There are more polluted rivers in any given country than there are clean rivers in the entire world. In the American example, there are more than 5 endangered or polluted rivers in the USA. In the UK, the river Thames is still delivering waste into the North Sea and English Channel. Though much improved.

Every nation has similar problems, but how can a country be called developed if it cannot take care of its natural resources? Nobody wants to cruise a dirty river, in a polluting riverboat. That is more supporting the polluting culprits. Condoning poisoning fish stocks, and humans as the apex predator, reliant on fisheries for protein, to feed the world.

SOME OF THE CLEANEST RIVERS IN THE WORLD - A TO Z

The Bow River, Canada: The Bow River is a glacial river that flows through the Canadian Rockies. It’s known for its clear waters and abundant fish populations, and it’s a popular spot for fly fishing and other outdoor activities 1.

Li River (Guangxi): The Li River originates in the Mao’er Mountains in Xing’an County and flows in the general southern direction through Guilin, Yangshuo and Pingle. In Pingle the Li River merges with two other streams, and continues south as the Gui River, which falls into the Xi Jiang, the western tributary of the Pearl River, in Wuzhou. Green hills flank the 437-kilometer course of the Li and Gui Rivers . Cormorant fishing is often associated with the Lijiang (see bird intelligence). The unusual karst topography hillsides is often compared to those at Halong Bay, Vietnam.

Tara (Drina): The Tara River falls under the top 5 category of the cleanest rivers in the world. This River is also called the Jewel of Europe or the Tear of Europe. This is a protected river and falls under the World’s Natural Heritage and the World’s Biosphere Reserve as per UNESCO. Tara is also the home to some of the unique Flora species. Some of them have been around since ancient times and have still maintained their primeval qualities.

In 2004, there were plans to build a dam in an area called Buk Bijela located at Drina and flood Tara. The Government had to call off the plans as millions of citizens protested publicly and signed various petitions. Renowned scientists from various parts of the world formed a team and conduct a scientific study about how the plans would impact the environment of the River. The team of comprised of 52 scientists who concluded that it would be an ecological disaster if the Government of Montenegro went ahead with the plans to flood Tara River and build the dam.

St. Croix River: The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is approximately 164 miles (264 km) long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower 125 miles (201 km) of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. Apart from being one of the Cleanest rivers in the world; it is also a National Scenic Riverway. This is because it falls under the protection of the National Park Service. A hydroelectric plant at St. Croix Falls supplies power to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

The river has had it’s own shares of challenges. During the 1830’s, the river was clogged with timber logs which polluted the river water. During this time the locals used the rivers to transport the logs as there was no adequate trans or roads. Sawmill owners used to fish out the logs from the water for lumber production. The locals used to walk across the logs from one side to another. They also used the floating timber to their benefit to build log water rafts and travel downstream to St. Louis. Finally in 1915 marked the ending of the sawmill era which in turn helped in the cleaning process of the river automatically.

The Tuolumne River, United States: The Tuolumne River is a wild and scenic river that flows through the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. It’s known for its clear waters, granite cliffs, and abundant wildlife, and it’s a popular spot for rafting and kayaking 1.

The Soča River, Slovenia: The Soca River is a stunningly beautiful river that flows through the Julian Alps in Slovenia. It’s known for its crystal-clear waters, emerald green pools, and dramatic gorges, and it’s a popular spot for swimming, kayaking, and other water sports 1.

Torne River: The Torne River is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. Approximately half of the river’s length is a part of the border between these two countries. It rises at Lake Torne near the border with Norway and flows generally southeast for a distance of 522 kilometers (324 mi) into the Gulf of Bothnia. It is the largest river in Norrbotten both by laength and by watershed area and is also one of the cleanest rivers in the world.

Near the border with Norway, word has it that the waters of Lake Torne is the main source from where the Torne River. originates. It is fed by Kåppasjåkka and Njuoraätno in the west. Beyond the lake, the Torne rivers flows unhindered by any concentrations of human inhabitants until the village of Kurravaara, around 12 kilometres (7 mi) northeast of Kiruna.

The Verzasca River, Switzerland: The Verzasca River is known for its crystal-clear waters and stunning scenery. It’s a popular spot for swimming, diving, and other water sports 1.