Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

G. Grill; B. Lehner; M. Thieme; B. Geenen; D. Tickner; F. Antonelli; S. Babu; P. Borrelli; L. Cheng; H. Crochetiere; H. Ehalt Macedo; R. Filgueiras; M. Goichot; J. Higgins; Z. Hogan; B. Lip; M. E. McClain; J. Meng; M. Mulligan; C. Nilsson; J. D. Olden; J. J. Opperman; P. Petry; C. Reidy Liermann; L. Sáenz; S. Salinas-Rodríguez; P. Schelle; R. J.P. Schmitt; J. Snider; F. Tan; K. Tockner; P. H. Valdujo; A. van Soesbergen; C. Zarfl

doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

G. Grill^*
, B. Lehner
, M. Thieme
, B. Geenen
, D. Tickner
, F. Antonelli
, S. Babu
, P. Borrelli
, L. Cheng
, H. Crochetiere
, H. Ehalt Macedo
, R. Filgueiras
, M. Goichot
, J. Higgins
, Z. Hogan
, B. Lip
, M. E. McClain
, J. Meng
, M. Mulligan
, C. Nilsson

J. D. Olden, J. J. Opperman, P. Petry, C. Reidy Liermann, L. Sáenz, S. Salinas-Rodríguez, P. Schelle, R. J.P. Schmitt, J. Snider, F. Tan, K. Tockner, P. H. Valdujo, A. van Soesbergen, C. Zarfl

^*Corresponding author for this work

McGill University
WWF-US
WWF-NL
WWF-UK
WWF-Mediterranean
WWF-India
University of Basel
Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
WWF-China
WWF-Canada
WWF-Zambia
Rewilding Europe
WWF Greater Mekong Programme
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
University of Nevada, Reno
WWF-Malaysia
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
Delft University of Technology
WWF-Germany
HTWG Konstanz University of Applied Sciences
Umeå University
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
University of Washington
The Nature Conservancy
Harvard University
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Conservation International
Environmental Engineering
Michigan Technological University
WWF-Mexico
WWF International
Stanford University
Chemical Analytics and Biogeochemistry
Freie Universität Berlin
FWF
WWF-Brazil
Geography Department
King's College London
University of Tuebingen

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2032 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support diverse, complex and dynamic ecosystems globally, providing important societal and economic services. Infrastructure development threatens the ecosystem processes, biodiversity and services that these rivers support. Here we assess the connectivity status of 12 million kilometres of rivers globally and identify those that remain free-flowing in their entire length. Only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres remain free-flowing over their entire length and 23 per cent flow uninterrupted to the ocean. Very long FFRs are largely restricted to remote regions of the Arctic and of the Amazon and Congo basins. In densely populated areas only few very long rivers remain free-flowing, such as the Irrawaddy and Salween. Dams and reservoirs and their up- and downstream propagation of fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity. By applying a new method to quantify riverine connectivity and map FFRs, we provide a foundation for concerted global and national strategies to maintain or restore them.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	215-221
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nature
Volume	569
Issue number	0
Early online date	8 May 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9
Publication status	Published - 9 May 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 14 Life Below Water
SDG 15 Life on Land

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10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers_MULLIGAN_Publishedonline8May2019_GREEN AAMAccepted author manuscript, 5.81 MB

Cite this

Grill, G., Lehner, B., Thieme, M., Geenen, B., Tickner, D., Antonelli, F., Babu, S., Borrelli, P., Cheng, L., Crochetiere, H., Ehalt Macedo, H., Filgueiras, R., Goichot, M., Higgins, J., Hogan, Z., Lip, B., McClain, M. E., Meng, J., Mulligan, M., ... Zarfl, C. (2019). Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers. Nature, 569(0), 215-221. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

@article{5d17220a68584a3aaaddd976aef3757a,

title = "Mapping the world{\textquoteright}s free-flowing rivers",

abstract = "Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support diverse, complex and dynamic ecosystems globally, providing important societal and economic services. Infrastructure development threatens the ecosystem processes, biodiversity and services that these rivers support. Here we assess the connectivity status of 12 million kilometres of rivers globally and identify those that remain free-flowing in their entire length. Only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres remain free-flowing over their entire length and 23 per cent flow uninterrupted to the ocean. Very long FFRs are largely restricted to remote regions of the Arctic and of the Amazon and Congo basins. In densely populated areas only few very long rivers remain free-flowing, such as the Irrawaddy and Salween. Dams and reservoirs and their up- and downstream propagation of fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity. By applying a new method to quantify riverine connectivity and map FFRs, we provide a foundation for concerted global and national strategies to maintain or restore them.",

author = "G. Grill and B. Lehner and M. Thieme and B. Geenen and D. Tickner and F. Antonelli and S. Babu and P. Borrelli and L. Cheng and H. Crochetiere and \{Ehalt Macedo\}, H. and R. Filgueiras and M. Goichot and J. Higgins and Z. Hogan and B. Lip and McClain, \{M. E.\} and J. Meng and M. Mulligan and C. Nilsson and Olden, \{J. D.\} and Opperman, \{J. J.\} and P. Petry and \{Reidy Liermann\}, C. and L. S{\'a}enz and S. Salinas-Rodr{\'i}guez and P. Schelle and Schmitt, \{R. J.P.\} and J. Snider and F. Tan and K. Tockner and Valdujo, \{P. H.\} and \{van Soesbergen\}, A. and C. Zarfl",

year = "2019",

month = may,

day = "9",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9",

language = "English",

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Grill, G, Lehner, B, Thieme, M, Geenen, B, Tickner, D, Antonelli, F, Babu, S, Borrelli, P, Cheng, L, Crochetiere, H, Ehalt Macedo, H, Filgueiras, R, Goichot, M, Higgins, J, Hogan, Z, Lip, B, McClain, ME, Meng, J, Mulligan, M, Nilsson, C, Olden, JD, Opperman, JJ, Petry, P, Reidy Liermann, C, Sáenz, L, Salinas-Rodríguez, S, Schelle, P, Schmitt, RJP, Snider, J, Tan, F, Tockner, K, Valdujo, PH, van Soesbergen, A & Zarfl, C 2019, 'Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers', Nature, vol. 569, no. 0, pp. 215-221. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

AU - Grill, G.

AU - Lehner, B.

AU - Thieme, M.

AU - Geenen, B.

AU - Tickner, D.

AU - Antonelli, F.

AU - Babu, S.

AU - Borrelli, P.

AU - Cheng, L.

AU - Crochetiere, H.

AU - Ehalt Macedo, H.

AU - Filgueiras, R.

AU - Goichot, M.

AU - Higgins, J.

AU - Hogan, Z.

AU - Lip, B.

AU - McClain, M. E.

AU - Meng, J.

AU - Mulligan, M.

AU - Nilsson, C.

AU - Olden, J. D.

AU - Opperman, J. J.

AU - Petry, P.

AU - Reidy Liermann, C.

AU - Sáenz, L.

AU - Salinas-Rodríguez, S.

AU - Schelle, P.

AU - Schmitt, R. J.P.

AU - Snider, J.

AU - Tan, F.

AU - Tockner, K.

AU - Valdujo, P. H.

AU - van Soesbergen, A.

AU - Zarfl, C.

PY - 2019/5/9

Y1 - 2019/5/9

N2 - Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support diverse, complex and dynamic ecosystems globally, providing important societal and economic services. Infrastructure development threatens the ecosystem processes, biodiversity and services that these rivers support. Here we assess the connectivity status of 12 million kilometres of rivers globally and identify those that remain free-flowing in their entire length. Only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres remain free-flowing over their entire length and 23 per cent flow uninterrupted to the ocean. Very long FFRs are largely restricted to remote regions of the Arctic and of the Amazon and Congo basins. In densely populated areas only few very long rivers remain free-flowing, such as the Irrawaddy and Salween. Dams and reservoirs and their up- and downstream propagation of fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity. By applying a new method to quantify riverine connectivity and map FFRs, we provide a foundation for concerted global and national strategies to maintain or restore them.

AB - Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support diverse, complex and dynamic ecosystems globally, providing important societal and economic services. Infrastructure development threatens the ecosystem processes, biodiversity and services that these rivers support. Here we assess the connectivity status of 12 million kilometres of rivers globally and identify those that remain free-flowing in their entire length. Only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres remain free-flowing over their entire length and 23 per cent flow uninterrupted to the ocean. Very long FFRs are largely restricted to remote regions of the Arctic and of the Amazon and Congo basins. In densely populated areas only few very long rivers remain free-flowing, such as the Irrawaddy and Salween. Dams and reservoirs and their up- and downstream propagation of fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity. By applying a new method to quantify riverine connectivity and map FFRs, we provide a foundation for concerted global and national strategies to maintain or restore them.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85065577450

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

DO - 10.1038/s41586-019-1111-9

M3 - Article

C2 - 31068722

AN - SCOPUS:85065577450

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 569

SP - 215

EP - 221

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 0

ER -

Mapping the world’s free-flowing rivers

Abstract

UN SDGs

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