Type of Rivers
Worldwide, 2026

Type on Rivers is an extremely relevant exploration of the current state of rivers around the world. It shows various scenarios of what our rivers. Details below:

Free-flowing rivers are ideally completely uninterrupted, though today no river remains entirely untouched. The Amazon River is currently considered the world’s longest largely free-flowing river.

A fun fact: Free-flowing rivers must remain connected in four directions: longitudinally for the movement of water, sediments, and species upstream and downstream; laterally for nutrient exchange with floodplains; vertically for interaction with groundwater and aquifers; and seasonally to support natural ecological cycles like fish spawning and flood pulses.

Even though building dams on rivers brings significant human benefits, such as water storage, flood control, and renewable energy, it also drastically alters river ecosystems by blocking fish migration, trapping vital nutrients, and disrupting natural water flow, often leading to severe downstream erosion and habitat loss.

Each dam is built with a specific purpose, and understanding those purposes can help us evaluate whether dams are still beneficial, outdated, or if better alternatives exist for supporting both wildlife and human needs.

According to Wikipedia, there are approximately 62,362 large dams in the world as of 2025, out of an estimated 800,000 dams of all sizes globally.

Some of the world’s largest rivers are at risk due to human over extraction and mismanagement. This is the water withdrawn for agriculture, industries and cities at a rate faster than nature can replenish it. As a result, sometimes these rivers don’t even reach the ocean causing an imbalance in aquatic ecosystems and depletion of underground aquifers.

Modern development projects transform neglected, industrial, or low-income riverbanks into premium real estate. This drives up property values, causes a spike in the cost of living, and displaces marginalized and working-class communities who have long-lived and worked near the waterways.

Over ecological restoration, these projects often prioritize beautifying riverfronts destroying local biodiversity. To combat green gentrification, urban planners and local governments must implement inclusive policies for protecting surrounding communities and the ecological health of rivers.

Trashed, plasticized and burdened, our rivers are so polluted that they now function as the primary arteries dumping millions of metric tons of waste directly into the sea.

Roughly 1,000 rivers worldwide are responsible for 80% of annual riverine plastic emissions into the ocean.

A growing global crisis driven by climate change—specifically rising temperatures, increased evaporation, and erratic rainfall—as well as intensive human water usage, including large-scale water diversion for agriculture and dams. Key rivers, such as the Colorado, Amazon, and Ganges, are reaching record lows, threatening ecosystems, water security, and rural livelihoods.

If we talk about China as a whole, the statistics reveal that out of 50,000 rivers, 28,000 have completely dried up in the last 20 years. The two reasons behind this are – fuelling economic growth and feeding the growing population through agriculture.

A recent UN-linked report warned that many rivers, lakes, and aquifers are being depleted faster than nature can restore them, pushing the world toward a state of “water bankruptcy.”

Even though this collection has mostly pointed out the negative state of rivers, there is a really uplifting story I’d like to share today. It makes me realize, it’s not all bad. If we put our mind to it, humans can literally make incredible changes and heal the planet.

So, the Arvari River now flows 45 kms across Rajasthan, India. But this wasn’t the case for 60 years prior to 1985. It had completely dried up with no signs of return yet it was miraculously revived into a perennial, year-round flow by a local, Mr. Rajendra Singh. His idea was to implement a simple ancient Indian technology, namely, Johads (earthen dams). By bringing together all the villagers along the river bed, he lead the build of 375 Johads, and successfully rejuvenated the Arvari River.

Huge shoutout to Mr. Rajendra Singh Sir, for this wonderful, inspirational work. His work on rivers continues through his NGO - Tarun Bhagat Singh, please check out the link below.

Experimental Type Design
Motion Graphics

Type of Rivers
Worldwide
2026

Type on Rivers is an extremely relevant exploration of the current state of rivers around the world.