Construction boom depletes river sand faster than nature can replace it

Global demand for construction materials is driving the extraction of sand and gravel from rivers far faster than natural supplies can recover, ERR reports. Sand and gravel used for concrete foundations and asphalt roads are extracted from the Earth each year in greater quantities than all fossil fuels combined.

Researchers from Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States and several other countries analysed 411 studies published since 1974 to assess the scale and consequences of river-sand mining worldwide. They found that rapidly developing countries in Asia and Africa are the main drivers of global demand for construction sand.

In 2000, the world used just under 12 billion tonnes of sand and gravel to produce concrete. By 2024, that figure had risen to more than 28 billion tonnes.

The analysis found that uncontrolled extraction is lowering the beds of many rivers and causing their banks to collapse. This, in turn, lowers groundwater levels and worsens water quality.

Dredging riverbeds significantly alters water movement and disrupts the natural balance. In coastal deltas, for example, saltwater can travel farther inland along a deeper river channel. Large, deep mining pits also remain in riverbeds, making the channels rougher and creating whirlpools. As a result, new sediment carried by the water cannot naturally fill the pits.

The researchers said countries must develop more sustainable construction solutions to protect rivers and secure a more sustainable future. Recycled or synthetic materials should be used more widely, while clear policies should link permitted extraction volumes to rivers’ actual ability to recover.

The analysis was published in the journal Reviews of Geophysics.