A comprehensive assessment of global water resources released by the World Meteorological Organisation found that 2025 ranked among the driest years on record for rivers across the globe over the past three decades. The study revealed that freshwater storage—encompassing groundwater, lakes, rivers, snow, ice, soil moisture, and water contained in vegetation—fell 42% below normal levels worldwide during the year.
The analysis examined river flow patterns using simulations from 13 global hydrological models and observed weather data. Results showed that approximately one-third of rivers operated within normal flow ranges, while 36% of global river basin areas experienced below-normal or well-below-normal flows. An additional 21% of river basins recorded above-normal to much-above-normal flows. This marks the seventh consecutive year in which rivers with “normal” conditions represented a minority globally, contrasting with the 46% average recorded between 1991 and 2020.
Climate-related impacts are driving increasingly erratic water cycles characterized by extreme swings between excessive water and severe scarcity. Glacial ice loss continued unabated, with all 19 major glacial regions losing ice mass for the fourth consecutive year. The ice mass loss in 2025 alone totaled 400 gigatons, contributing 1.1 millimeters to global sea level rise. Between 2021 and 2025, repeated below-normal river flows affected major basins including the Amazon, La Plata, and waterways in North America, Africa, central Asia, and the Middle East.
The declining water resources have created cascading impacts on human populations and economies. Record-low water levels on the Danube triggered an energy crisis when nuclear reactors in Hungary and Romania were forced to shut down due to insufficient cooling water. Major river systems worldwide face compounding threats from drought, pollution, overextraction, and climate change. Officials from the WMO emphasized the need for enhanced data collection and international coordination to better understand and protect global water resources.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI