World's rivers running out of sand faster than nature can replenish it
A new scientific review finds that global sand and gravel extraction for concrete has more than doubled since 2000, posing a serious threat to river ecosystems.
Scientists warn that the growing global demand for concrete is causing sand and gravel to be extracted from the world's rivers far faster than nature can replace them, according to the Novaator portal, citing a new meta-analysis.
Researchers from Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States and several other countries reviewed 411 scientific papers published since 1974 to assess the scale and consequences of river sand mining worldwide. The analysis shows that global demand for construction sand is being driven primarily by rapidly developing countries in Asia and Africa.
In 2000, just under 12 billion tonnes of sand and gravel were used worldwide to produce concrete; by 2024 that figure had grown to more than 28 billion tonnes.
Impact on river ecosystems
Uncontrolled extraction deepens riverbeds and causes riverbanks to collapse, which in turn lowers groundwater levels and degrades water quality. Dredging significantly alters water hydrodynamics and disrupts the natural balance — for instance, in coastal deltas, saltwater can intrude much further inland through a deepened channel.
Mining also leaves large, deep pits on riverbeds, making the channel uneven and encouraging whirlpools to form. As a result, new sediment carried by the current can no longer naturally fill these depressions.
Scientists' recommendations
Researchers say that for a more sustainable future and the preservation of rivers, countries need to adopt smarter construction solutions, including wider use of recycled or artificial materials. They also call for clear policies that tie permitted extraction volumes to rivers' actual capacity to replenish their reserves. The full analysis was published in the journal Reviews of Geophysics.
