Working with Finish to help replenish the Rio Grande

WWF and Finish are raising awareness on critical water issues in the Rio Grande and encouraging individuals to reduce household water consumption

Did you know that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may be at risk of water shortages? To address the world’s water crisis, Finish Dishwashing and WWF are working together to help protect freshwater ecosystems and reduce household water consumption.

In the US, WWF and Finish are partnering to help protect and replenish the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, one of America’s most important and endangered rivers. Our partnership aims to spread awareness about the growing freshwater scarcity issues across the US, particularly highlighting the state of drought in the Rio Grande. Through this partnership, WWF and Finish will encourage the public to adopt simple water-friendly habits that can add up to meaningful differences. While drought is prevalent across all regions of the US, the partnership hopes to drive consumer awareness and action for the most at-risk rivers. We are investing with local organizations in projects that will help replenish and improve the health of the Rio Grande Basin and its ecosystems. Today’s action can help save tomorrow’s water.

The Rio Grande: An Ecological Treasure

  • El Paso
  • Presidio
  • Big Bend NationalPark
  • Chihuahua
  • United States
  • Mexico
  • Rio peco
  • Rio grande
  • rio concho
  • 0
  • 50
  • 100 miles

Rio Grande River Basin

The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo is an ecological treasure, winding 1,800 miles through the Southern Great Plains and the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest desert in North America. An essential river to communities in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo provides fresh water to nearly 16 million people across both countries, including over 20 Tribal Nations and Pueblos. The Rio Grande is also rich in biodiversity. It is the lifeblood of the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion, which is home to more mammals than Yellowstone National Park and more birds than the Everglades National Park. And 50% of all fish species in the river are found nowhere else in the world.

The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo is one of the world’s most at-risk rivers suffering from water scarcity due to the human-caused climate crisis, water management, infrastructure, and increasing water use. Without urgent interventions, the river may cease to support the millions of people and wildlife who rely on it and impact its ability to support production of the commodities that many of us enjoy.

The partnership is aligned with WWF’s greater conservation approach for the Rio Grande and is rooted in WWF’s five strategic pillars:

Purpose of this strategy:

Build a climate resilient and socially equitable water management system to restore hydrological connectivity and support thriving communities and ecosystems in the Rio Grande/Bravo*

  • I. Foster shared vision and raise awareness
  • II. Ensure critical water flows for nature and people
  • III. Promote resilient production systems
  • IV. Enable thriving communities and producers
  • V. Secure the policies and enabling conditions that underpin a resilient system

We will be updating this website with additional information as we make progress on our replenishment projects. Learn more about WWF’s conservation work in the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion and Rio Grande Basin.

In partnership with National Geographic and award-winning storyteller Pete McBride, learn more about how Finish is driving awareness on the state of the Rio Grande.