Policy

Countries, Upstream The countries where the river rises, whose choices about its water travel downstream across their borders.

Cities, Upstream Cities that draw on the river early and return to it what they use, for everyone below.

Agriculture, Upstream Farms that take water for their land before the river reaches the users below.

Industry, Upstream Industry that takes water for its work and returns it to the river others use further down.

Energy, Upstream Energy, from dams to plants that draw on the river, that shapes how much water passes on and when.

Communities, Upstream People who live along the river near its source, and whose use of it reaches those below.

Infrastructure, Upstream Dams, intakes and works upstream, which change the water every user below receives.

Capital, Upstream Investment in what is built and run upstream, whose effects travel down the river.

Countries, Downstream The countries the river reaches last, which share in what is decided upstream without deciding it.

Cities, Downstream Cities that draw on water every user above them has already taken from and returned to.

Agriculture, Downstream Farms that depend on what the river still carries by the time it reaches them.

Industry, Downstream Industry that works with the water, in amount and in quality, that reaches it from upstream.

Energy, Downstream Energy that needs the river to arrive with enough water to run on.

Communities, Downstream People who live along the river further down, and live with what is decided above them.

Infrastructure, Downstream Infrastructure downstream, built for a river whose flow and quality are shaped above it.

Capital, Downstream Investment downstream, which carries risks that begin upstream of what it pays for.