2025 Ranked Among Driest Years on Record for Global Rivers, Study Finds
Quick Brief
A comprehensive global water resource assessment by the World Meteorological Organisation has revealed that 2025 was one of the driest years for rivers worldwide in over three decades. The study highlights a severe depletion in freshwater storage, leaving global water reserves well below normal levels.
What Happened?
According to an assessment of the global water cycle by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), rivers across the planet experienced historic dryness in 2025. The evaluation showed that global freshwater savings—including groundwater, lakes, rivers, snow, ice, soil moisture, and moisture inside vegetation—dropped to 42% below normal levels last year.
Why It Matters
The significant depletion of global freshwater reserves indicates growing stress on the Earth's water cycle, posing potential long-term risks to ecosystems, agriculture, and human water security worldwide.
Key Facts
- 2025 was recorded as one of the driest years for world rivers in over three decades.
- The findings come from a comprehensive global water resource study by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
- Global freshwater reserves, encompassing groundwater, lakes, rivers, and soil moisture, fell to 42% below normal levels in 2025.
Compiled from 1 outlet
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