Save Rivers – Essay

Introduction

A river refers to a natural flowing waterway, usually fresh water that flows towards an ocean, sea or lake. At times rivers flow into larger rivers. In some cases, a river may flow into the ground and eventually dry up and the end of its course and never make it to another body of water. Some other names that are used to refer to small rivers include stream, creek, rivulet, brook and rill. No official definitions of a river exist with respect to geographic features, however, in some places a stream can be defined by its size.

Why should we ‘Save Rivers”?

One of the main reasons why we would need to save our rivers is simply due to the fact that they contain water. Water is deemed to be very important due to the role it plays on earth today. For example, without the water cycle which rivers are a part of, there will be no way to clean fresh water. We would run out of water in less than no time. We need water to live, to keep clean and to make drinks and other liquids. We cannot afford to lose our rivers at any point in time.

It is Home to Living Organisms

Another important role our rivers play is that it is actually home to living things. Many living things such as trees and plants grow close or on the rivers. Also, it is also the home to animals and flying creatures such as the ducks, otters and beavers. Other shrubs and weeds such as bulrushes and reeds grow on or on the water banks. While millions of living things live in water bodies, other animals and living organisms have the rivers as their main source of food. The Kingfisher bird, for example, has much of their food sources down to rivers due to the presence of small fishes. In many places where the wild exists, animals would use the rivers around them for a source of water. Even human use rivers as a source of food as the fishes caught can prove to be really tasty.

Transportation depends on Rivers

While seas and oceans are usually looked at as the main source of transportation when it comes to international travel, transportation of people and goods domestically are done through rivers. Without the presence of rivers, there would be issues in the transportation industries which cannot be solved.

Energy and Crude Oil

The world we live in depends a lot on energy to move machines and other infrastructures that we have. Without the presence of this energy, nothing would work. Rivers and other body waters are home to a lot of minerals and deposit. The water has more deposits of crude oil and natural gas than anywhere else in the world. Without the presence of the rivers, our natural gas and crude oil would be very limited in supply and would surely slowly burnt out. Therefore, if you are an individual who wants to see the earth move in the right direction, you would need to safeguard rivers and other water bodies at all costs.

Scenery is Beautiful

There are many great scenes in the world. However, clean pure water gushing from a river is simply breath-taking. Taking a drive past a river or across a bridge would leave you transfixed on just how beautiful the waters of the earth are. You would thus be moved to appreciate what the water has for us even more than you do now. The truth is that life as we know it would never be the same without the presence of rivers.

It keeps us alive

Without water, there would be no humans alive. Let me rephrase that. Without CLEAN water, there would be no humans alive. Polluting the rivers or eliminating it is a very good way to ensure that all humans are wiped out of existence. You would be surprised at how fast it would be done. You would not be able to find clean water to fish or do other activities. People who live close to the rivers would be affected even more. The world would be in shambles.

How to Save Rivers?

Let us discuss some of the ways that we can create a change to save our river

• Get to know the river basin.

This refers to the land that surrounds a river and all the water that falls over that said area then flows into that river. Activities that take place upstream can easily affect water that flows downstream as well as the people that make use of this water in such places. Many people fail to understand that any liquid that falls on the ground or into the drains will eventually flow into the river and be carried downstream.

• Ensure to keep drainages free of rubbish

Drainages are put in place to channel rainwater into the rivers and reduce the risk of flooding. Polluting and clogging these channels will eventually hamper the free flow of water, allowing for the stagnation of this water and lead to the formation of breeding grounds for pests. Activities such as drain stencilling, drain cleaning as well as pollution mapping can and should be organised to educate the public about the need to maintain clean drainages as well as care for them.

• Study your local rivers

You can organise a trip to a river nearby to assess it in terms of its health, by physical, chemical and biological monitoring. Information like this can be provided to local authorities or agencies that can make use of that information and take steps to protect rivers.

• Recycle used cooking oil and grease.

By turning your used cooking oil into other useful items like soaps or candles or even biodiesel can help to cut down on water pollution drastically and at the same time promote the growth and diversity of the river’s aquatic life. Direct discharge of sewage into these water bodies in the form of fat oil or grease can quickly lead to blockage in the collection pipes or the drainage lines. Also, when these substances get into these large bodies of water, they can contaminate these systems. Installing a grease trap will, as the name implies collect fats and oils from the liquid flowing into the waste system. However, these installations need to be cleaned regularly to ensure that they work properly.

• Be vigilant

Be watchful with regard to the changes that occur around your local river. Monitor and report any issues or the effects of any illegal activities taking place around your river.

• Save water!

One of the most obvious and important ways to save our rivers is to save water. Rivers are easily the major supply of freshwater for countless people. And the rate at which we use this water is quite alarming. To top it all off, we put little or no effort into recycling the water we use. While the earth has been designed to easily replace any lost water, the rate at which we use or pollute this water is far more than our planet can handle. Major steps have to be taken to rectify this problem and help to preserve this natural resource.

Conclusion

The river is an essential part of the human race. Hence, it is important to keep it as clean and stable as possible. This would only result in blessings for us and our descendants now and in the future.

By Caleb