the Hudson suffered - increasingly polluted and overfished. In the 1970s, the American Shad and Sturgeon fisheries were closed due to overfishing, while Striped bass can no longer be commercially fished due to PCB pollution. The only species that can be fished commercially today are blue crab and the river haring. However, major efforts have been taken to restore the river and its watersheds, including in the Catskills, which provide much of NYC’s water. The Journey of Water in the Hudson River highlights the importance of investing in healthy river basins, which we rely on for drinking water, transportation and tourism. As you can see in our film, large amounts have been invested in Nature-based Solutions - with huge rewards for the City, people and nature in terms of water quality and ecosystem health. The Hudson still has a long way to go before it is fully restored but this river - flowing down through New York - shows that restoration is not only possible but an excellent investment.

2/6/23

#49 Amur River

The biggest river in Northeast Asia and one of the biggest free-flowing rivers in the world, the Amur River supports millions of people throughout Mongolia, Russia and China. Amur stems from the Mongolian name Amar meaning quiet or peaceful. Ironically, it was once a symbol of conflict, playing a pivotal role in the Sino-Soviet conflict. Today, the Amur forms a 30,000km border between China and Russia. For centuries, different ethnic groups including the Tungusic, Mongol, Ainu and Nivkhs have relied on the Amur for their livelihoods. The Amur is also known as one of the regions where pottery first appeared. The Nainai people of the Amur river were known as the “fish skin people,” wearing clothes and shoes made out of fish skin. Fishing and hunting were an integral way of life for the Nainai people - the whole community was part of the process of catching, preserving and storing salmon in summer and early autumn. But salmon stocks are now disappearing due to commercial fishing and water pollution. The Amur is home to 2,800 plant species and over 500 animal species, serving as a key habitat for many critically endangered wildlife such as the Siberian taimen, Amur pike, Amur catfish, softshell turtle, the red-crowned crane and the largest fish species in the Amur, the Kaluga sturgeon - weighing up to 1000 kg! The Amur is home to the Amur, Kaluga and Sakhalin sturgeons - all defined as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. WWF’s sturgeon initiative is working to protect these species and rebuild their populations by tackling the illegal caviar trade, while our Asian flyways initiative is working to protect migratory bird species. Both are dependent on the health of river systems such as the Amur.

30/3/23

#47 Delaware River

After flowing through New York’s Catskill mountains, Ponocos in Pennsylvania, and the New Jersey Highlands, the Delaware River finally spills into Delaware Bay. Running through five states, it provides drinking water to over 13 million people, including residents in New York City and Philadelphia. The longest remaining undammed river East of the Mississippi, the Delaware River supports communities with commercial fisheries & river towns that rely on ecotourism. This iconic river plays a key role in American history. It supported the largest American Shad commercial fisheries in the U.S.'s East Coast in the 19th century - referred to as “America’s founding fish.” In 1776, George Washington crossed the Delaware River, surprising British troops during the American Revolution - a famous crossing that solidified GW's role as a key leader. Incredibly rich in biodiversity, the Delaware River is home to over 400 bird species, 90 fish species as well as Endangered American eels, beavers, otters, minks and one of the world’s largest horseshoe crab populations. Recognized as one of the country’s Great Waters by the National Wildlife Federation, the Delaware River is home to the country’s first Urban National Wildlife Refuge. Its floodplain reduces the impacts of flooding on homes and businesses. Used heavily in daily freight transportation, the Delaware port is one of the largest freshwater ports in the world. In addition to pollution, land conversion and climate change threatens the Delaware River. As one of the few remaining free flowing rivers in the United States, it is imperative that we protect this route essential for migratory species, as well as for all who rely on its healthy waters.

20/1/22

#45 Buyuk Menders

Covering 10 cities and 185 municipalities in southwestern Turkey, the Buyuk Menderes river has an annual water flow of 1.7 billion cubic metres. It supports key economic sectors such as textile, leather and agriculture in addition to fishing and tourism. The river delta has been recognized as a key bird & biodiversity area. The textile sector is important for the socio-economic development of the people living in the river basin. Surface and groundwater are used for urban, industrial and agricultural purposes , threatening water quality and quantity. The basin’s water availability is vulnerable to increasing population and climate change. The hydrological interventions and human-made embankments lead to destruction of this natural delta which took thousands of years to build up. WWF’s Turkey’s Water Stewardship Programme for textiles was initiated in 2017 with the aim to bring the water quality from low to good status, create a basin wide partnership with agreed conservation targets and protect freshwater habitats and species through effective wetland management and restoration. Collective action has been taken by farmers, textile manufacturers and local governments to protect the Buyuk Menderes from pollution and overuse. In 2020, regenerative agriculture pilot projects were initiated offering how farmers should care for the soil, use water and protect biodiversity. The aim is for all cotton farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices to sustain livelihoods and protect river basin health and the biodiversity it sustains.

2/12/22

#43 Ucayali

Descending from the Andes into the Amazon lowlands, the Ucuyali flows 2,700 km bringing huge volumes of water, nutrients and sediment with it. Considered one of the “mother” rivers of the Amazon basin, the Ucayali River meets the Maranon River, which marks the head of the Amazon. The most famous headwater of the Ucayali is the Sacred Valley where spectacular Inca ruins such as the Machu Picchu are located. For 4000 years, communities have relied on its waters for food, navigation and irrigation. Farmers depend on seasonal flooding to replenish the soils and maintain fisheries. Many communities raise their houses to ensure they stay above the flood. Incredibly rich in biodiversity, these waters have many endemic fish species. The Ucayali is also home to the Amazon river dolphin, giant otters and the Amazonian manatee. Threatened by deforestation, pollution, dam construction and hydromorphological changes, the Ucayali’s river health and biodiversity are  at stake. There are only a few small protected areas in the Ucayali basin. With the convention on biological diversity (CBD) COP coming up next week, it is an important reminder that rivers like the Ucuyali are protected and restored to maintain their biodiversity and all it provides to its people.

17/11/22

#41 Hucava River

Flowing from the ancient Volcano Polana, the Hučava River in Slovakia is a site of community interest and a special protected area under the Natura 2000 framework. Located in the Poľana Biosphere Reserve, the Hučava basin is rich in biodiversity - home to salmon, Eurasian otters and kingfishers. But the Hučava River has been modified throughout the years, including with two old barriers for irrigation that are now obsolete. These old barriers no longer serve any purpose but they still block the migration of species and natural sediment flow. In 2021, one of the dams was removed by WWF Slovakia in cooperation with the Slovak Water Management Enterprise and the State Nature Conservancy - reconnecting 25 km of river in total. In addition to providing renewed connectivity, dam removal also improves water quality, restores migratory species populations and allows the natural deposition of sediments. To further restore connectivity, a fish pass is being built at the second barrier. Since the dam removal, short and long distance migratory fish have been seen passing through the area where the barrier once was. This is an example for other European rivers, which are among the most fragmented rivers in the world. The European Commission aims to make 25,000 km of river free flowing by 2030. To restore Europe’s free-flowing rivers, dam removal projects such as this one are being undertaken in the EU. 

3/11/22

#39 Bita River

Colombia’s Bita River is the largest Ramsar site in Colombia & the first ever site to protect an entire free-flowing river and its basin. Incredibly rich in biodiversity, the Bita River is home to over 1,000 species of plants, over 200 fish and bird species, and 60+ species of mammals - including iconic species such as the Amazon river dolphin! A network of grasslands and seasonally flooded plains, the Bita’s associated wetlands are vital for the life-cycle of many migratory species. The connectivity of the Bita River is important as it allows the seasonal movement of river dolphins and the migration of freshwater fish. Flowing through Colombia and Venezuela, the Bita supports many local communities that rely on it for water, fishing, farming and tourism. Protecting free-flowing rivers like the Bita is critical to tackling both the climate and nature crises - and will be a key topic for discussion at the upcoming Ramsar COP14.

14/10/22

#37 Mara

Flowing 365 km from the Kenyan highlands to Lake Victoria, the Mara River is globally iconic for its rich freshwater biodiversity. It has the highest density and diversity of large herbivores on Earth including the great wildebeest migration. Each year two million wildebeest, gazelles and zebras race across the crocodile-infested river in search of greener pastures earning the nickname “river of death.” The river flows through the world famous Masai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park where human activity is limited to wildlife viewing, bringing in millions of dollars in tourism. Shared between Kenya and Tanzania, the Mara River provides ecosystem services to 1.1 million people living in the basin - it is a vital source for livelihoods . More than half of the inhabitants rely directly on the river for domestic water use and 60% get their water directly from the river. The Mara River is home to over 470 native freshwater species including hippos, otters, crocodiles and countless fish, bird and plant species. But the Mara River is under threat due to unsustainable agriculture, deforestation, water pollution and over-exploiting natural resources. Proposed dams and climate change also pose a future risk. Conservation of a healthy, free-flowing Mara River is essential to providing the blue heart of the economy and society in Kenya and Tanzania.

29/09/22

#35 Tisza

Located in the geographical heart of Europe, the Tisza River is the longest tributary of the Danube flowing through Ukraine, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Serbia. Originating in the Carpathian mountains, the Tisza River flows through the Great Hungarian Plains and out into the Danube with one third of the total river catchment lying in Hungary. The Tisza River is incredibly rich in biodiversity, with some species that are no longer found in other parts of Europe due to its relatively healthy floodplain forests, wetlands and grasslands. The Tisza River sustains over 300 species of birds, 59 species of fish, over 200 species of vascular plants, and a large number of invertebrate species. Annually, the annual ‘blooming of the Tisza’ attracts tourists to watch the spectacular synchronised swarming of millions of Tisza mayflies. Home to 14 million people throughout five countries, the river sustains livelihoods through agriculture, navigation, tourism and energy production. But the Tisza river is under threat from land-use change and river engineering, which has altered the natural structure of the river resulting in the loss of natural floodplains and wetlands leading to severe floods and droughts. The Tisza River is also being polluted with nutrients from farming and wastewater, and hazardous substances from mining and industry. Urgent efforts are needed to protect and restore the river - to safeguard the communities, nature and ecosystems it sustains. Check out WWF-Hungary’s Tisza River page for more information.

08/09/2022

#33 Amazon

The Amazon River doesn't need much introduction, as its fame precedes its magnitude - it's the world's largest river system and the greatest by water volume. The basin occupies almost 7 million km2 - nearly the size of the entire Middle East - from Peru's high snow-capped Andes to the vast Brazilian estuary where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean. With over 6,500 km, the Amazon River is the main stem of more than ten major tributaries. Along its way, it boosts life in the world's largest tropical rainforest and the highest biodiversity globally, including more than 400 mammal species, 1,000 birds, 350 reptiles, 400 amphibians, and 3,000 fishes. And many still to be discovered, bringing invaluable benefits - of the more than 40,000 plant species, many are known to be the basis for medicines manufacture. The basin has remarkable seasonal flood pulses, which can rise up to 15m during peaks, inundating floodplains and creating flooded forests. It also safeguards various wetlands and lakes - all supporting major fisheries and water supply. Humans have used the river's floodplains for over 11,000 years. Flowing through Peru (18%), Colombia (less than 2%), and Brazil (80%), it's the main artery for urbanisation, commerce, transportation, fisheries, and floodplain agriculture. In the Brazilian Amazon, around 30 million people depend on its waters, including more than 220 indigenous groups and local communities. The basin is also vital for climate regulation globally and regionally. Water vapours from Amazonia travel via air currents as far as Northern Argentina, known as "Flying rivers", which are responsible for much of the rain falling in Centre-West, Southeast, and South Brazil. But all these benefits are at risk. The Amazon River basin is losing surface freshwater annually due to human interventions such as hydropower dams, deforestation for cattle ranching and farming, and climate change. In addition to investing in renewable energy such as wind and solar, conservation efforts with local and indigenous communities can help protect this gigantic freshwater ecosystem, benefiting people and nature globally. 

25/08/2022

#31 Sanaga

The Sanaga is the largest river in Cameroon, flowing 918km from its source on the Adamawa Plateau towards the Atlantic Ocean. Rich in waterfalls and rapids, Sanaga's gigantic basin covers a fourth of the country, giving life to various landscapes, biodiversity hotspots, and societies. The basin sustains savannah grasslands, fertile highlands with an exceptional range of endemic species, the Lake Ossa complex, and equatorial rainforests harbouring lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, and the world's largest frog. It also feeds sandy areas filled with swamp forests and wetlands rich in birdlife and home to a sizable population of West African Manatee, besides the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko Coastal Forests ecoregion with high biodiversity mangroves. The Fulbe (Fulani) are the main tribe in the sparsely populated basin, who are Muslims with a nomadic or sedentary livestock-rearing lifestyle. Although home to only 5-10% of Cameroon's 16 million people, the Sanaga sustains most of the country's electricity consumed – two hydropower plants on the river produce around 95% of the total consumed. The basin is also crucial to maintaining subsistence farming and the country's leading vegetable-producing region. Most people in the basin are poor, needing its waters for domestic use, fish, land fertiliser during floods, and sand as a building material. Poverty alleviation is central to the health and well-being of both people and the river's basin. The year 2022 is already marked by record droughts and fires occurring worldwide. Combined with Sanaga's increasing water demands, climate change will likely increase the risk of extreme droughts in the region. But there's still time to prevent such scenarios. The Sanaga River will only be able to provide all its benefits to people and nature if its resilience is built, e-flows maintained and the basin managed sustainably. 

11/08/2022

#29 Orinoco

One of the longest rivers in South America, the Orinoco river flows for over 2000km from the Parima Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean in Venezuela. After the Amazon and Congo, it’s the largest river by discharge in the world. Covering over 980,000 km2, its mighty basin is shared by Colombia (35%) and Venezuela (65%) and is one of the most biologically, hydrologically, and culturally rich areas globally. Upstream, the flow of water and nutrients maintains and regulates hydro-ecological processes downstream in the Llanos floodplains. Along with the seasonal rains, the basin boosts life in important habitats like wetlands and vast biodiversity. It safeguards over one thousand birds, well-known animals like the jaguar and piranha, and rare and endangered species like the Orinoco crocodile and the Amazon river dolphin. The basin is also home to many indigenous peoples. On its Delta, the Warao – “the boat people” - named the river Orinoco – “a place to paddle” in their language. The river basin sustains fisheries, agriculture, energy, and industries, all dependent on its natural flows. But increasing pressures threaten the basin’s health. In addition to overfishing, the introduction of non-native species, and climate change, the unsustainable expansion of mining, oil and gas, agro-industry, and (dams) infrastructure are putting the river and its people at risk. Maintaining the Orinoco basin’s health is crucial to sustaining all the benefits it provides to people, the economy, and nature – and that’s what conservation efforts in the region are trying to achieve. 

28/07/2022

#27 Rioni

Translated as "a large river", the Rioni River is the second largest in Georgia and one of the largest in the South Caucasus region. It flows for over 300km from the glaciers of the Greater Caucasus into the Black Sea. It boosts life across rare wetlands and cities of major cultural and economic importance like Kutaisi and Samtredia. Home to more than one million people, many livelihoods depend on the region's agriculture and livestock. The delta supports the city of Poti and its major seaport, giving the area strategic importance. The basin sustains vast richness also in other forms – from unique landscapes like its lowland peat bogs and swap alder forests to hot thermal waters and healing and mineral waters. The myriad of habitats attracts tourists, who can also glimpse incredible biodiversity, including vast migratory bird gatherings. The Rioni is one of the few rivers where the world's most threatened group species – sturgeons – still spawn in natural conditions. But, alarmingly, it is the last functioning one in Georgia and the Eastern part of the Black Sea basin – and one of the last chances for ship sturgeons, declared extinct in most of its native range. But the basin is at risk. A cascade of hydropower dams, irrigation for agriculture, pollution, poaching, illegal fishing and logging, and climate change threaten the integrity of the river's system. Fortunately, there's still some hope, as shown by the recent expansion of a protected area for sturgeon in the Rioni and the Black Sea. Only a healthy Rioni can continue to benefit people and nature, ensuring a stable economic environment.

14/07/2022

#25 ILI

The Ili River has a vast cultural, economic and ecological significance. In ancient times, the Ili River was part of the main route of the Great Silk Road (Semirechye), where cities were built and trade flourished. Rising in Xinjiang, it flows for around 1400km towards Kazakhstan’s Lake Balkhash, which became the largest Lake in Central Asia after the desiccation of the Aral Sea. The River's waters feed most of the Lake's annual inflow (70%-80%), forming the largest remaining natural delta and wetland complex at an inland lake in Central Asia – safeguarding a biodiversity hotspot. The 8000 km2 Delta mosaic of habitats was once home to the Caspian tiger, exterminated in the mid-20th century. It also harbours millions of birds, including breeding colonies of Dalmatian pelicans. Many fish species like the Critically Endangered Ship sturgeon live or spawn in the basin's waters. The Kazakhstani Ile-Balkhash basin is also home to 3.3 million people with another 4.62 million in the basin in China. It sustains fisheries, and its floodplains are extremely productive lands for hay and good pastures for livestock. Irrigation is the major water user, accounting for 85%. Due to this significant amount of water abstraction as well as dams in the basin, there are concerns that the Lake might shrink or even desiccate like the Aral Sea, and the wetlands degrade severely and shrink. In the 1970s, the Kapchagay Dam and Reservoir construction permanently altered the river's runoff – the water flowing into the lake shrunk, and the delta area reduced, lowering its groundwater level. But there's still hope. Kazakhstan declared the delta a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 2012 and created the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve in 2018. Since 2019, WWF and the Kazakhstan government have been releasing Bukhara deer in the Reserve as an important stage in the program of reintroducing the Caspian tiger.

30/06/2022

#23 Kalambo

The Kalambo River rises in the Ufipa Highlands in south-central Tanzania, flowing towards one of Africa's Great Lakes - Lake Tanganyika. Drawing the border between Zambia and Tanzania in its lowermost third, the Kalambo river brings life to incredible biodiversity and one of the purest untouched sights of Africa – the Kalambo Falls. Kalambo's waters approach the edge of a steamy tropical gorge and plunge abruptly into a 212 metres dip, forming Africa's second highest uninterrupted waterfall. More than double the height of Victoria Falls, Kalambo's abyss is one of the breeding grounds of the rare and giant Marabou stork. But the river's journey does not stop there. It keeps going for over eight kilometres until it reaches the world's second-oldest freshwater lake. The river can broaden from three to impressive 20 metres wide during heavy rains from February to April, but after its free-fall, it never regains such composure, meandering through a narrow, steep-sided valley. The Kalambo River basin also safeguards one of the richest archaeological sites in Africa, where excavations found primitive tools from more than 100,000 years ago. Among the prehistoric stone and wooden tools are hand axes, cleavers, litchis, and iron slag. Nuts, seeds, and pollen have also been preserved. Located centrally in the basin, the site of Kalambo Falls has one of the longest history of human occupation in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to such invaluable nature and history, Kalambo Falls was included on the UNESCO list of tentative World Heritage Sites.

09/06/2022

#21 Cuando

The Cuando (alternately spelled as ‘Kwando’) River is one of the few rivers worldwide that remain undisturbed and naturally connected. Extending through an area of dry sandy woodland, its Basin is a "linear oasis" – it serves as the only water source within thousands of square kilometres for wildlife and people in southwest Africa. Rising in a remote area in Central-Southern Angola, the Cuando flows for over 220 km along the country's border with Zambia, crossing through Namibia and ending in the Linyanti Swamps on Botswana's border. Estimates show that over 250,000 people live in the Basin, many of whose subsistence depends on Cuando's healthy waters and flows. The Basin also safeguards savanna and open woodland habitats that serve as vital migration corridors for elephants, zebras, buffalo, and wildebeests. The River's banks are also home to many endangered species, such as the Southern African cheetah and Cape wild dog. As an important headwater tributary of the Zambezi River, it provides critical water resources to the heart of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) - the world's largest transboundary conservation area. Due to such transboundary nature, coordinated efforts between the neighbouring nations are necessary to ensure sustainable management, use, and protection of the shared resource. Since 2020, WWF has embarked on a process to assess the state of the river basin. To strengthen transboundary governance in the Basin, WWF-US, WWF-Zambia, the Zambezi Watercourse Commission, the KAZA TFCA Secretariat, USAID, and the United States Department of State have developed the Cuando Basin Report Card, the State of the Cuando Basin Report, and the Kwando Joint Action Group. These efforts will help ensure inclusive and sustainable water resource management and increased water security for the benefit of people and nature in the Cuando River Basin and downstream in the Zambezi Basin.

26/05/2022

#19 Vistula

The Vistula is Poland's longest river, stretching for more than 1000km from the Carpathian Mountains to the Baltic Sea. Home to over 23 million people, the river has been at the heart of national life for hundreds of years. It has provided an important trade route in Europe, known by many as the "Queen of Polish rivers". Its basin covers close to 60% of Poland, mostly agricultural land. The river also provides for tourism and fishing – it is a corridor for migratory fish like the sturgeon and sea trout. Some sections of the Vistula are among Europe's most exceptional areas of natural value, including the Biebrza River valley and Luknajno and Karas Lakes, which harbour rare species of plants and animals. But all this is at risk. In addition to pollution, old and possibly new dams threaten to wreck much of what's left of the river's natural cycles. WWF's 10 Rivers at Risk report highlights a proposal to build a dam across the lower Vistula to create a reservoir to produce energy and, the developers claim, reduce flood risk. But environmental impact assessments show no impact on flood prevention. The new dam will supposedly protect an obsolete dam built in the 70s, but the old dam worsens the risk of flooding. This project would cost taxpayers €1 billion while only generating short-term profits for the developers rather than long-term benefits for Poland's people. Cutting off nearly 70,000 km of the river system from the Baltic Sea, the new dam will drastically alter natural flows and water quality and negatively affect local communities, tourism, and migratory fish populations that have already fallen by 93% across Europe. But there are alternatives: 44 wind turbines could generate the same amount of energy with none of the destructive social and economic impacts. Poland can opt for LowCx3 renewables - low carbon, low cost, and low conflict with rivers and communities –, scraping the new dam and removing the old one, which would cost less than a tenth of the current proposals. This 21st-century path would help tackle climate change, reduce flood risk and restore the health of the entire Vistula, benefiting people and nature across the country.

05/05/2022

#17 PARANÁ

Running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, the Paraná River flows for over 4500 km, having the second-largest basin on the continent. The River, its tributaries, and wetlands are of great economic, ecological and cultural importance to the region and the world. It forms geographic boundaries and links inland cities to the Atlantic Ocean. The River is named after the Tupi-Guarani Indigenous peoples, who first inhabited the basin, meaning "that resembles the sea" or "like the sea". Rising on the south-central Brazilian plateau, it is formed by the confluence of the Rio Grande and Paranaíba Rivers. After some 3500km, it unites its waters with the Paraguay River and flows for over another 1000km until it meets the Uruguay River, forming the extensive Río de la Plata estuary. The Paraná River Basin is home to some of South America's major population centres, harbouring approximately 100 million people who depend on the rivers' waters as a source for drinking, irrigation for agriculture, energy, industries, traditional fisheries, aquaculture, recreation, and tourism. The basin safeguards ecologically critical habitats in its Brazilian upper part like the Cerrado, Pantanal, and Atlantic Forest, and fantastic biodiversity, including the Neotropical otter and more than 450 fish species, like the migratory fish "Dourado". But all of this is under threat – much of the length of the Paraná and its tributaries have been impacted negatively by rapid urbanisation, agriculture, and hydropower development. The River holds the world's second-largest hydroelectric installation - The Itaipu Dam in Brazil, which reservoir has flooded around 100,000 ha of land. The basin's health also suffers from pollution, invasive species, and climate change. In 2021, the River's water levels hit their lowest since 1944. Urgent action needs to be taken to create strategies to restore and maintain Paraná River's health and flows on which people and nature rely.

21/04/2022

#15 Danube

The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe and the world’s most international river, crossing through ten countries and draining the territory of 19  – an area over 800,000 km². It flows for over 2,850km from its headwaters in Germany’s Black Forest Mountains down towards the Black Sea. Home to 83 million people, the basin unifies and sustains a wealth of diverse cultures and traditions. With its outstanding landscapes, it provides multiple ecosystem services, including flood protection, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, and drinking water for more than 20 million people. The basin harbours Europe’s largest natural wetland – its Delta - and exceptional levels of biodiversity, including more than 5,000 species of animals and plants like the white pelican, beavers, and five sturgeon species on the brink of extinction (one species already extinct). The Danube has been drastically altered in the past 150 years: more than 80% of the river has been regulated, its natural floodplains with marshes, meadows and floodplain forests drained or cut from the river. For hydropower generation, flood protection or water supply purposes over 940 dams, ramps/sills built on the Danube basin on rivers with catchments larger than 4000 km2. Rapid economic growth further reduced the basin’s health through gravel extraction, navigation, and pollution from domestic waste, industry, and agriculture. And now climate change poses new threats to Danube’s wildlife and people. But this doesn’t have to continue. WWF works with partners to bring life back to the river through initiatives and larger programmes like the Living Danube Partnership and Living European Rivers which interventions include dam removals, river and floodplain restorations,  Nature-based Solutions, as well as fighting against new deterioration caused by infrastructure projects. The Sturgeon initiative and Life for Danube Sturgeons engage in sturgeon protection measures in Danube countries - this critically endangered migratory fish is an indicator of the river’s continuity and status. 

07/04/2022

#13 Río Gallegos

Río Gallegos is a 300km long river in the Argentinian province of Santa Cruz. Named in 1520 after one of the pilots of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, Blasco Gallegos, the river flows from its source in the Andes mountains towards its estuary on the Atlantic Ocean, where the city of Río Gallegos now sits. The capital of Santa Cruz with around 80,000 inhabitants, it's the second-largest city on the Patagonian coast, with an economy based on livestock farming and extensive commercial and port activities. The Gallegos river boasts two important tributaries - the Chico and the Turbio - and its upper course runs through Argentina's most important coal basin. It is one of the rivers with the highest economic value in the region, thanks to the presence of trout, which is popular among fly-fishing tourists. However, trout were introduced in the region, and are now threatening native species. But the basin is still home to incredibly rich biodiversity, including the red fox and the unique Hooded grebe, which uses the estuary as one of its few wintering grounds. It also safeguards a great diversity of native plants, including a dazzling array of flowers, which can be seen on the front of many houses. Río Gallegos' flow of sediments accumulates in the basin's estuary, which sustains numerous salt lakes and marsh vegetation, forming a dynamic system that is crucial for people and nature. Depending on seasonal snow melt, the Río Gallegos is vulnerable to climate change. It also faces a number of other threats, but it's possible to tackle these before it's too late. Indeed, it is not only possible but essential since only a resilient and healthy river can continue to give life to its namesake city and all the people and wildlife that depend on it. 

24/03/2022

#11 Elbe

The Elbe is the fourth-largest river basin in Central and Western Europe. It flows for over 1000km from its source in the Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains of the Czech Republic, crossing through Germany until it spills its waters into the North Sea. The river basin is home to about 25 million people and boasts world-famous cities, including Prague, Berlin, and Hamburg. The Elbe River Landscape is Germany's largest inland UNESCO biosphere reserve and one of the last near-natural river landscapes in Central Europe. Numerous plants and animals are dependent on the Elbe's waters, like the Elbe beaver, fire-bellied toad, and the European sea sturgeon, which is currently being reintroduced. But much of the Elbe has been regulated for navigation and dammed in the Bohemian stretch - the incision of the river bed due to the continued maintenance of the waterway is one of the key problems of the middle Elbe, affecting the river, its floodplains, and their water regime. Poor water quality is also an issue, although it has greatly improved over the last 30 years - in the early 1990s, the Elbe was in some stretches classified "ecologically dead". While the floodplain ecosystems depend on regular floods, the river is infamous for devastating extreme flood events (2002 and 2013), but it is also suffering more regularly from too little water (droughts). Climate change will likely increase the frequency of floods while also increasing the risk of droughts, with adverse impacts on several sectors, including water supply, agriculture, industry, navigation, and recreation. But this doesn't have to happen. WWF’s Nature-based Solutions include initiatives like the Lödderitz dike relocation to enhance the health and resilience of the river basin, including by restoring freshwater habitats by removing dams and making room for the river.

03/03/2022

#8 Yangtze

The Yangtze River is Asia's longest river and the world's third, flowing for more than 6300km from the Tanggula Mountains in Tibet towards the East China Sea. Its basin is one of the world's most biologically diverse ecoregions due to the climatic, geographical, and geomorphological diversity and complexity of river-lake relations. Known as the "Mother River" in China, the Yangtze is home to 459 million people, approximately one-third of China's total population. Cutting through 11 provinces, the river is central to China's past and future – providing water, food, and livelihoods for thousands of years. It has sustained much of the Chinese economy and social development – just in 2018, the GDP of the Yangtze River Economic Belt reached approximately 40% of the national GDP. The basin also safeguards incredible and ancient biodiversity like the Giant panda, Chinese sturgeon, and the world's only freshwater porpoise, the Yangtze finless porpoise. With over 400 species of fish swimming its waters, the basin has been featured as "the cradle of China's freshwater fishery" and "a treasure trove of fish genes". But the Yangtze is at risk - WWF's 2020 Yangtze Living Index report concluded that the overall health of the basin is declining fast and deteriorating as the river flows from source to sea. Driven by population growth, rapid industrial, agricultural, and fishery development, hydroelectricity development, and navigation, the river faces climate change, alterations to its flow, land-use change, pollution, overfishing, and invasive species. These pressures threaten water supplies and freshwater fisheries that feed millions. The Chinese government is quite aware - it established a 10-year fishing moratorium in January 2021. But as WWF's report shows, more can and should be done to save the Yangtze and all the benefits the "mother" river provides to humans & nature.

17/02/2022

#7 Mekong

One of the world’s great rivers, the Mekong flows nearly 5,000km from the Tibetan plateau to where its great delta meets the sea. Crossing through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam, the Lower Mekong supports the world’s most productive freshwater fisheries. Its fertile delta, nourished by the sediment carried downstream by the river’s natural cycles, is Viet Nam’s rice bowl, producing half of its total rice harvest. The Mekong basin is home to 70 million people who depend on a healthy, free-flowing river for water, irrigation, energy, transportation, and trade. Its waters also sustain thousands of species in one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, including 89 Critically Endangered river dolphins and over 1000 fish species, including many of the world’s giant fish and the dazzling Siamese tiger perch. But all this life is under threat - hydropower dams and sand mining are stripping the famously muddy river of its sediment. The result: the Mekong delta is sinking and shrinking, putting people’s lands and livelihoods at risk. And Laos plans to build another four large hydropower dams across the main channel, which could slash the sediment supply to just 10% of its natural levels. Coupled with excessive groundwater abstraction and sea-level rise due to climate change, half of the Mekong delta could disappear under the waves by the end of the century. And the River basin also faces deforestation, industrial pollution, and overfishing. But another path is possible, as WWF’s 10 Rivers at Risk report enlightens - renewable alternatives, like solar and wind, are LowCx3 low carbon, low cost, and low conflict with rivers and communities. In 2020, the Cambodian government showed the way by imposing a 10-year moratorium on hydropower dams on Mekong’s mainstream, and encouraging investment in solar power. Keeping it free flowing is the best way to build resilience to climate change.

03/02/2022

#5 Paraguay

The Paraguay River is a major waterway in south-central South America. It meanders 2,600 km from its source in Brazil through Bolivia and Paraguay before joining the Paraná River and flowing into Argentina. The river is responsible for balancing an entire ecosystem, as it feeds the largest tropical wetland on the planet – the Pantanal. One of the most important regions in the world in terms of services provided to humanity, Pantanal’s annual cycles of floods and droughts dictate the lives of thousands of species. It sustains more than 10 million people living in the region and provides water to cities downstream. It also supports more than 4,000 species, including the threatened jaguar, the world’s largest concentration of caimans, and 23 migratory fish species critical to local fisheries. All this depends on the connectivity and natural flow of the Paraguay River, but plans for more hydropower projects threaten Pantanal’s lifeblood. And there are already over 50 plants in the basin. Most of them are small, but together they can have a big impact - the Brazilian Pantanal has lost 74% of its surface water over the past 30 years, partly due to dams infrastructure. Fishers reported that fish have disappeared as migratory routes have been cut. The region also faces agriculture expansion, unsustainable ranching, and engineering work for navigation. Unsurprisingly, wildfires have ravaged the drying Pantanal recently. WWF’s actions to protect the region include the Jornada da Água (Water’s Journey), the Pact in defense of the headwaters of Pantanal, and the Iconic Free Flowing Rivers initiative. But an additional 80 hydropower dams are still planned, closing off 11,000-12,000km of free-flowing river channels. But there is another path. Alternative renewables, like solar and wind, are LowCx3 - low carbon, low cost, and low conflict with rivers and communities - and could produce enough energy for the region while creating more jobs without destroying the rivers that give Pantanal life.

14/01/2022

#2 THE ISEL

The Isel is the last free-flowing glacial river in the European Alps. Its clear, cold waters flow almost 60km through gorges, gravel banks, and floodplain forests of Austria's East Tyrol region. Still in a near-natural state, it harbours many threatened species like the German tamarisk (Myricaria germanica) and draws tourists that power the local economy. But the future of the Isel is at risk. For years, developers have been trying to build new hydropower on the river and its tributaries, although over 1,000 hydropower plants are already in operation across Tyrol. And authorities appear unwilling to stop them, as six plants are planned, in the approval process, or under construction in the basin. These dams will alter the natural flow of water and sediment, threatening these free-flowing rivers' benefits. WWF's 10 Rivers at Risk report shows that these plants will produce negligible amounts of power at far from little cost, plus the high cost to nature and people – like the €30 million power plant which will provide electricity to only 1.100 local people, besides getting the municipality into debt to finance the project located at a site prone to landslides, floods, and avalanches. WWF and 43 groups, including prominent scientific voices, are calling for an end to all new hydropower development in the Isel and across the region. Renewable alternatives (e.g., solar and wind) offer a better path as they are LowCx3 - low carbon, low cost, and low conflict with rivers and communities. This way, authorities can protect one of Europe's last natural river systems to benefit nature and future generations. 

07/01/2022

#1 Tapajós

Brazil's Tapajós River is one of the largest, free-flowing tributaries of the Amazon, flowing for over 2000km through habitats ranging from the cerrado savanna to rainforests. It is also one of the few fast-flowing, clearwater rivers in the region, boasting extraordinarily rich biodiversity like the endangered river dolphin Tucuxi. Indigenous people and local communities also depend on Tapajós' natural flows and flood pulses – it supports fisheries, fertilizes fields, and provides clean water, sustaining livelihoods and cultures. But all these benefits are under threat, especially from hydropower dams. Regarded as one of the best remaining hydropower generation opportunities, there are 42 dams planned in the Tapajós River. WWF's 10 Rivers at Risk report  states that the region will suffer disastrous environmental and social consequences if these dams are built, such as flooding around 2,000km2 of Indigenous territories by reservoirs. It would also promote deforestation, which generates greenhouse gas emissions - hindering efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Thanks to the indigenous Munduruku tribe, who've fought years of court battles to protect their lands, the largest proposed dam at São Luiz do Tapajós was cancelled in 2016. But there are still many on the drawing board. Instead of pursuing 20th-century infrastructure solutions, Brazil should reassess the best energy mix by factoring in the plunging price of renewable alternatives, like solar and wind, and the full impact of these dams on communities, wildlife, and the climate. The hydropower plans on the Tapajós should be replaced by renewable energy that is LowCx3: low carbon, low cost, and low conflict with communities and rivers.