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In Brief: Water levels down in world’s biggest rivers
23/04/2009

DAKAR, 22 April 2009 (IRIN) - Water levels have declined over the past 50 years in some of the world’s largest rivers – including those serving large populations in China, West Africa and India – according to the US-based National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

NCAR scientists link the decline to lower rainfall, more evaporation and higher water use.

In the study of 925 rivers, about three-quarter’s of the world’s streams, those where water levels are falling outnumbered those with rising levels by 2.5 to one. Water flows increased in sparsely populated areas near the Arctic Ocean, where snow and ice are rapidly melting.

Freshwater that flows from rivers to oceans help regulate the global climate, according to NCAR, which recommends close monitoring of oceans’ freshwater content.