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Background:
The Nile River flows from south to north through eastern Africa. It flows through Lake Victoria and ends in the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River is 6,600 kilometers long to the north. The three main tributaries are the Atbara, White Nile and the Blue Nile. The soil of the Nile River is rich in nutrients, this is because of the large silt deposits. Most of Egyptian foods are cultivated in the Nile delta region. The ancient Egyptians developed irrigation methods to support the population and crops by increasing the amount of land.  Throughout time, it stays as am important trade route, connecting Africa to neighboring countries.

Conflicts:
1. Building of The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
There is a dam under construction for the Nile River called The Grand Ethiopian Dam. Started constructing in 2015, as of 2017 is near completion. This was constructed in the Blue Nile, that supplies 59% of Egypt's water. The dam will act as a reservoir, storing 74 billion cubic meters of Blue Nile's water.
2. Sinking Nile River
Environmental threats such as climate change is also an occurring problem for the Nile River. Nile River is only about a meter above sea level, and Ahmed Sefelnasr predicted in 2014 that if a rise of half- meter ever occurs in the sea level, the detla would shrink by 19%, equivalent to the area of Los Angeles.
3. Delta's Subsiding
The delta is subsiding due to the lack of replenishing by the Nile's flood sediments.
4. Over-dependency on the Nile
Egyptians are overly dependent on the river. Without rainfall, Egyptians relies 97% on the Nile for their water needs. With the overuse of water, they are facing a problem with future water scarcity. The United Nations warned Egyptians that they may run out of water by 2025.

Sources:
1.https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/nile-river/  2.https://e360.yale.edu/features/vanishing-nile-a-great-river-faces-a-multitude-of-threats-egypt-dam
3.http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/conflict-on-the-nile-the-future-of-transboundary-water-disputes-over-the-world-s-longest-river/

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Background Information:

Formerly known as the Zaire River, under the Mobutu regime. The river is known for a lot of different things, a few being; the second longest river in Africa (4,700km) & the ninth longest river in the world. The river gets its name from the ancient Kongo Kingdom which existed near the mouth of the Congo River.  The reason why the Congo River is important because it is considered to be a navigational system in Africa. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the river link is used to transport copper production of Katanga to the coast. The Congo River is the only real highway in the vast Central African nation. Barges traverse the river like floating villages crowded with up to 2,000 people, mainly traders and their goods, from bags of sorghum to barrels of palm oil.

Issue/Conflicts:

With human populations growing, and subsistence agriculture is still the main source of food and income for most people in the Congo Rive Basin, the River is subjected to habitat loss. The Congo River is claimed to be the "Green Heart of Africa" and it is a landmark, everyone in the world has heard of the Congo River. However, due to increasing population the river is now subejcted to habitat loss as stated above. Climate change and pollution also plays a big impact to the environmental issues that the Congo River is facing right now.

Sources:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39028085/ns/world_news-africa/t/lax-safety-makes-congo-river-travel-dangerous/#.XYGxzJMzaT8
https://www.britannica.com/place/Congo-River/The-people-and-the-economy
https://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/where_we_work/congo_basin_forests/problems/

Picture of the Congo River:

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Mississippi river is the second- largest drainage system on the North American continent, second to only Hudson Bay drainage system. It's length is about 3,778 km and its source is from Lake Itasca.

Problems/Conflicts:
-  Money: In 1933 the US spent 30 million dollars to work on the upper Mississippi River. But by the time all of the projects were completed, the US spent more than 164 million dollars.
- Environmental Problems: With the boats travelling and shipping around the river, it has become polluted and is still not recovering. (It has become the one of the  most polluted river since the 1700 s)
- From Eutrophication it leads to Asphyxiation: It makes the floor of the river to have dead zones due to Eutrophication, which would result to Algae dying and sinking into the bottom where bacterial composition will take place, a process that uses oxygen in the water, leading to asphyxiation and death of marine life.

Sources
https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/programs/environmental/courses/seniorseminar/2013/students/newcomer.php
https://thewaterissues.com/midwest-us/agriculture/

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Han River (Hangang) flows through the capital city of South Korea, Seoul. This river is an iconic symbol of the capital because of its beautiful scenery and its historical value. It has witnessed the history of the Koreans for over five thousand years. The river is also a tourist attraction place as tourists and locals can do water sports, camping, bike riding, fishing, swimming, etc. However, despite it being arguably the most defining landmark in Seoul, Han river had become synonymous with pollution as factories, farms and city sewer systems poured waste into its waters.

CONFLICTS
1.  High phosphorus levels. This can cause green tides and the death of underwater creatures. The government has spent nearly 235 billion won to set up total phosphorus treatment facilities in the river.
2. In 2008 and before, there was no sanitary landfill in the Han River area. Most of the municipal solid wastes go to the river without protection from leachate contamination for underlying aquifers or local surface waters.
3. Indiscriminate development and overuse of Han river pushed the self-restoration ability of the river to its limit, which led to the degradation of ecology in the river. By this, Koreans and the goverment started a project called Revival of Han River by 2030: Coexistence of Human and Nature. It's main objectives are making Han River replete with life, creating clean water for fish and people, and expanding participation opportunities for citizens to improve the environment of Han River.

SOURCES

1. http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1887247
2. http://koreabizwire.com/seoul-poised-to-improve-water-quality-of-han-river/107723
3.https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2008/04/29/world-bank-help-reduce-urban-pollution-han-river-area
4.https://seoulsolution.kr/en/content/revival-han-river-2030-coexistence-human-and-nature

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Background:
The yellow river is also the called the Huang He in China. It is the second largest river in China after the Yangtze River, and the seventh longest river in the world. The river estimated length is 5,464 km. The river originates in the Bayankala Mountains in western China, flowing to nine provinces, the mouth of the river empties into the Bohai Sea. The Yellow river has changed its course over time for about 20 times due to the cause of severe flooding.  This river is recognised as the cradle of China civilisation and is one of the most complicated and challenging rivers in the world in terms of erosion and sedimentation control, flood defense, and water resource management .
Fun Fact:
In the ancient time, people believe that the yellow river flowed from heaven as a continuation of the milky way.
Conflicts:
For thousands of years the yellow river has played a critical role in the growth and prosperity of Chinese civilisation. The people that are depending on the river are facing many problems such as the soil loss, water shortage, flooding, sedimentation and water pollution which effects the sustainable development of the Yellow river basin. As the problem becomes worst the China's water managers are trying very hard to find a solution to the problem, they are trying to implement policies that balance economy, ecology, and community.
Source:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/yellow-river-facts-location-history.html
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02841104
Picture of the Yellow River:

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Background Information:
- The Brahmaputra River (Trans-Boundary River) is one of the major rivers located in Asia. The river flows through China, India, Bangladesh. The river itself has a length of 2,900 Km and the source of its waters comes from the Chemayungdung Glaciers, which covers the slopes of the Himalayas.

Conflicts:
-  This river is in the center of a never-ending battle between India and China. This is due to both countries having massive populations numbers, the freshwater has become an essential source for both countries. This contributes to the scarcity of water within the region. And with China trying utilize this river for its massive population it creates first border issues, and as well as hydro power issues as well. For India the basin of the river possesses 44% hydro power potential. And with china building water projects and dams along the river it will affect the neighboring downstream countries. And with the river being exploited due to extensive use and climate change water demand increased. This could eventually lead to a full on war as predicted by some experts.

Solutions:
-As of now there is no solutions or agreements between the countries within the region.

Source:
https://tibetpolicy.net/brahmaputra-river-an-eternal-conflict-between-india-and-china/

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Background Information
The Mississippi river is the second longest river in North America that runs through 10 states. It is 3,778 km long, running from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.

Issues/Conflicts
- It is really hard to control the river, the river can cause flooding to nearby population due to its strong water force. Trying to control and tame one part of the river can create problems on other parts of the river. Every river bend to the south is lined by concrete to slow down the water's corrosive force. All this infrastructure is aimed to protect barge transport, farms and cities.
- Agricultural Runoffs like pesticides, fertilisers and other potential pollutant from farms is carried from the farm into the the waterway of the river. This can cause eutrophication, all the runoffs adds nutrients like Nitrogen and Phosophorus to the water system causing it to be eutrophic.

Sources
https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/programs/environmental/courses/seniorseminar/2013/students/newcomer.php
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/mississippi-river-infrastructure/

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Background: The Congo River( also known as the Zaire River) under the mobutu regime is the second longest river in Africa. It is the ninth longest and deepest river in the world.

Conflicts that occur:
There are a few conflicts that occur within the Congo River such as deforestation. Most of the deforestation has occured by the locals due to the poor farmers and villagers who depend on forest lands for agriculture and fuelwood collection. The farmers use the slah-and-burn technique which damages the land around.
Pollution and violence also threaten the rights of tens of millions inhabitants which damages the biodiversity.
Pollution affects the life that lives within the river as it pollutes the water and makes the environment dirty and not healthy for wildlife to live and grow in which causes fish,plants and surrounding animals to decrease in numbers.

Sources:
https://ejatlas.org/conflict/deforestation-in-the-congo-river-basin-dr-of-congo
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/deforestation.html

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Hadin H. Alkatiri 12N

Background Information:
The Colorado River flows through 7 United States of America States, which includes Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and lastly Calofornia. The river has flowed since prehistoric times and is responsible for the carving of the Grand Canyon, discovered in the early 1500s specifically 1539 by Francisco de Ulloa.

The Colorado River is 1450 miles in length or around 2,333.55 Kilometers and has an average depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) but 100 feet (30.48 meters) deep in some places. The river is responsible for the supply of water for around 25 million people and irrigating 3.5 million acres of farmland. The river passes by 11 Unites States National Park.

Environmental Issues / Conflicts:
- The Colorado River has been affected by global warming and climate change, with increases in temperature, the flow and storage of the river is projected to decrease.

- A major issue for the Colorado River is the salinity and water quality. Salinity seriously diminishes the water quality of the river, and can even result in completely unusable water. Each year, 9 million tons of salt are carried down the Colorado, caused by both natural and manmade sources.

- The Tamarisk as an invasive species is another environmental problem for the Colorado River, tamarisk not only crowds out natural riparian vegetation, but also consumes an alarming amount of water. To effectively conserve as much water in the river as possible, it is necessary to combat this invasive species.

Sources:
1. http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2012/finalwebsite/problem/coloradoriver.shtml#waterissues
2. http://primaryfacts.com/1895/colorado-river-facts/

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Background Information:
The Ganges river is the largest river in India, this trans-boundary river flows through India and Bangladesh. The Ganges/Padma river is 2525km long starting from the Western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and finally empties up in to the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges is a lifeline to millions who live along its course.It is a most sacred river to Hindus, and worshiped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism. The ganges river is a part of culture for ober half of India’s population.

Conflicts/Problems:

Environmentally:
The river Ganges poses significant threats to human health and the larger environment due to its pollution. The river Ganges is severly polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants, the river provides water to about 40% of India's population across 11 states, serving an estimated population of 500 million people which is more than any other river in the world. The Ganges is highly considered to be one of the most polluted water sources on the earth, over 600km of the water source is considered as ecological deadzones, where no life form, such as fish, could survive. Due to the pollution, people would find alternative sources for clean drinkable water in more desolate areas which contribute to carbon footprint; with high demand in the areas, those alternative realtively clean drinking sources would end up in a drought.

Economically:
This tiver provides a huge problem for local fishermen in the area. Local fisher would have a harder time when they are fishing due to the overpolluted waters of the Ganges river. Fishermen would go further away to be able to collect and catch the fishes, with only a few areas of the river that are still relatively clean, more competition would rise for local fishermen in a designated area. This could lead to the loss of biodiversity in the area due to overfishing because fishermen are only relying on areas of the river that hasnt been affected by the pollution in the water. Another reason why pollution in the Ganges is bad for the economy is that people would have to figure out alternative water sources. The government and the population would have to spend more towards clean water in more desolate areas rather than using water that are provided form the river.

Solution:

As for now we could only minimise the pollution in the river by educating about the threats of the river to the population of India. We could also create water treatment facilities to prevent human faeces entering the water sources. However as it is integrated into the culture of over 500 million people, it is hard to stop the waste produces during religious ceremonies.

Photo of the Ganges river:

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Description
Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula and also serves as a water source for 12 million Koreans.
The lower part of the Han River are lined with pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths, public parks and restaurant and is considered to be the 2nd most scenic location in Seoul based from a 2011 survey

Conflicts and Reason
1. July 2000, US military dumps toxic and chemical waste to the river, causing protests from the locals.
2. High level of nitrogen and phosphorus concentration

Sources
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_River_(Korea)
2. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180712100519.htm

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Background Information
The Kelani river is the fourth-longest river and second-largest watershed located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The river is 145 km long and extends to the Indian Ocean. The river is a vital resource for about 25% of the population that resides near the river, and is the main source of drinking water for over 4 million people in Colombo. Over 10,000 industries and businesses depends on the natural resources of the river.

Issues
- The Kelani river is the most polluted river in Sri Lanka. The rapidly growing industries that operates along side of the river produces liquid wastes that heavily pollutes the river. Most of the industries are the ones involved in oil refining, beverages, ceramic, rubber, fertilisers, and plastics. Furthermore, the agricultural runoffs and the domestic municipal wastes are also a significant factor in the pollution of the Kelani river.

- Due to heavy rains, the water level of the Kelani River is currently rising and has reached "Flood Level". This put risks to the people living in the low-level areas of the river

Resolution
In 2015, the Asian Foundation and local nonprofit Environmental Foundation Limited conducted a project that aims to restore the water quality of the Kelani River. They mapped the river of its pollution sources, and identified the main source of the pollution, which are the industries. The organisations also educated the locals by hosting workshops about the threat pollution poses towards the river, and how it might affect the thousands of people that depended on it. The workshop taught locals how to prevent pollution, how to monitor the water quality, and also to identify the sources of pollution.

sources
https://asiafoundation.org/2017/04/26/addressing-industrial-pollution-along-kelani-river/
https://www.iucn.org/asia/countries/sri-lanka/management-and-conservation-kelani-river-basin
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/161204/news/pollution-hotspots-along-kelani-mapped-218910.html

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1. Background information:
The Kelani River is located in Sri Lanka and is considered as the fourth longest river in the country.  The river is 145 km long and starts from the Sri Pada Mountain range to Colombo. The river is a main source for drinking water for over 4 million people who lives in Colombo alone.

2. Environmental Issues
With the constant growth of human production, the Kelani River is in a state of being ecologically threatened due to the toxic waste that is released by nearby industries. Agricultural runoff and municipal waste also supports this issue. This leads to the problem of high contamination levels of the river where basic safe water quality limits are constantly exceeding.

3. Restoration Efforts:
The Asia Foundation and Local Non Profit Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) created a project to help restore the water quality of the river. They have begun identifying polluted areas, and conduct surveys. The organisation also established training programmes to educate the locals about the threats and impacts of the polluted water. They have successfully conducted training. programmes that focuses on 15 communities that are in the most polluted areas of the river.

Sources:
https://www.iucn.org/asia/countries/sri-lanka/management-and-conservation-kelani-river-basin
https://asiafoundation.org/2017/04/26/addressing-industrial-pollution-along-kelani-river/

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Background Info
Indus River (locally called Sindhu) passes through the three countries; China, India, and Pakistan. It is one of the longest rivers in Asia with its length 3,180 km. Its total drainage area is about 450,000 square miles and its annual flow is about 58 cubic miles. Its name was derived from the Tibetan and Sanskrit name--Sindhu.

Issues
Water, Life, and Its Correlation

The Indus River has been the important supplier of water resources to the Punjab and Sindh plains as it supports the agriculture and food production in Pakistan.

The river is crucial because of rainfall is lacking in the lower Indus valley.

Water quality has gotten worse; its oxygen depletion is increasing as the industrial water, sewage, and toxic materials are entering the Indus' water flow. Diseases were created by the low quality of water and brings the livings nearby in danger; Indus dolphins has also become endangered due to the water pollution.

Sources:

1. https://www.britannica.com/place/Indus-River

2. https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/i/Indus_River.htm

3. https://www.academia.edu/7567614/Environmental_Problems_of_River_Indus

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1. Background
The Indus River is one of the longets rivers in Asia with a total drainage area beyond  1,165,000 km²  with an estimated annual flow approxiamately 243km² . It originates from the Tibetan Plateu, running a course through the Ladakh, towards the Gilgit-Baltistan region in whcih it flows south along the Pakistan which merges into the Arabian Sea.

Historically, this river is crucial to numerous cultures surrounding of the region. This is exemplified in the 3rd millennium BC  where a major urban civilisaion fo the Bronze Age occurred. Beyond the region, King Darius of Persia sent Scylax of Caryanda, his Greek subject, to explore the river.

2. Dispute Over the River - The Indus Waters Treaty

The Indus Waters Treaty is the treaty regarding the water distribution between India and Pakistan, arranged by the World Bank to use the availability of water located in Pakistan.

Three "eastern" rivers of India was given to India

Three "western" rivers of India was given to Pakistan

Although Pakistan receive more water flow from India, the treaty allows India to use the western rivers anyway for limitaed irrigation use and unlimited use for power generation, domestic, industrial and non consumptive uses.

However, as a result to the growing demand of both India's and Pakistan's textile industries (which significantly requires water source form the Indus) the 737 billion gallons withdrawn form the INdus Valley yearly is enough to provide Delhi residents with proper access to water

Downstream provinces are experiencing the strain, particularly with drought due to fishermen and farmers beign forced to move out from the cities. In accordance, the costal districst that that loses the shares of the Indus flow are growing poor.

India:  competition of water  provokes conflict. Pakistan's water shortages have decreased food and water supply which provoked riots and protests ->unrest in the downstream river of  Sindh

Although the Treaty exists, the disrupted river flow will be more difficult to share as the populations in both countries increase but the per-capita water supply decreases

3. Environmental Issues in the River
and Resoration Efforts
- As a result of the increasing population and development are placing pressure on the Indus Basin's water supply, the river experiences diminishing river flows and pollution.

- Diminishing RIver flows:

Water removals of the Indus are outpacing the natural rate of renewal.

little flow form the river remains for the natural environment.

River systems require environmental flows to sustain the marine habitats (e.g the Indus River Dolphins), maintain ecological functions such as decreasing pollution,  flushing sediment and nutrients downstream and salinity trusion.

- Plastic Pollution:

According to the Tribune and Daily Mail, a research in 2018 shows that the Indus river is one of the 10 oceans undergoing 95% of the plastic pollution in rivers

The sources of the Indus River pollutio originates from litter from untreated agriculture and municipal waste

Rivers with high plastic pollution are usually rivers nearby  cities of high population and high rate mismanaged plastic waste per capita

Larger rivers are more efficient in transporting plastic debris  than smaller rivers

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Background info:
- The Murray River is a 2,508 km long subsection of the Murray-Darling Basin. It flows from the Southeast region of Victoria into New South Wales, and drains into the Southern Ocean from its mouth in Murray Mouth, South Australia. The supply of water there has helped make it Australia's most important agricultural region

Environmental issues
a. Introduction of the European Carp
The introduction of this invasive species into the river system has causing major environmental damage in the system as it is driving off the native species of the area as it is a highly adaptable fish that has a fast reproduction rate, allowing it to outcompete many of the area's native biodiversity. In certain places around the larger Murray-Darling Basin, European carps make up 90% of the fish biomass. They are able to stir up mud in the river, which leads to a reduced rate of photosynthesis for producers in the system due to the reduced amounts of light penetrating the water surface, causing oxygen levels to drop, harming the other organisms in the area.

Restoration attempts
One solution that the CSIRO is vying for is the introduction of the carp herpes virus (Cyprinid herpesvirus 3) into the river system as a means to kill off the carps there. As the virus is highly specific, meaning it will not affect species that are not carps such as birds, native fishes, and humans, they believe it is safe solution to use, with kill rates of up to 70% of the carp population few days after its expected release. Despite of this assurance, the Australian government are reluctant to approve it considering their bad experiences with introduced biological controls, such as the cane toad that they tried introducing as a means to control their scarab beetle problem, which ended up being a bigger problem as compared to the scarab beetles.

Sources:
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/inquirer/european-carp-public-enemy-no-1-in-the-murraydarling-basin/news-story/1e1c77892fa7f8dafc1cca6ddc1daac5
http://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/landforms/longest-rivers

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1. Background Information:
(the) Tagus is the longest river in the Iberian peninsula. it is 1,007 km along the border between Portugal and Spain. Tagus river plays an important role to the modern economic development of both countries. The Tagus river is the basis of the irrigation system in Portugal and Spain; they provide water for the agricultural lands of the state. Dams and hydroelectric power stations, with a capacity of more than 1,200,000 kilowatts are installed in the river. The dams serve as a mean to provide water for irrigating the lands along the river as well as creating electricity for the people living near the river. During the dry months of the year, it is vital as people really depend on the river. Cereal farming and the growth of olive trees and vineyards are important agricultural activities, and the coniferous forests in the upper course support the timber industry. The Tagus River also provides drinking water to the people settled along its banks.

It is also the habitat for a diverse species. The wetland ecosystems near the estuary of the Tagus Reserve are protected as the Tagus Estuary natural Reserve. A high diversity of species of migratory birds, insects, fish, and mammals can be seen in this region.

2. Conflict/Environmental Issues:
a. Extensive damming
Extensive damming impacts the natural flows of the river, increasing the chances of the erosion (process by which the surface of the Earth gets worn down), especially in the lower courses of the river. This affects the migration of fish species along the river.

b. Pollution
The Tagus River provides drinking water to the millions of people living in the area, but it is under a high risk of being heavily polluted coming from factories. It is often that industrial point sources dumped their wastes into the river. Since it also serves as one of the finest harbours in Europe (located in Lisbon), it is now filled with ships. However, there is a recent information from environmentalists saying that the quality of water is steadily beginning to improve.

c. Risk of drying up completely
It is said that the river is in danger of drying up completely due to (a combination of) climate change, water transfer, and the waste coming from industries, mainly in Madrid. In Spain, today only 47% of the predicted water resources exist and levels in the two main dams are decreased to 11% capacity, making it too low to allow any transfers. This problem started too occur after overestimating the available resources and designing a water transfer (from the headwaters of the river), joining two areas with similar climate cycles. Water is already considered as a scarce resource in Spain, as they are facing one of its worst droughts in decades, and agricultural demand in the Segura basin has been rising for decades. This results in the over-exploitation of both ground and surface water.

"The transfer has served to create social and political conflict and turn the Tagus into one of the rivers in the worst ecological state in the peninsula"

Sources:

1.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/14/tagus-river-at-risk-of-drying-up-completely

2.https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/the-history-of-lisbons-tagus-river/
3.https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/where-does-the-tagus-river-flow.html

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Background
The Yamuna River is the major tributary of the Ganges River. It is 1376 km long and flows solely through India. It is of great economic importance to India as there are several canals on the Yamuna that irrigate extensive tracts on both banks. The region between the Yamuna and the Ganges is almost fully irrigated. Yamuna also partly supplies the water for major cities like Delhi and Agra. The Yamuna is sacred for Hindi people. It is one of the most prominent shrines in Hinduism.
Conflict/Issues
Due to high-density population growth and rapid industrialization, the Yamuna has turned from clear blue waters into one of the most polluted rivers in the world. New Delhi dumps much of its waste into the river, generating almost 2 million liters or sewage per day. This is exacerbated by underfunded or malfunctioning sewer treatment facilities. Not to mention that water remains stagnant for almost 9 months of the year, leaving the sewage to rot leaving a thick white foam that covers much of the river. The government has spent almost 500 million USD in the cleanup and restoration efforts of the river, but it continues to be polluted at a huge scale due to the magnitude at which the pollutants enter the Yamuna on a daily basis.
Source:  https://www.waterdatabase.com/rivers/yamuna-river/

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Background Information:
The Colorado River is located in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river is 2,333 kilometres long and drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. and two Mexican states.

Environmental Issues and Conflicts:
-Shortage of water supply: There is insufficient mainstream water available to satisfy 7.5 million acre-feet.
-Water quality: Level of salinity of river surpassed the needed amount,  and compounds such as perchlorate and nitrate can be found in the river.

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Dispute over the River
Kelani River is the most polluted water in Sri Lanka which is created by the industrial pollution. Hence, the water quality has created a high cost in maintaining drinking water standards and the market cost of deteriorating river ecosystem services. There are major controversies over which companies have been polluting the river. According to surveys, there has been approximately 78 high and medium polluting industries located among the river. Companies such as Coca Cola has agreed on funding Rs. 50 million for each three years for the government project of 'considering its policy for corporate social responsibility and its commitment of contributing to environmental protection and social concerns'.

Sources:
http://www.dailynews.lk/2017/01/19/local/105163/cea-coca-cola-mou-kelani-river-environmental-restoration-work

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Background Information
The Murray River is the longest river located in Australia which is a subsection of the Murray-Darling Basin (which occupies around one-seventh of Australia). It flows across Southern Australia from the Snowy Mountains to the Indian Ocean for around 2,530 km. The name Murray is named after Colonial Secretary Sir George Murray.

Environmental Issue & Conflicts:
A. Conflicts
- The Murray Darling Basin (MDB), is the most highly regulated river system in Australia which makes it complicated because the Basin straddles four states and the ACT.
B. Environmental Issues
- Environmental issues clouding Australia's longest river includes salinity, erosion, blue-green algal bloom, water quality and invasive species,
-  Climate change threatens the storage of water and projection suggest a likely increase in drought. Less rainfall becomes an issue as well as it decreases storage of water an increase in demand from irrigators and communities.
- The issue with salinity levels would damage the ecosystem and threatened water supplies for people and livestock when the river is the largest contributor of water supply.
-  As the issue with erosion rises, it created an issue regarding the loss of soil and and areas of bare grounds around the Lower Lakes.

Restoration Programs
-Response to Climate Change
In February 2019, the MDBA released a discussion paper in hopes of addressing MDB's issue with climate change. MDBA focuses on four actions which includes:
a) Refining existing arrangements - supports adaptation to climate change such as water trade.
b) Buffering the systems from stress - Preparing for Basin climate related changes.
c) Enhancing new arrangements - such as collaboration with research community.
d) Adapting to future changes - a long-term solution which includes research and development, investigations, etc.
-Riverine Recovery Project
- SA Riverland Floodplain Integrated Infrastructure Program
- Coorong and Lower Lakes Recovery Project
- The Living Murray

Sources
Background Information:
1.https://www.britannica.com/place/Murray-River
Environmental Issues/Conflicts
1. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-25/conflicts-cost-blowouts-time-delays-in-mdbp-says-commission/10749592
2.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-21/what-is-the-murray-darling-basin-plan/8043180
3.https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook44p/MurryDarlingBasin
4.https://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin/water/river-murray/issues-for-river-health
Restoration Programs
1. https://www.mdba.gov.au/basin-plan-roll-out/climate-change
2.https://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/samurraydarlingbasin/water/river-murray/restoration-programs

Murray River:

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The Mighty Indus River - Background

The Indus River is one of the longest rivers in Asia (2,880 km)

It starts in Ladakh, India and ends near Karachi, Pakistan

This river holds significant cultural and historical for the region, since it is where major bronze age civilisations were established.

The Indus River system's source are snow and glacier water from the Himalayas

The flow of the river is affected by the seasons, as it diminishes in the water and floods greatly during monsoon season.

The river also has a high biodiversity (180 freshwater fish species, 22 found nowhere else)

The Depletion of a Commodity

Pakistan's economy relies heavily on the river

It is estimated that the demand for water will increase by 30% in 2025

Population growth and agriculture have stressed the river for years

The Himalayan glaciers that provide the river with water are also estimated to dissapear by 2035

Water shortage will be the single most destabilising factor for Pakistan, as well as the rest of the region

'The Water Currency' -  A Cause of Tension between Pakistan and India

The Indus river is Pakistan's major source of freshwater

Because of this, The Indus River is crucial to Pakistan's agriculture and textile industry

The river is also India's major source of hydropower

The river is essential in supporting the countries' booming populations

In India, competition for water has been a cause of conflict between communities

In Pakistan, water shortages have triggered food crises that flamed riots in cities

This can threaten the peace between the two nations

The river starts in Kashmir, a disputed region (disputed by India, Pakistan and China)

The two countries settled the sharing of the river in 1960 with the Indus Waters Treaty

"Many Pakistanis fear that since India controls the upstream waters, they can deplete Pakistan's water supply using storage dams or through 'hydroelectric schemes'"

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Background Information
Known as the seventh longest river in the world also the second longest river in China, estimated around 3395 miles long. It originates in the Bayankala Mountains in Western China at the Qinghai Province. The Yellow River is also referred to as the, Mother River, or Huang in China. It is slow and sluggish along most of its course and some regard it as the world's muddiest major river, discharging three times the sediment of the Mississippi River.

Conflicts that Occur

Severe pollution in China has made one-third of China's Yellow River unusable for agricultural or industrial use, due to factory discharges and sewage from fast-expanding cities. Every year the Yellow River in China absorbs estimated around 1 million tons of wastes hailing from the city.

The Yellow River in China is prone to flooding, physical properties in the river is poorly understood in river science since few other waterways in the world had as much as the Yellow River. The Chinese government has built numerous dams and trying to resolve and mitigating the flooding.

Sources

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3026880/why-global-warming-may-not-mean-more-typhoons-according-ne

http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat15/sub103/item448.html

https://www.thoughtco.com/yellow-river-in-chinas-history-195222

https://study.com/academy/lesson/yellow-river-facts-location-history.html

Picture of the Yellow River:

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Background Information

The Mississippi River is the largest river in the North American continent, it has a length of of 3766 km, a width of 6000 metres - 9144 metres, with an average surface speed of water of 0.536448  metres per second, a discharge of 16792 cubic metres of water per second into the Gulf of Mexico and flows throughout the United States of America. It’s source is Lake Itasca and flows south across the continental interior, collecting the waters of its major tributaries. In addition, the Mississippi River is the second largest drainage system on the North American continent, including 31 US states and two provinces in Canada.

It is one of the world’s major river systems in size, habitat diversity and biological productivity.

Theree is at least a number of 260 species of fish, 25% of which are native in North America lives in the Mississippi River. 40% of USA’s migratory waterfowl use the river corridor during their spring and fall migration, 60% of 326 species of the North American birds uses the Mississippi River Basin as their migratory flyway. There are also a great number of undocumented species of mussels that are in the Mississippi River and lastly, it hosts up to 50 mammal species and has 145 species of amphibians and reptiles located in the Upper Mississippi River environment.

Conflicts/Environmental Issues

Agricultural Runoff is one of the leading causes of water pollution in the USA. This type of pollution can be seen to be a non-point source pollution, therefore it is difficult to implement regulations and pinpoint which source is producing and contributing the most into this type of pollution.

An excessive use of fertilisers for crops is one of the causes for agricultural run off. This is due to how once fertiliser is added into the soil, it creates a nutrient load or an abundance of nutrients In the soil which in turn will flow into a water source and start the process of eutrophication (due to the agricultural runoff). This is due to how intensive farming practices strips a lot of the nutrient from soil, thus forcing farmers to add fertiliser in order to replace the stripped nutrients.

In addition, industrial farming is also a leading cause of agricultural runoff, this large scale industrial farmingg leads to an increased in manure production, when too much is produced, farmers would need to store the excess but this doesn’t mean that all excess amounts of manure produced is accounted for. Much of it ends up into agricultural runoff adding nutrients into water systems.

Furthermore, as mentioned briefly, agricultural runoff from these causes could lead to eutrophication in many different water systems. It adds nutrients like Nitrogen and Phosphorus into the water system causing it to gain an unproportional amount of nutrients in the water system. Possible leading into a process called asphyxiation which essentially make systems of water have dead zones. Due to an excessive amount of nutrients In the water system, it leads to an accelerated growth of algae on the surface of the water system, preventing light from reaching the bottom of the water system, resulting in the limited amounts of photosynthesis processes in the autotrophs below.

An example of this is the hypoxic or dead zone in the gulf of Mexico caused by the eutrophication from the Mississippi River.

Agricultural runoff could also be called discharges. Another kind of discharge that are disposed into the Mississippi River are chemical wastes from industries.

Sources:

1. https://www.britannica.com/place/Mississippi-River

2. https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/programs/environmental/courses/seniorseminar/2013/students/newcomer.php

3. https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm

https://thewaterissues.com/midwest-us/agriculture/

Picture: