Clean, abundant water is the essence of life. But that kind of water is becoming a dwindling commodity worldwide:

• More than 1 billion people now live without access to clean drinking water, while about 2.6 billion lack adequate sanitation services.
• Development, hydropower generation and population growth are placing increasing demands on the world’s water supply, with tremendous consequences both for people and nature.

This year's International World Water Day theme — "Coping with Water Scarcity"— is echoed throughout The Nature Conservancy's freshwater conservation work.

Discover below some of the ways the Conservancy is making water safe for both people and nature — through our Sustainable Waters Program and Great Rivers Partnership — and learn how conservation can help solve global water scarcity.

Dive into Some of Our Freshwater Work

What's Good for Fish is Good for People A young child dies from lack of water or a waterborne disease every eight seconds. Read why the Conservancy's Brian Richter says conservation can do something about that.

Will a Dam Ruin a River and its Communities? A proposed dam on Honduras' Patuca River could threaten indigenous livelihoods and wildlife. Learn more in this Q&A with a Conservancy consultant.

Why One-Size Conservation Doesn't Fit All Are conservation efforts really working? Find out why a Conservancy study on Illinois Mackinaw River might hold the answer.

Conserving China's Yangtze River Read how the Conservancy is using science to promote ecologically sustainable dam-building on China's biggest river.

Managing Water…Digitally How might human development affect freshwater ecosystems? Learn how a Conservancy software program is supplying that data across the globe.

A New Era in River Management Find out how we're working with the Army Corps of Engineers as they reassess and revise their dam operations to promote healthier river systems.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photos © Haroldo Palo, Jr. (Fisherman); TNC (Brain Richter); © Peter Esselman (Patuca River, Honduras); © Tim Linderbaum (Red ear slider); © Gil Azouri (Yangtze River, China); © Lynda Richardson (Bill Biel); © Lynn McBride/TNC (Caddo Lake)