The Colorado River:
• Provides water for 30 million people
• Only 10% of its historic flow now reaches Mexico
• Virtually no water reaches the Sea of Cortez
The Nile River
• Longest river in the world
• Over 360 million people live in its catchment basin
• Most years, virtually no water reaches the Mediterranean
• A new mega-dam under construction in Ethiopia could
reduce downstream flow to Egypt and ignite regional conflict
The Danube River:
• Europe’s second longest river
• Over 80 million people live in its basin
• A 2011 drought lowered water levels so much
that boat traffic became impossible in many stretches
The Jordan River:
• The baptism site of Jesus Christ
• Over 7 million people live in its basin
(Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon)
• Only 5% of its original flow reaches the Dead Sea
The Amu Darya River:
• Largest river in Central Asia
• Over 43 million people live in its basin
• Runs dry over 100km away from its natural outlet
in the Aral Sea
The Indus River:
• Primary source of freshwater for nearly 200 million people
• Supplies 90% of the water for agriculture in Pakistan
• No longer reaches the Arabian Sea
The Yellow River
• Second longest river in China
• 189 million people live in the Yellow River basin
• Due to extensive diversion of water mostly for agriculture,
the Yellow River frequently runs dry before reaching the sea
The Murray River:
• Australia’s longest River
• 1/3 of the country’s food supply is grown in its basin
• In 2009 the river was left with less than 18% of its normal
water capacity due to several years of severe drought
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