Menu Close

Articles on Rivers

Displaying 1 - 20 of 233 articles

Water from the Mackenzie River, seen from a satellite, carries silt and nutrients from land to the Arctic Ocean. Jesse Allen/NASA Earth Observatory

Arctic rivers face big changes with a warming climate, permafrost thaw and an accelerating water cycle − the effects will have global consequences

A new study shows how thawing permafrost and intensifying storms will change how water moves into and through Arctic rivers.
Cities should be planned around existing natural resources. Stephen Appiah Takyi

Ghana: Kumasi city’s unplanned boom is destroying two rivers – sewage, heavy metals and chemical pollution detected

The inability of city authorities to enforce land-use regulations has allowed people to carry out ecologically unfriendly activities along the water bodies.
Aerial view of a waterfall in the valley of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, where an historic lawsuit was won by a river in 2011. Curioso.Photography/Shutterstock

‘Legal animism’: when a river or even nature itself goes to court

Some countries have managed to elevate nature and ecosystems to the status of legal entities. Do these innovations really help to protect the environment?
Not only do corals inhabit the cold waters of the St. Lawrence, but the species that holds the title of largest marine invertebrate on the planet is present at the entrance to the Gulf. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Discover 6 fascinating animals that live at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River

In the vast St. Lawrence River, an impressive variety of animals live on the seabed. This group of organisms is called benthos or benthic invertebrates.
The Rio Grande, viewed from the Zaragoza International Bridge between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Vianey Rueda

The Rio Grande isn’t just a border – it’s a river in crisis

When the Rio Grande figures in US news reports, it’s usually in relation to stories about immigration, drug trafficking or trade. But the river is also an important water source – and it’s shrinking.
In 2022, California built an emergency drought barrier across the West False River near Oakley to protect against saltwater intrusion. AP Photo/Terry Chea

What is seawater intrusion? A hydrogeologist explains the shifting balance between fresh and salt water at the coast

Saltwater intrusion is bad for human health, ecosystems, crops and infrastructure. Here’s how seawater can move inland, and why climate change is making this phenomenon more frequent and severe.
A better understanding of the interactions between snow cover and forest will help improve hydrological models and thus ensure public protection against flooding. (Benjamin Bouchard)

Understanding the dynamics of snow cover in forests can help us predict flood risks

A better understanding of the interactions between the boreal forest and snow will make it possible to improve hydrological models and ensure optimal management of the resource.

Top contributors

More