World’s rivers hit 33-year low as freshwater supplies drop 42%

The World Meteorological Organization says rivers had one of their driest years in more than three decades in 2025, with global freshwater reserves falling 42% below normal. The decline threatens drinking water, farming, and energy production worldwide.

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The world’s rivers are in crisis. In 2025, they had one of their driest years in more than 30 years, and the planet’s stored freshwater dropped sharply, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) [244116][244117].

The WMO assessed the global water cycle and found that the world’s freshwater reserves fell 42% below normal levels last year [244117]. These reserves include water held on or under the ground — groundwater, lakes, rivers, snow, ice, soil moisture, and water inside plants and trees. The WMO calls this the world’s “water savings bank,” and its rapid depletion signals growing pressure on the freshwater that people, farms, and industries depend on [244117].

Rivers supply drinking water, support farming, carry trade, and provide habitats for countless species [244116]. The WMO, a United Nations agency that tracks weather and climate, warns that the shrinking of rivers, lakes, and underground water reserves threatens water supplies for drinking, farming, and energy production [243254].

Glaciers are also melting faster than before, the WMO reported. These large masses of slow-moving ice store water and release it over time, and their steady retreat adds to the strain on global water resources [243254].

The report points to climate change and a sharp rise in human water use as the causes of the shrinking freshwater supply [243654]. The WMO is calling for better monitoring and stronger action to protect the world’s water resources [243254].

Sources

World’s rivers hit crisis point: 2025 was one of the driest years in decades #244116World’s rivers hit 33-year low as freshwater supplies drop 42% #244117Global fresh water is drying up – WMO report warns #243654Global Freshwater Supplies Are Drying Up, UN Weather Agency Warns #243254

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