Rivers are important to humans because they supply fresh drinking water, serve as home for important fisheries, provide transportation routes, and are the source for irrigation water and hydroelectric power. Humans have used rivers since the beginning of civilization. In Asia, people have revered the life-giving importance of rivers for thousands of years. Many ancient temples are located near streams and rivers that needed protection to ensure high-quality water for society. The Chinese written characters for the word politics express the sense of responsibility for waterways—the literal interpretation of the characters includes the meaning of “protection of water.” Many of the ancient, legendary leaders in China were respected because of their ability to control water so that fields could be irrigated and floods prevented. The first great African civilization began along the banks of the Nile around 5000 bc. The agricultural wealth along the valley of the Nile River gave the pharaohs in ancient Egypt their power. Many pyramids and shrines stood along the banks of the Nile.

Other important aspects of rivers are the ecological characteristics of river channels and floodplains. These areas provide a zone between land and water environments. Floodplains and channels are diverse habitats that support the world’s largest wetlands, which are home to innumerable species of plants and animals. Most of the fish that live in rivers use the channel and floodplain, and in some rivers, the deltas and estuaries, during their life cycle.