Cultivation and other farming
They can be a natural resource if they are deep enough to be navigable, or if they have enough flow to be usable for irrigation or drinking water, etc.
Some economic Benefits of rivers are:-Tourism-Irrigation-Real Estate-Fishing Resource-Transport-Recreation-Agriculture-Hydroelectric power
Irrigation is the process of supplying water artificially to the plants through land or soil. Some of the commonly used irrigation types are surface irrigation, localized irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, sub irrigation, automatic irrigation and in-ground irrigation.
Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout the human history. Water from the rivers is a basic natural resource, essential for various human activities. Therefore, the river banks have attracted settlers from ancient times. These settlements have now become big cities. Using rivers for irrigation, navigation, hydro-power generations of special significance for country like India, where agriculture is the major source of livelihood of the majority of its population. SOURCE: NCERT
Those are the two rivers in what is now Iraq, which in earlier historical times defined the region of Mesopotamia, which was the site of the earliest civilizations, and which was extremely influential in the evolution of human culture as we know it today.
Farther from
agriculture
Farming
irrigation
During the earliest years of agricultural development, the introduction of irrigation techniques such as canals and ditches allowed farms to be located farther from rivers. This enabled farmers to cultivate land in areas that might not have been naturally suitable for agriculture due to lack of water access.
Invention of irrigation systems, like canals and wells, allowed farmers to access water sources farther from rivers. This enabled farms to be established in regions with limited water availability, increasing agricultural expansion and productivity.
Irrigation allowed farms to be further away from rivers. Irrigation is an artificial way to bring water to the land or soil.
The development of irrigation techniques such as canals and wells around 10,000 years ago allowed crop growing to be farther from rivers. This allowed early agricultural societies to expand their cultivated land beyond the limitations of riverbanks and seasonal flooding, leading to increased food production and population growth.
The development of irrigation systems and water management techniques allowed crop growing further from rivers by providing a controlled and reliable source of water to crops. Improved transportation systems also played a role in enabling crops to be grown farther from rivers by facilitating the transportation of goods to market. Additionally, advancements in farming technology, such as the use of machinery and fertilizers, increased efficiency and productivity in agriculture, allowing for the cultivation of crops in more diverse locations.
Irrigation canals expanded farmland because they haelped farmers bring water to areas of farmland that were not close to rivers or lakes. Irrigation canals were set up so that water would flow to vegetation and crops that were farther from the rivers or lakes.
Rivers are a good source of fish and fresh water. They can be irrigated more easily than lakes too. Areas around rivers provided more fertile farmland. Irrigation projects starts close to the river and then expands from it, the farther an area is from the river the less water they will have for irrigation.
The effect irrigation has on soil is that it dampens it, making it better for growing crops. To groundwater, irrigation fills it up with water. Rivers are affected by irrigation by the irrigation flowing into it.