Rivers are critical to the survival of a significant number of living species on planet Earth. A river may be described as a unique stream of water that percolates from its source through its mouth into other water bodies. The quantity of water contained in rivers is small in comparison to water found on earth (Team, 2021). Natural water runs in rivers that consist of roughly one percent salt. Therefore, rivers carry those essential salt and nutrients that are beneficial to fauna and flora. Globally, rivers transfer four billion tons of salt from land to the ocean annually (River | National Geographic Society, n.d.). Globally, the 4th Sunday of every September is recognised as World Rivers Day. In 2005, the first World Rivers Day was celebrated in one hundred countries. This initiative was made to bring awareness to the harm posed to rivers by humans.
In the Caribbean, there are eight (8) main rivers that attract visitors and tourists. These include the Essequibo River in Guyana, Martha Brae River in Jamaica, New River in Belize, Shark River in Trinidad, Indian River in Dominica, Chavon River in the Dominican Republic, Balthazar River in Grenada, and Rio de la Mina in Puerto Rico (What Are the Major Rivers in the Caribbean? – BioSidmartin, n.d). In Jamaica, the longest river is the Rio Minho, which is located in the parish of Clarendon, at 92.8 kilometres. However, the Essequibo River in Guyana is the largest and longest in the Anglophone Caribbean, flowing for roughly 1000 kilometres before meeting the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, the Essequibo runs through one of the largest tropical rain forests in the world (Essequibo River (Guyana) | LAC Geo, n.d).
Historically rivers have been essential to the development of civilisation, and continue to play a vital role in the functioning of contemporary societies. Many people across the world use rivers for agricultural, domestic, industrial, and recreational purposes. Nonetheless, these activities can be detrimental to such rivers and their surrounding environment. Consequently, limnologists are often engaged in activities to protect and ensure the survival of rivers. (River | National Geographic Society, n.d.).
References
Essequibo River (Guyana) | LAC Geo. (n.d.). Lacgeo.com. Retrieved July 12, 2022, from https://lacgeo.com/essequibo-river-guyana
Lang, B. (2021, December 14). How long is the Rio Grande river in Jamaica? – 2022. The Flat. https://theflatbkny.com/caribbean/how-long-is-the-rio-grande-river-in-jamaica/
Team, S. W. M. (2021, August 9). What is a river? Smart Water Magazine. https://smartwatermagazine.com/q-a/what-a-river
What are the major rivers in the Caribbean? – BioSidmartin. (n.d.). Biosidmartin.com. https://biosidmartin.com/what-are-the-major-rivers-in-the-caribbean/
River | National Geographic Society. (n.d.). Education.nationalgeographic.org. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/river
Article by Jamela Rookwood
Photos by Ian Boxill
