Water connects us all.
If water is the lifeblood of the planet, rivers, lakes and wetlands are the hard-working systems that keep it pumping.
These systems—which also include springs, deltas and intricate underground networks—feed communities, shape cultures and sustain the diversity of life on Earth.
But for too long, we’ve undervalued our freshwater ecosystems. We’ve over-extracted, overfished and over-engineered them. Now, these ecosystems are in trouble.
We need fresh water, and fresh water needs us.
Threats to the world's freshwater systems are stacking up.
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83%
Populations of monitored freshwater plants and animals have declined by 83% since 1970—far greater than any other biome.
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1/3
Only 1/3 of the world’s longest rivers remain free-flowing.
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3x
Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than tropical forests.
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1/2
Half of all people on the planet now live in water-stressed areas.
Deforestation, fragmentation from dams, unsustainable farming and fishing, and unchecked pollution are only adding to the increasingly frequent and damaging impacts of climate change.
But there is hope. Freshwater systems that are degraded can recover—and they can recover quickly. Where freshwater ecosystems remain healthy and connected, we can protect them.
Let’s Talk About Water
How We Protect Fresh Water
Fresh water is connected to everything The Nature Conservancy does, and we’re determined to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems at unprecedented scales.
By leveraging our long history of innovation and collaboration, we know we can scale up breakthrough strategies for freshwater that are durable and long-lasting.
We’re already working on close to 400 projects in nearly 40 countries, but we must go further and faster to achieve our goals for 2030.
Freshwater Goals to Achieve by 2030
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1 M
Safeguard or restore at least 1 million kilometers of rivers and streams.
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30 M
Conserve 30 million hectares of lakes, wetlands, deltas and floodplains.
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10 M
Ensure over 10 million people benefit directly from healthy freshwater ecosystems.
Take a 2-Minute Water Break
Our Freshwater Approaches
Click tiles for examples from around the world.
Protecting Freshwater Ecosystems
We’re implementing long-term protection efforts to conserve freshwater systems—above and below ground—to keep them healthy and intact.
Example
Collaborating with Indigenous leaders and government agencies in Ecuador is leading to large-scale, effective and inclusive freshwater conservation.
Ensuring Rivers Flow Freely
We’re modifying or removing obsolete dams, restoring natural flows and reconnecting river systems to their floodplains.
Example
We’re developing innovative and science-driven ways to accelerate projects that remove barriers that impede migratory fish and other species.
Building Resilient Watersheds
We’re driving investment in nature-based solutions upstream to protect biodiversity and help solve water security issues downstream.
Example
We established a partnership that's generated green jobs and returned billions of liters of water to Cape Town, the South African city that came dangerously close to running out of water in recent years.
Conserving Freshwater Fisheries
We’re applying the latest science and traditional knowledge to restore biodiversity and help the millions of people for whom freshwater fisheries are food or income.
Example
TNC and partners are working together to successfully restore fish populations and habitat across the Great Lakes of North America.
Promoting Equitable, Inclusive Solutions
We’re co-designing projects that deliver the benefits of freshwater protection equitably.
Example
In the Napo, Caquetá and Tapajós river basins of the Amazon and in three African lake and river basins: Gabon's Bas Ogooué, Upper Okavango and Lake Tanganyika, we're engaging in community-led conservation that strengthens the voice, choice and action of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Freshwater Stories
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More fresh reading
Accelerating Adaptation: Nature-based Solutions
The promise and limitations of nature-based solutions in the race to adapt to increasing floods and droughts.
The Many Lessons a Marsh Can Teach Us
Washington's Port Susan Bay balances fresh snowmelt, river and sea, creating a rich web of life. Its poetry teaches of connectivity and kinship.
A Win-Win-Win Solution for the Colorado River
Learn how the Jicarilla Apache Nation, TNC and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission are working together to address water-scarcity issues throughout the Colorado River Basin.
Protecting Africa’s Freshwater Resources
TNC and our partners work to protect Africa’s critical freshwater resources and contribute to our global goals to conserve 1 million kilometers of rivers and 30 million hectares of wetlands by 2030.