The state of rivers will continue to be of paramount importance in a future of climate change, increasing populations and uncertain water supplies. Riversymposium 2005 will focus on some of the pressing issues important to water and food security such as transboundary catchment conflicts and resolutions, water scarcity and urban and rural tensions over sharing water resources. Institutional and legal arrangements for river management will be featured along with work on rivers as corridors. We will continue discussions on living with floodplain rivers, maintaining and restoring native fish populations, polluted rivers and predicting and planning for climate change. Regular features of Riversymposium sessions on community involvement, dams, and the Thiess Riverprize finalists will return.