WWF Names Top 10 Rivers at Risk

WWF Names Top 10 Rivers at Risk



March 2007 – Ten of world's 
largest rivers are drying up due to "the wanton waste of 
freshwater resources, poor governance, and a disregard for the 
needs of local people that frequently exacerbates poverty," 
finds a new report by the global conservation organization 
WWF. 
The report, "World's Top Rivers at Risk," released ahead of 
World Water Day on March 22, lists the top 10 rivers that are 
dying as a result of climate change, pollution and dams. 
Five of the 10 rivers listed in the report are in Asia. They 
are the Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Ganges and Indus. 
Europe’s Danube, the Americas’ La Plata and Rio Grande-Rio 
Bravo, Africa’s Nile-Lake Victoria and Australia’s 
Murray-Darling also make the list. 
The Rio Grande as seen from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. 
Texas is visible in background. 
"All the rivers in the report symbolize the current freshwater 
crisis, which we have been signalling for years," says WWF 
Global Freshwater Programme Director Jamie Pittock. 
"Poor planning and inadequate protection of natural areas mean 
we can no longer assume that water will flow forever," Pittock 
said. "Like the climate change crisis, which now has the 
attention of business and government, we want leaders to take 
notice of the emergency facing freshwater now not later." 
The report summarizes the findings of eight wide-ranging and 
authoritative global assessments and identifies the threats 
mentioned with the greatest frequency - water infrastructure 
such as dams, over-extraction of water, climate 
change,invasive species, over-fishing, and pollution. 
The 10 rivers highlighted are either those that already suffer 
most under the weight of these threats or are bracing for the 
heaviest impacts. 
There are some rivers on the list that are so damaged that 
without serious restoration efforts they could be lost, and 
others that are relatively intact, but face massive 
degradation unless action is taken now to conserve them. 
Yangtze: Pollution. The Yangtze River rises in the mountains 
of Qinghai Province on the Tibetan plateau, and fl ows 6,300 
kilometers to the East China Sea, opening at Shanghai. Its 
catchment covers one-fifth of the land area in China. 
The city of Chongqing on the Yangtze River. The whole of the 
lower section will be flooded by the Three Gorges reservoir. 

The Yangtze river basin accounts for 40 percent of China’s 
freshwater resources, more than 70 percent of the country’s 
rice production, 50 percent of its grain, more than 70 percent 
of fishery production, and 40 percent of the China’s GDP. 
The river is inhabited by 350 fish species, including the 
giant Yangtze sturgeon, of which 112 are found nowhere else. 
This basin is the sole habitat of the critically endangered 
Chinese Paddlefish, the endangered Finless Porpoise, and the 
now believed to be extinct Chinese River Dolphin, the most 
critically endangered cetacean in the world. The most 
threatened crocodilian species in the world, the Chinese 
Alligator, is only found in the lower reaches of the Yangtze. 
This basin is inhabited by the giant panda, the largest 
salamander in the world, Audrias davidianus, the critically 
endangered Siberian crane, and the once-extirpated Pere 
David’s deer now re-introduced from captive stock. 
Over the last 50 years, there has been a 73 percent increase 
in pollution levels from hundreds of cities, in the main stem 
of the Yangtze River, WWF reports. The annual discharge of 
sewage and industrial waste in the river has reached about 25 
billion tons, which is 42 percent of the country’s total 
sewage discharge, and 45 percent of its total industrial 
discharge. 
The major pollutants in the Yangtze mainstem are suspended 
substances, oxidizing organic and inorganic compounds, and 
ammonia nitrogen. This has reduced drinking water quality and 
contributed to eutrophication, the process by which the excess 
nutrients stimulate excessive plant growth and decay. 
After 13 years of construction, the Three Gorges Dam is now 
built and will be fully operational in 2008. The Three Gorges 
Dam exacerbates water pollution by impounding waters, trapping 
sediment and increasing eutrophication. 
Efforts to reduce pollution in the Yangtze River have been 
slow but promising, WWF says. Community pressure has 
successfully increased local enforcement activities such as fi 
eld inspections and increased pollution fees. 
Mekong-Lancang: Over-fishing. The Mekong river basin is the 
largest in Southeast Asia. Rising in the mountains of China’s 
Qinghai province near Tibet, it flows south. It forms the 
border between Laos and Myanmar, most of the border between 
Laos and Thailand, and moves across Cambodia and southern 
Vietnam into the South China Sea. 
The Mekong River widens out into the delta once it crosses the 
border into southern Vietnam. 
Unlike many major rivers in Asia, this river and its flood 
regime are relatively intact, and the lower Mekong basin is 
the most productive river fishery in the world. 
The basin is home to at least 1,200 fish species, the highest 
fish diversity in any basin after the Amazon and Congo. 
Sixty-two fish species are found nowhere else in the world. 
This river harbors more species of giant fish than any other 
as well as the largest freshwater fish known to science, the 
Mekong giant catfish. The basin is inhabited by the Irrawaddy 
Dolphin, the Mekong population of which is critically 
endangered. 
The Mekong River fishery is based on the annual wet season 
flood of its extensive floodplain, particularly the back flow 
of the river into the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. 
The scale of this beneficial flooding is threatened by the 
present and potential impoundment of floodwaters behind 58 
existing and 149 proposed large dams, and by roads in the 
floodplains. 
Despite the productivity of the Mekong, WWF reports, the 
threat of over-fishing is high because of the huge scale of 
subsistence fishing, the majority of which goes unrecorded, as 
well as poor fishing practices. 
People illegally use small-meshed mosquito nets, which catch 
juveniles as well as adult fish, electro-shock fish with car 
batteries, and increasingly over-harvest fish with poison, WWF 
reports. 
Salween, Nujiang or Nu River: Infrastructure, dams. The 
Salween flows from the Tibetan Plateau adjacent to the Mekong 
and the Yangtze rivers, in the "Three Parallel Rivers” World 
Heritage area, at the epicentre of biodiversity in China. 
Dam construction poses the single greatest threat to the 
Salween River. China plans up to 13 large hydropower projects 
in a cascade that would transform the free-flowing river in 
upper basin into a series of channels and reservoirs. 
Shared by China, Thailand, and Myanmar, formerly Burma, six 
million people live in the Salween watershed. They share the 
watershed with 92 amphibian species, and 143 fish species of 
which 47 are found nowhere else in the world, and the world’s 
greatest diversity of turtles. 
The Salween delta and associated wetlands support populations 
of the unique fishing cat, the Asian small-clawed otter and 
the Siamese crocodile. The golden eye monkey, small panda, 
wild donkey of Dulong and wild ox still flourish in this 
basin. 
Ganges: Water Over-extraction. The Ganges river basin runs 
from the central Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, and covers 
parts of Nepal, India, China and Bangladesh. 
The Ganges basin occupies 30 percent of the land area of India 
and is heavily populated, increasing in population density 
downstream to Bangladesh, the most densely populated country 
in the world. Approximately one in 12 people in the world live 
in the Ganges catchment area. 
Worshippers take a dip in the Ganges River on a holy day that 
takes place once every 12 years. 
There are over 140 fish species in the Ganges basin, 90 
amphibian species, and five areas supporting birds found 
nowhere else in the world. The basin is inhabited by five 
species of freshwater cetaceans including the endangered 
Ganges River Dolphin and the rare freshwater shark, Glyphis 
gangeticus. 
Unique Sundarbans delta mangroves are found where the 
Brahmaputra River and Meghna River converge in the Bengal 
basin and support an enormous number of species, including the 
world’s last population of the mangrove-inhabiting tigers. 
Water withdrawal poses a serious threat to the Ganges. In 
India, barrages control all of the tributaries to the Ganges 
and divert roughly 60 percent of river flow to irrigation. 
The world's fifth largest dam, the Tehri Dam, completed in 
2005, is part of the "garland of rivers" project in which the 
Indian government plans to link 37 major rivers, including all 
the major rivers flowing from the Himalayas, through a series 
of dams and canals to provide drinking water and generate 
electricity. In this US$125 billion "interlinking of rivers" 
scheme, India proposes to divert vast quantities of water from 
the Ganges to support drought-prone states in the south and 
east. This would further aggravate water poverty in 
Bangladesh. 
Indus: Climate Change. The Indus river basin spans parts of 
four countries - Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China - in 
an area that is more than 30 percent arid, much drier than the 
nearby Ganges river basin. 
The Indus faces threat from climate change because of its high 
dependency on glacier water. The Himalayan glaciers provide 
the Indus with 70 to 80 percent of its water, the highest 
proportion of any river in Asia. 
Even without warmer temperatures threatening to melt Himalayan 
glaciers, the Indus River faces scarcity due to 
over-extraction of water for agriculture. Fish populations, 
the main source of protein and overall life support systems 
for many communities, are also being threatened. 
The Indus is inhabited by 25 amphibian species and 147 fish 
species of which 22 are found nowhere else in the world. It 
harbors the endangered Indus River dolphin, one of the world’s 
rarest mammals. 
One of the many dams on the Danube River. 
Danube: Infrastructure - Navigation. The most multinational 
river basin in the world, the Danube basin is roughly twice 
the size of California and its basin covers part or all of 19 
riparian countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, 
Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, 
Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine. 
Drastic changes to the Danube’s natural flow and surrounding 
lands to control floods, generate power, facilitate 
agriculture and waterway transport have already destroyed over 
80 percent of the watershed’s valuable wetlands, floodplains 
and forests. What remains of the basin’s integrity is under 
intense threat from shipping infrastructure developments. 
The Danube-Oder-Elbe-Canal Plan is proposed to enable ship 
passage from the Baltic to the North Sea, then southward to 
the Black Sea. This will indirectly or directly affect 46,000 
hectares of 38 protected areas containing two national parks, 
six Ramsar wetland sites, and two biosphere reserves in five 
countries. 
La Plata: Infrastructure - Dams and Navigation. The La Plata 
basin is the second largest river basin in South America, 
crossing five countries: Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, 
and Bolivia. It has main tributaries, the Paraná, the Paraguay 
and the Uruguay Rivers. 
The Paraná tributary river basin supplies Brazil's largest 
city Sao Paolo and its capital Brasilia, as well as 17 other 
cities of more than 100,000 people. 
La Plata’s Pantanal wetlands, located mostly in southwest 
Brazil but also extending to southeast Bolivia and northern 
Paraguay, are the largest freshwater wetlands in the world, 
inhabited by a vast array of wildlife. 
Scientist Pablo Bordino with a La Plata River dolphin 
The elusive Plata River dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, lives 
off the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. 
The basin faces the second greatest number of planned dams in 
the world: 27 large dams, of which six currently are under 
construction. 
New impoundments and water diversions threaten the Paraguay 
River’s relatively pristine headwaters, which comprise the 
central artery of the Pantanal wetlands, and Uruguay River. 
WWF says the Brazilian, Bolivian and Paraguayan governments’ 
plan for the massive navigation and hydroelectric dam project, 
"hidrovia," is proceeding without an adequate Environment 
Impact Assessment. The hidrovia would dredge and redirect the 
Paraguay and Paraná Rivers to create a 3,442 kilomteter long 
navigation channel at least three meters (10 feet) deep 
between Caceres, Brazil and the harbor of Nueva Palmira in 
Uruguay. This would provide cargo ships with access to the 
interior of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay 
during the dry season. 
Rio Grande - Rio Bravo: Water Over-extraction. The second 
longest river in the United States, the Rio Grande flows from 
the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, south through New Mexico. 
It forms the border between the United States and Mexico for 
two thirds of its course, opening into a small sandy delta at 
the Gulf of Mexico. 
The Rio Grande basin is a globally important region for 
freshwater biodiversity with 121 fish species, 69 of which are 
found nowhere else. There are three areas supporting endemic 
bird species as well as a high level of mollusk diversity. 
A high level of water extraction for agriculture and 
increasing domestic use threatens the Rio Grande. Most of the 
major tributaries and many of the lesser ones support 
substantial agricultural production. Irrigation accounts for 
more than 80 percent of all water taken from the river, but 
municipal needs are competing more and more as urban areas 
grow. 
Currently, there are six very large dams and 100 large dams, 
eight of which are on the main stem of the river. 
The area is experiencing persistent drought and the basin is 
facing per capita water scarcity. By 2025, it is expected to 
dry up still further. 
Nile-Lake Victoria: Climate Change. The Nile River-Lake 
Victoria basin falls within 10 countries - Sudan, Ethiopia, 
Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic 
Republic of Congo, and Eritrea - and is roughly the size of 
India. Originating at Lake Victoria, the Nile is the longest 
river on Earth, and meanders through a watershed that is more 
than 30 percent arid. 
The Nile delta is home to virtually all of Egypt’s 78 million 
people, and the Nile basin supports 25 cities with more than 
100,000 people. 
The Nile river basin is home to 137 amphibian species, 69 
wetlands that are important bird areas, and five areas 
supporting birds found nowhere else in the world. The Nile 
delta is one of the world’s most important bird migration 
routes and is a breeding ground for two endangered marine 
turtles, the loggerhead and the green turtle. 
Lake Victoria sustains 343 fish species,including 309 endemic 
fish species, which makes it the highest globally in both 
categories. 
Due to heavy human extraction and high evaporation, the Nile 
river basin and its inhabitants are especially sensitive to 
climate change. Current water withdrawal for irrigation is so 
high, that despite its size, in dry periods the river does not 
reach the sea. 
Murray-Darling: Invasive Species. The Murray and Darling 
Rivers cross four Australian states and one territory, 
draining roughly 14 percent of Australia’s land mass. 
The Murray-Darling River is large in terms of its length and 
catchment area, but small and erratic in terms of discharge, 
and surface runoff. 
The Murray-Darling river basin is a vital source of water for 
the major cities of Adelaide and Canberra, but it is more than 
30 percent arid. 
Emus, koala bears, Western grey kangaroos, bearded dragon 
lizards, red-rumped parrots, black swans, pelicans, and 
dolphins are among the species that live in the Murray-Darling 
basin. 
There are around 30,000 wetlands, 12 of which are 
internationally recognized Ramsar sites. The basin is known 
for its diversity of crayfish and freshwater snails and is 
inhabited by 16 mammal and 35 bird species that are nationally 
endangered the WWF report states. 
Nine of the 35 native fish species are nationally threatened, 
two are critically endangered, and 16 are threatened under 
state jurisdictions. 
By contrast, both the invasive European Carp and Plague Minnow 
are now abundant. This is likely a result of significant 
changes in water flow, thermal pollution, instream habitat 
degradation, and barriers to fish passage which have fostered 
conditions favorable to invasive species over native fish 
populations, says the report. 
Aquarium fish and plants released into the Murray-Darling and 
crowding native species out. Compounding the damage are 
riparian trees introduced for aesthetic purposes, and a 
variety of plants introduced for agricultural and ornamental 
purposes that are invading floodplains and other wetlands. 
The WWF report calls on governments to better protect river 
flows and water allocations in order to safeguard habitats and 
people’s livelihoods. 
"Conservation of rivers and wetlands must be seen as part and 
parcel of national security, health and economic success,” 
says Pittock. "Emphasis must be given to exploring ways of 
using water for crops and products that do not use more water 
than necessary.” 
In addition, WWF urges, cooperative agreements for managing 
shared resources, such as the UN Watercourses Convention, must 
be ratified and given the resources to make them work. 
To access the report, "World's Top Rivers at Risk," click 
here. 





 

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