Rivers for Life explains why restoring and preserving more natural river flows is key to sustaining freshwater biodiversity and healthy river systems. Sandra Postel and Brian Richter describe ecological processes supporting rivers, how they have been disrupted by dams and diversions, methods for determining river water needs, and policy/management approaches for restoring flow patterns. The book includes case studies from the United States, Australia, and South Africa and presents a global perspective on managing water for people and nature.