15 Reasons Why Rivers Are Important

We all need fresh, clean water to stay alive and rivers are the best source of fresh water. Therefore, the survival of nature and humans needs to evaluate the importance of rivers. 

Rivers are the precious source of naturally supplying fresh water along with all its nutrients.

These are the main waterways of the drainage system on the Earth. It is because; nearly75% of the Earth’s land surface drains with rivers. 

That is why rivers can play a vital part in the water cycling system. To grow as a civilization, we need to protect our natural resources; and today it is necessary to understand why rivers are important for our livelihood and even for the economy.

15 Benefits of Rivers for the Earth

Rivers are not only important for biodiversity & the survival of humanity; they also can protect endangered wildlife. Similarly, they are the huge support system of nature and vitally important for humans. 

Here are few reasons to access the importance of rivers.

1. Rivers Are the Great Source of Water:

 Rivers play a significant role in carrying fresh water all around the world. They do not only 

work as a water carriers they are equally important for the water cycle system of the Earth. They 

start from the head areas such as mountains and glaciers. These glaciers and mountain snow melts in the spring season and then the melted water flows in meandering paths at a different speed. Finally, they discharge into a large river. Other lakes, streams, and most likely the Oceans are connected with rivers similarly.

2. Rivers Are the Source of Habitants:

Rivers are a great source of protecting the aquatic ecosystem. They are the naturally supportive and best habitat for wildlife, living organisms, Marine life, and innumerable animals. Not only this, rivers can provide food and water to those animals who live on land. As well as the other aquatic animals, the river delta also provides food and shelter to insects, birds, wild animals, and mammals. Besides all these, rivers locate interesting flora and fauna.

3. Rivers Help in Transportation:

Rivers are the best source of helping transportation system by providing travel routes for exploration, commerce & recreation. River transportation system through boats, small goods & vehicle carrier ships can make the trade easier between two cities or countries. This is a very useful source of exchanging goods and the idea of promoting culture in different countries around the world.

4. River Provides Us the Source of Energy:

Rivers are a great source of generating energy in many ways. Many big industries, factories, mills, and shops were built near the rivers during the early industrial era. The reason for these constructions was to get enough water to high-power plant machines directly from rivers.

Due to the fast-flowing river power machines can take more water to use to produce energy and many other industrial products. Till now steep rivers are in use to give power to hydro electrical power plants for running water turbines. These hydroelectrical plants take energy from flowing water to create electricity.

5. Rivers are Important for the Economy:

From the early times till now many people rely on rivers for their livelihood. They have many businesses which are dependent on rivers. Freshwater fishing, farming, agriculture, and many other ways are interlinked with rivers and still the source of income for those hardworking people. Fishermen caught salmon and many other spices for selling in the nearest markets. Their exclusive method of fisheries including river fisheries provides 20% of average protein intake to the 2.6 billion people of the world.

Similarly, some places near the river are very beneficial for farming & agriculture. Including modern methods of agriculture & farming has significant value for a controlled irrigation system.

For growing, rice farmers need controlled irrigation to produce the best quality product in the world.

Asian countries like China use 82% of rivers water in cultivating the world’s best quality rice. Therefore, rivers are so much important for these countries to be able to eat and support their economy by exporting these products. 

6. River for Both Industrial & Domestic Purposes:

Rivers have a huge impact on both the industrial & domestic purposes of a country. Many industries are running due to the power machines & high voltage ultra-electro hydraulic system of generating energy. Similarly, the powerhouses of hydroelectric generators and dams are completely dependent on steep gorges and waterfalls. It provides the natural highly pressured system of water supply.

Domestically rivers are participating as a freshwater supplier to our homes. Sometimes we get water from public supplied water deliveries and sometimes from our own underground water system. Both of these methods wouldn’t be possible if there are no rivers around the world.

Thus, the industrial and domestic water system is necessarily important for indoor and outdoor living needs. This is why rivers are much important for the survival of our own lives.

7. River is Essential for People’s Livelihood:

Rivers play a pivotal role in the life of humans due to their useful benefits. People have many occupations that correlate with the rivers like fish farming, chemical industries, import & export business, irrigation in agriculture, to produce electricity through hydroelectric dams. Many people are still dependent on rivers for their economy, food, livelihood, & as a freshwater resource.

8. Rivers Help in Fresh-Water Fishing: 

Freshwater fishing is a great economic activity. About 94% of freshwater fishing occurs in many countries of the world. These countries are developing and most of their people stabilize their economic status by trading fish. In the Mekong, 55.3 million people depend on freshwater fish farming. They eat and caught fish for nutrients & livelihood.

9. River for Tourism:

The beauty of nature always attracts people of the world. And rivers can be the most exciting areas for boating, swimming, canoeing, bird watching, and adventuring place for tourists. These attractions could increase the tourism of a country and make them able to get economically strong. In addition, many sports-related activities such as, paragliding, water skiing, kayaking can be performed in the rivers which could be a true adventure for many tourists.

10. Political Boundaries: 

The Mekong River is the biggest example of a political boundary between Laos and Thailand. Rivers also form borders between two countries such as Bidasoa: France and Spain in Europe, Amazon River: Colombia, Peru, and Brazil in South America. Many rivers in the world similarly work as political boundaries between two countries or states. 

11. Rivers & Irrigation system:

The irrigation system is one of the largest water supply systems in the world. From the early ancient civilizations, people are developing their methods in many fields but irrigation is still working as a supportive system for agriculture and farming. Even today, many irrigation canals are developed which are connected and fed by the main streams.

12. Fertile Alluvial Plains & Intensive Agriculture:

Every year when rivers flooded. Rivers bring fertile alluvium and deposit it on the floodplain. That is why these floodplains are highly fertile. And these areas become the most densely populated regions of the world. Similarly, many river deltas are fertile too and they also support agriculture and farming. For instance, the Ganges delta, Nile delta, etc.

13. Rivers Helps in Farming:

River valleys and plains are very useful for farming. This is the best source for farmers to grow crops near the rivers but if they have their croplands far away from the rivers or in a dry region, they mostly use the irrigation method of using water. Through irrigation, method water can be carried by irrigation ditches from nearby rivers. 

14. Rivers for Agriculture:

The nearest lands of the rivers have the most fertile alluvial soil. This is ideal land to grow crops Most of the countries such as the Nile in Egypt, the Tigris and the Euphrates in the Middle East, the Indus in Southern Asia, and the Huang (yellow) in China are the great civilizations of the world which have the most fertile lands. Even though, many farmlands and dry areas are also depending on the rivers for irrigation.

15. Rivers are Home to Diverse & Endangered Birds Life:

Our ecosystem and biodiversity are the richest resources of nature which are great habitats for many creatures in the world. And rivers are the vital, vibrant support system for many species. Rivers provide wetlands for breeding, eating, and nesting too many birds and endangered wildlife species on the Earth. They get their food and water from rivers. Whereas, rivers have that useful system by which certain birds can get help to navigate. 

Bottom Line:

Rivers are much valuable for nature, fresh drinking water, and people’s livelihood. Therefore, it is necessarily important to save rivers from the pollution that are now unfortunately horribly threatened. We should understand the real value of these natural resources, fresh water, biodiversity, and restoring natural river flows. For this purpose, we must take steps to save & clean the river’s water to reduce the risks of destruction of the ecosystem & environmental degradation.