“Rivers are the arteries of our planet; they are lifelines in the truest sense.” — Mark Angelo

NATIONAL Geographic defines a river as a ribbon-like body of water that flows downhill from the force of gravity. A river can be wide and deep or shallow enough for a person to wade across. A flowing body of water that is smaller than a river is called a stream, creek, or brook. Some rivers flow year-round, while others flow only during certain seasons or when there has been a lot of rain.

The largest rivers can be thousands of miles long. All rivers have a starting point where water begins its flow. This source is called a headwater. The other end of a river is called its mouth, where water empties into a larger body of water, such as a lake or ocean. Rivers can also form what is called an estuary, where salty seawater mixes with fresh water near the river mouth to form brackish water.

Nothing is more soothing than taking a dip in the river on a hot summer day or rafting on the Rio Grande.

Did you know that Jamaica, a small island in the Caribbean, has more than 100 rivers? Of the 120 rivers in Jamaica, the three largest and most popular are the Rio Grande, located in the parish of Portland; the Yallahs River, found in St Thomas; and Black River in St Elizabeth. Black River is the widest river on the island, while the longest river is the Rio Minho. Some rivers on the island are also underground rivers which flow through limestone caves.

The United Nations World Rivers Day is celebrated annually to raise and spread awareness about the role and importance of rivers and other waterways and the threats that could potentially endanger the waterways around the world as well as to promote the improved stewardship of all waterways for sustainable development.

The Sustainable Development Commission states that sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in many different ways, but at its core is an approach to development that looks to balance different, and often competing, needs against an awareness of the environmental, social, and economic limitations we face as a society.

World Rivers Day highlights the value of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourage the improved supervision of rivers around the world. The day is observed on the fourth Sunday of September and was commemorated this year on September 25.

The theme for this year’s World Rivers Day is ‘The importance of Rivers to Biodiversity’. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. While Earth’s biodiversity is so rich that many species have yet to be discovered, many species are being threatened with extinction due to human activities, which have put the Earth’s magnificent biodiversity at risk. Regrettably, many of us dump garbage and refuse in our rivers, making them highly polluted. Yet we consume the fish and other forms of food from our rivers not realising the extent of the pollution, or perhaps we simply don’t care.

Rivers are the building blocks of any civilisation as they play an important role in the ecosystem and are extremely helpful to human life. They are one of the biggest sources of freshwater for drinking, but they also provide water for domestic needs, for example, food, energy, recreation, hygiene, and agricultural purposes, such as irrigation.

They are also a form of transportation that facilitates the movement of people and goods from place to place. In recent decades human activities, driven by industrialisation, urbanisation, and population growth, have caused pollution and damage to numerous waterways around the world, particularly in areas where people regularly use rivers as a source of water and transport.

Practically, rivers in every country face an array of threats and, therefore, needs to be sustainably managed. Unquestionably, much of the Earth’s biodiversity, however, is in jeopardy due to human consumption and other activities that disturb and even destroy ecosystems. We all have a role to play in protecting our rivers. It is by safeguarding our rivers that we protect not only our source of food but also the ecosystem at large.

There is an urgent need to strengthen our environmental watchdog groups. These organisations must be better resourced, in terms of human and financial resources. Our educational institutions must be brought into the conversation and more environmental clubs in our schools is one practical way that the next generation can become involved in learning about the importance of rivers to biodiversity.

We must also redouble our efforts in urging stakeholders, both at the national and community levels, to pay more attention to our rivers. Our rivers sustain life, so why not give of your time and give rivers a voice. We all need to get involved in the supervision and protecting of our rivers.

In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, former associate justice of the US Supreme Court, a river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure. It offers a necessity of life that must be rationed among those who have power over it.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and/or gender issues. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or waykam@yahoo.com.