Ten Major Rivers of The World That Are In Grave Danger
Published by Looking at the devastation caused by the floods in Queensland, Australia, may stir some uneasiness among you especially when you know some of the people living there. Here are ten major rivers around the world that are headed for a similar catastrophe in several years to come. Equip yourself with this knowledge so that you are not caught in the middle a disaster when it happens. You most probably can’t change its destiny but you can still try to at least save some lives including yours by understanding this article.
1) Yangtze River (China) Length: 6,300km
Danger: Pollution
Used for: Agriculture, industry and transportation
The Yangtze River supports a population of 430 million. Rapid industrial development in the last 50 years have severely polluted the river. Every year, 25 billion tonnes of industrial waste are dumped into river. This has resulted in cases of hepatitis, dysentery and may also cause cancer in people. The effects on wildlife is unimaginable.
All images from Wikipedia.
2) Salween River (China) Length: 2,800km
Danger: Dams and Infrastructure
Used for: Fishing And Agriculture
By 2020, China plans to increase it’s hydro power by 50 percent. When dams are constructed, this will disrupt the river’s natural flow and change its course. Special species of vegetation and animals unique to this area would become extinct or endangered as a result. There are 47 species of fish found only in the Salween River. This river supports 6 million people.
3) Ganges River (India) Length: 2,507km
Danger: Over-usage
Used for: Agriculture
60 percent of the water in the river are controlled by barrages and diverted for irrigation. This in turn have caused water levels to recede and led to 109 species of fish to become extinct. The concentration of arsenic due to the minerals in the river bed have polluted the water. 200 million people depend on this river.
4) Indus River (Pakistan) Length: 2,900 km
Danger: Climate Change
Used for: Agriculture
The Indus river supports 178 million people and 80 percent of its water is used for agriculture in Pakistan. In July 2010, the agricultural land became flooded due to the extended rainy season. The biggest danger though is what is yet to come. Glaciers which supply 80 percent of the river water are now melting at an unprecedented rate which would result in more floods in the future.
5) Murray-Darling River (Australia) Length: 3,370km
Danger: Invasive Species
Used for : Agriculture, grazing, tourism
Supports 2 million people. When dams and infrastructure were built and new species of fish like carp and mosquito fish were introduced, they began to thrive and dominate the slower waters. Carp makes up between 60 to 90 percent of the fish population now. Carp uproots the vegetation permanently and releases chemicals into the water causing 27 species of fish to become endangered.
6) Mekong River (Vietnam) Length: 4,600km
Danger: Overfishing
Used for: Fishing, Agriculture
The Mekong river supports 51 million inhabitants and overfishing had mainly caused whole groups of fish to disappear. Overfishing have now endangered all animals that are connected to the food chain. Even the Giant Mekong Catfish which can be commonly found all along the river had now decreased by 90 percent.
7) Danube River (Europe) Length: 2,780
Danger: Transport And Infrastructure
Used for: Industry and navigation
The Danube river cuts through 10 countries in Europe and supports 81 million people. The primary use for transportation between countries had unfortunately destroyed its ecosystem. Infrastructure had destroyed 80 percent of the wetlands, floodplains and forests. A proposed canal for ships would further destroy two nature reserves, 46.000 ha wide.
La Plata River Basin (South America) Length: 4,030km
Danger: Transport Infrastructure
Used for: Agriculture, fishing
This river which supports 100 million people, spans over five Latin countries and is the second largest river basin in South America. The governments wanted to convert it into a waterway since 1997 but without success. However in March 2010, a $1 million new studies was awarded to find out about a more extensive waterway project. Environmentalists fear this would endanger 91,000 plants and wildlife species.
9) Rio Grande And Rio Bravo River (Mexico, United States) , Length: 3,033km
Danger: Over-usage
Used for: Agriculture
Over the last 50 years, the over-usage of water for agriculture has reduced the river by 80 percent in some areas. Low water levels had led to a higher concentration of pollutants and salt. This in turn had caused 32 species of fish to become extinct. According to the United Nations, many parts would become dry by 2025 if the usage of the river escalates further. 10 million people depend on this river.
10) Nile River (Africa) Length: 6,695km
Danger: Climate Change
Used for: Agriculture
The longest river in the world supports 360 million people and it suffers the most water loss because of evaporation. The UN estimates that the water loss from the Nile river would be as much as 80 percent between 2000 and 2025 as a result of rising global temperature. 700 species of fish are at risk when this happens.
Source: World Wide Fund For Nature International
Read more articles by Sharif Ishnin below:
| Avoid Consuming Seafood Under The Threat of Extinction |
Safeguard Marine Life by Consuming Highly Recommended Seafood
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Liked it
On January 14, 2011 at 8:45 am
great share with lovely pictures
On January 14, 2011 at 8:49 am
Cool
On January 14, 2011 at 8:58 am
very great share, nice to see u back here in action
On January 14, 2011 at 9:09 am
Nice share, thanks- See you again
On January 14, 2011 at 9:11 am
The planet has been screaming out for sometime with her ever changing nature. One only has to listen to hear what she is saying. Great article, thank you for bring this to our attention. I did not know of some of the places having issues. Your information is very informative. Thank you.
On January 14, 2011 at 9:15 am
Reasons for such grave conditions are mostly man-made. If that is the case then the current conditions can be reversed although it would take some time for the rivers to heal. Such a pity to ruin those great rivers and most of them are in Asia.
On January 14, 2011 at 9:17 am
Great to know the details. Nice pictures.
On January 14, 2011 at 9:21 am
This is something I should put in mind. Thanks for sharing this!
On January 14, 2011 at 10:11 am
very good research, well presented, thanks so much, I learn something here, another day cleverer than yesterday.
On January 14, 2011 at 10:15 am
Great and very interesting work as always! The Nile has its source in Uganda my country, its death would spell doom quite instantly on huge populations of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda!
On January 14, 2011 at 10:26 am
The worlds rivers carry life in and out of our lands. We should take care of them in the light of new environmental threats, natural or otherwise.
On January 14, 2011 at 10:33 am
Great job, i like this post
On January 14, 2011 at 10:58 am
It is sad nature is being destroyed so badly due to global temperature and pollution. Well written post.
On January 14, 2011 at 11:00 am
As much as the world wants to emulate American growth, these are some of the things the world should learn were mistakes on our part. It is harder to undo the damage and lost species will never return.
On January 14, 2011 at 11:04 am
A very informative article. I know first hand about the abuse of the Rio Grande.
On January 14, 2011 at 11:41 am
How sad. We are destroying our home.
On January 14, 2011 at 3:41 pm
What an amazing post, Sharif. It is such a shame that human behaviour has caused so much damage to the rivers of the world and the land around them.
Christine
On January 14, 2011 at 4:06 pm
This is a very unique and important article. I notice most of them are used for Agriculture – a livelihood for many, not to talk of nutrition for others.
Glad you are raising awareness.
On January 14, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Man has so much to answer for. Articles like yours should also be read by those living near unthreatened rivers, so they remain that way.
On January 14, 2011 at 5:14 pm
I is sad to see these beauties tainted and dangered by man’s hand. I hope we do things to save nature’s pride.
On January 14, 2011 at 5:49 pm
This is scary to think about.
On January 14, 2011 at 6:27 pm
this is starkly eye opening and shameful
On January 14, 2011 at 9:23 pm
Beautiful pictures, Sharif. Nature is in danger and your article create awareness. Thanks, my friend.
On January 14, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Great information. I will tell this to my sister in law in Australia.
Thank you my friend.
On January 14, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Well researched article Sharif. You have provided us with some important information. Water is life and we need to take better care of our water resources.
On January 14, 2011 at 10:45 pm
Well-said Sharif. This is a worthy write. There are many information and advocacy campaigns to save our seas and marine life. I just wonder how much success they are getting. We must begin from where we are, from our own homes and communities. Specifically, we can begin from the simple act of managing our garbage.
On January 15, 2011 at 12:52 am
Wow! You have a lot of comments on this one. Some of these scenes are lovely. It’s a shame that these rivers are so polluted with waste and so many species have become extinct as a result.
On January 15, 2011 at 2:08 am
I agree with you. Seems like we want to completely destroy what remains of nature.
On January 15, 2011 at 5:24 am
Blame those disaster to human abuse. Though, proper authorities are doing some campaigns to protect or save these great rivers, nevertheless the shout for help go to deaf ears.
On January 15, 2011 at 7:15 am
I like this info, cool one, thanks…
On January 15, 2011 at 8:20 am
nice article, as far as I see it, Humans are one of the only species the Earth could do without. But this is only my oppinion.
On January 15, 2011 at 2:30 pm
it is an issue of huge concern and all talk and no action makes it worse!!
On January 15, 2011 at 4:14 pm
Great information and beautiful photos!
On January 15, 2011 at 5:19 pm
nature needs to be preserved, thanks for sharing the rivers that are going extinct.
On January 16, 2011 at 4:43 pm
This is really an amazing article that should be shared in primary schools to educate the new generation, in hope that they will grow up with more care than their parent generations.
On January 17, 2011 at 1:29 am
It’s the time that one must do his part to preserve and take care those that are remain undamaged. Disasters are the natures’ answers to human’s abusiveness. Humans should have learned their lesson.
On January 21, 2011 at 2:08 am
Very true…Ganges is not only over used but lots of waste is being put inside it.
On January 29, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Very sad situation but the Bible predicted our destructive nature and what we would do the planet. The day of reckoning is not far away.
On November 13, 2011 at 8:29 am
svp je cherche les dangers des fleuves pollués