The Mekong River in Laos

Freshwater Frontlines

Independent journalism on the global freshwater crisis — reporting from the rivers, lakes, and wetlands that sustain life on Earth

The Freshwater Crisis

The Freshwater Crisis

Freshwater ecosystems are the most degraded on Earth. Here is what we know — and what is at stake.

Sand mining on the Mekong River near Phnom Penh

Alicia Patterson Fellowship

Mining's Toll on Rivers

An investigation into how mining is reshaping rivers and watersheds around the world.

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River in Wales

Natural Capital

What Rivers Are Worth

Quantifying the ecosystem services of rivers — and making the case for their protection in economic terms.

Mekong giant catfish release

Giants of the River

Giant freshwater fish are among the most endangered animals on Earth. Their fate is a measure of the health of our rivers.

The Vjosa delta in Albania

Deltas Under Pressure

Half a billion people live where rivers meet the sea. New research shows the land is sinking faster than the ocean is rising.

Google data center at Council Bluffs, Iowa

Data Centers and Rivers

Cooling the computing boom takes vast amounts of freshwater — and returns much of it warmer, saltier, and chemically altered.