River

A river biome.

A river is a common biome. Rivers can serve as borders between various other biomes, and usually lead to oceans, although they can also form loops.

Description

Rivers are thin, lengthy biomes that frequently generate across the world. They typically serve as a division between two different biomes, but can also split a single biome in two. They are filled with water up to sea level, though rivers may run dry in certain areas due to higher than usual elevation. Saddle valleys in mountains can generate rivers, but often too high so that there's not any water. Rivers can vary a lot in width and depth, in generally flat areas rivers are usually around 10 blocks deep but in mountainous regions rivers can reach over 30 blocks in depth which is comparable to deep oceans. Sometimes rivers can also generate as lakes with small islands.

Exposed grass in rivers takes on a bluish-green hue and oak trees can rarely generate along with spare grass. Riverbeds consist of dirt, sand, gravel, and clay, and are one of the few places where clay generates, alongside lakes, swamp marshes, ocean hilltops, and lush caves. Sugar cane occasionally generates on the riverbank. Salmon and squid may spawn here.

Variants

There are two different river biomes.

River

River

Features	Disk
Blocks	Water Grass Block Dirt Clay Sand Gravel Sugar cane Seagrass
Climate
Temperature	0.5
Downfall	0.5
Precipitation	Yes
Colors
Grass color	#8EB971
Foliage color	#71A74D
Water color	#3F76E4‌  #0084FF‌

{
    "title": "River",
    "rows": [
        {
            "field": "<span class=\"nowrap\"><span class=\"sprite-file\" style=\"\">(link to File:EnvSprite disk.png article, displayed as 16x16px|link=Disk|alt=|class=pixel-image|)</span>(link to Disk article, displayed as <span class=\"sprite-text\">Disk</span>)</span>",
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        },
        {
            "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
            "label": "Blocks"
        },
        {
            "field": "",
            "label": "Climate"
        },
        {
            "field": "0.5",
            "label": "(link to Biome#Temperature article, displayed as Temperature)"
        },
        {
            "field": "0.5",
            "label": "(link to Biome#Downfall article, displayed as Downfall)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Yes",
            "label": "(link to Biome#Precipitation article, displayed as Precipitation)"
        },
        {
            "field": "",
            "label": "Colors"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #8EB971; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #8EB971</span>",
            "label": "Grass color"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #71A74D; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #71A74D</span>",
            "label": "Foliage color"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #3F76E4; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #3F76E4</span>‌<sup class=\"noprint nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement only applies to Java Edition\">(link to Java Edition article, displayed as JE)  only</span></i>]</sup><br><span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #0084FF; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #0084FF</span>‌<sup class=\"noprint nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement only applies to Bedrock Edition\">(link to Bedrock Edition article, displayed as BE)  only</span></i>]</sup>",
            "label": "Water color"
        }
    ],
    "invimages": [],
    "images": [
        "River.png"
    ]
}

The standard river variant. This is a very common biome in the game. The grass color is turquoise green, similar to the meadow and birch forest biomes. Vegetation is sparse, with occasional oak trees. Seagrass generates atop the riverbed.

Neither passive nor hostile‌ mobs (except drowned) spawn within river biomes themselves, but frequently wander into them from the surrounding biomes if they can spawn there. Drowned can spawn underwater, as can salmon and squid.

The following mobs are naturally spawned here：

In Java Edition

Mob	Spawn weight	Group size
Monster category
Creeper	100⁄615	4
Drowned	100⁄615	1
Skeleton	100⁄615	4
Slime	100⁄615	4
Spider	100⁄615	4
Zombie	95⁄615	4
Enderman	10⁄615	1–4
Witch	5⁄615	1
Zombie Villager	5⁄615	1
Underground water creature category
Glow Squid	1	4–6
Water creature category
Squid	1	1–4
Water ambient category
Salmon	1	1–5
Ambient category
Bat	1	8

{ "hasNotes": true, "notes": { "Slime": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks." }, "1": { "totalWeight": 615, "mobs": [ { "size": "4", "mob": "Creeper", "weight": 100 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Drowned", "weight": 100 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Skeleton", "weight": 100 }, { "note": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "mob": "Slime", "weight": 100, "notename": "Slime", "size": "4" }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Spider", "weight": 100 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Zombie", "weight": 95 }, { "size": "1-4", "mob": "Enderman", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Witch", "weight": 5 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Zombie Villager", "weight": 5 } ], "category": "monster" }, "2": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "4-6", "mob": "Glow Squid", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "underground" }, "3": { "totalWeight": 2, "mobs": [ { "size": "1-4", "mob": "Squid", "weight": 2 } ], "category": "watercreature" }, "4": { "totalWeight": 5, "mobs": [ { "size": "1-5", "mob": "Salmon", "weight": 5 } ], "category": "waterambient" }, "5": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "8", "mob": "Bat", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "ambient" } }

In Bedrock Edition

Mob	Spawn weight	Group size
Monster category
Drowned	1	2–4
Creature category
Glow Squid	10⁄18	2–4
Squid	8⁄18	2–4
Water creature category
Salmon	1	3–5

{ "notes": [], "1": { "totalWeight": 5, "mobs": [ { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Drowned", "weight": 5 } ], "category": "monster" }, "2": { "totalWeight": 18, "mobs": [ { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Glow Squid", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Squid", "weight": 8 } ], "category": "creature" }, "3": { "totalWeight": 16, "mobs": [ { "size": "3-5", "mob": "Salmon", "weight": 16 } ], "category": "watercreature" } }

Frozen river

Frozen River

Blocks	Ice Water Grass Block Dirt Clay Sand Gravel
Climate
Temperature	0.0
Downfall	0.5
Precipitation	Yes
Colors
Grass color	#80B497
Foliage color	#60A17B
Water color	#3938C9‌  #185390‌

{
    "title": "Frozen River",
    "rows": [
        {
            "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
            "label": "Blocks"
        },
        {
            "field": "",
            "label": "Climate"
        },
        {
            "field": "0.0",
            "label": "(link to Biome#Temperature article, displayed as Temperature)"
        },
        {
            "field": "0.5",
            "label": "(link to Biome#Downfall article, displayed as Downfall)"
        },
        {
            "field": "Yes",
            "label": "(link to Biome#Precipitation article, displayed as Precipitation)"
        },
        {
            "field": "",
            "label": "Colors"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #80B497; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #80B497</span>",
            "label": "Grass color"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #60A17B; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #60A17B</span>",
            "label": "Foliage color"
        },
        {
            "field": "<span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #3938C9; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #3938C9</span>‌<sup class=\"noprint nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement only applies to Java Edition\">(link to Java Edition article, displayed as JE)  only</span></i>]</sup><br><span style=\"display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap;\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; background-color: #185390; border: 1px solid #888; border-radius: 0.3em; width: 1em; height: 1em; vertical-align: -0.36em; margin-right: -0.1em\"><br></span> #185390</span>‌<sup class=\"noprint nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement only applies to Bedrock Edition\">(link to Bedrock Edition article, displayed as BE)  only</span></i>]</sup>",
            "label": "Water color"
        }
    ],
    "invimages": [],
    "images": [
        "Frozen River.png"
    ]
}

Frozen rivers replace regular rivers in regions with snowy biomes. As the name implies, the top layer of water is entirely frozen, although some non-frozen water can still remain under trees and overhangs. Seagrass does not generate on the riverbed. While sugar cane can generate alongside a frozen riverbank, it often quickly uproots itself after generation due to the water being frozen. Oak trees and grass can still generate here if this biome generates on land. Sometimes, frozen rivers can generate next to regular taiga biomes, as taiga biomes are able to generate in the same temperature range as frozen rivers. This results in weird, albeit intentional, generation.

The following mobs are naturally spawned here：

In Java Edition

Mob	Spawn weight	Group size
Monster category
Creeper	100⁄516	4
Skeleton	100⁄516	4
Slime	100⁄516	4
Spider	100⁄516	4
Zombie	95⁄516	4
Enderman	10⁄516	1–4
Witch	5⁄516	1
Zombie Villager	5⁄516	1
Drowned	1⁄516	1
Underground water creature category
Glow Squid	1	4–6
Water creature category
Squid	1	1–4
Water ambient category
Salmon	1	1–5
Ambient category
Bat	1	8

{ "hasNotes": true, "notes": { "Slime": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks." }, "1": { "totalWeight": 516, "mobs": [ { "size": "4", "mob": "Creeper", "weight": 100 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Skeleton", "weight": 100 }, { "note": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "mob": "Slime", "weight": 100, "notename": "Slime", "size": "4" }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Spider", "weight": 100 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Zombie", "weight": 95 }, { "size": "1-4", "mob": "Enderman", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Witch", "weight": 5 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Zombie Villager", "weight": 5 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Drowned", "weight": 1 } ], "category": "monster" }, "2": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "4-6", "mob": "Glow Squid", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "underground" }, "3": { "totalWeight": 2, "mobs": [ { "size": "1-4", "mob": "Squid", "weight": 2 } ], "category": "watercreature" }, "4": { "totalWeight": 5, "mobs": [ { "size": "1-5", "mob": "Salmon", "weight": 5 } ], "category": "waterambient" }, "5": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "8", "mob": "Bat", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "ambient" } }

In Bedrock Edition

Mob	Spawn weight	Group size
Monster category
Slime	100⁄225	1
Stray	96⁄225	1–2
Skeleton	24⁄225	1–2
Drowned	5⁄225	2–4
Creature category
Glow Squid	10⁄23	2–4
Squid	8⁄23	2–4
Rabbit	4⁄23	2–3
Polar Bear	1⁄23	1–2
Water creature category
Salmon	1	3–5

{ "hasNotes": true, "notes": { "Slime": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks." }, "1": { "totalWeight": 225, "mobs": [ { "note": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "mob": "Slime", "weight": 100, "notename": "Slime", "size": "1" }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Stray", "weight": 96 }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Skeleton", "weight": 24 }, { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Drowned", "weight": 5 } ], "category": "monster" }, "2": { "totalWeight": 23, "mobs": [ { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Glow Squid", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Squid", "weight": 8 }, { "size": "2-3", "mob": "Rabbit", "weight": 4 }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Polar Bear", "weight": 1 } ], "category": "creature" }, "3": { "totalWeight": 16, "mobs": [ { "size": "3-5", "mob": "Salmon", "weight": 16 } ], "category": "watercreature" } }

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	[hide]Translation key
River	river	biome.minecraft.river
Frozen River	frozen_river	biome.minecraft.frozen_river

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	[hide]Numeric ID
[No displayed name]	river	7
[No displayed name]	frozen_river	11

History

[hide]Java Edition Beta
August 18, 2011							Notch tweeted a screenshot of a revamped river biome. {"type": "java Beta", "version": "August 18, 2011", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Notch tweeted a screenshot of a revamped river biome."}
1.8			Pre-release				Added rivers as a separate biome. Previously, were generated as part of the terrain generation algorithm. {"type": "java Beta", "version": "1.8", "exp": "", "snap": "Pre-release", "content": "Added rivers as a separate biome. Previously, were generated as part of the terrain generation algorithm."}
[hide]Java Edition
1.0.0			Beta 1.9 Prerelease				Added frozen river. {"type": "java", "version": "1.0.0", "exp": "", "snap": "Beta 1.9 Prerelease", "content": "Added frozen river."}
1.13			18w08b				Added salmon, which spawn in rivers. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13", "exp": "", "snap": "18w08b", "content": "Added (link to salmon article, displayed as salmon), which spawn in rivers."}
			18w11a				Added drowned, which spawn in rivers. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13", "exp": "", "snap": "18w11a", "content": "Added (link to drowned article, displayed as drowned), which spawn in rivers."}
			18w14a				Seagrass now generates in rivers. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13", "exp": "", "snap": "18w14a", "content": "(link to Seagrass article, displayed as Seagrass) now generates in rivers."}
			18w16a				The ID of frozen river has been changed from FrozenRiver to Frozen River. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13", "exp": "", "snap": "18w16a", "content": "The ID of frozen river has been changed from <code>FrozenRiver</code> to <code>Frozen River</code>."}
1.13.1			18w31a				Squid now spawn only in oceans and rivers, making them slightly more common in rivers, as there are fewer places elsewhere for them to spawn. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13.1", "exp": "", "snap": "18w31a", "content": "(link to Squid article, displayed as Squid) now (link to spawn article, displayed as spawn) only in (link to ocean article, displayed as oceans) and rivers, making them slightly more common in rivers, as there are fewer places elsewhere for them to spawn."}
1.18			experimental snapshot 4				River biomes are less likely to form a steep, dry river gorge in mountainous terrain. Instead, they either carve a fjord through it, or they raise the terrain to form a valley. {"type": "java", "version": "1.18", "exp": "", "snap": "experimental snapshot 4", "content": "River biomes are less likely to form a steep, dry river gorge in mountainous terrain. Instead, they either carve a fjord through it, or they raise the terrain to form a valley."}
							Rivers that go through swamps tend to be more shallow. {"type": "java", "version": "1.18", "exp": "", "snap": "experimental snapshot 4", "content": "Rivers that go through (link to swamp article, displayed as swamps) tend to be more shallow."}
			experimental snapshot 5				Rivers are less likely to be super deep or get choked off in flat areas. {"type": "java", "version": "1.18", "exp": "", "snap": "experimental snapshot 5", "content": "Rivers are less likely to be super deep or get choked off in flat areas."}
							Rivers tend to get shallow and merge with swamps instead of carving through them. {"type": "java", "version": "1.18", "exp": "", "snap": "experimental snapshot 5", "content": "Rivers tend to get shallow and merge with swamps instead of carving through them."}
[hide]Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.1.0							Added biomes, including rivers. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "v0.1.0", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added biomes, including rivers."}
v0.13.0			build 1				Added rabbits, which can spawn in frozen rivers. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "v0.13.0", "exp": "", "snap": "build 1", "content": "Added (link to rabbit article, displayed as rabbits), which can spawn in frozen rivers."}
v0.15.0			build 1				Added strays, which spawn in frozen river biomes. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "v0.15.0", "exp": "", "snap": "build 1", "content": "Added (link to strays article, displayed as strays), which spawn in frozen river biomes."}
[hide]Pocket Edition
1.0.0			alpha 0.17.0.1				Added polar bears, which can spawn in frozen rivers. {"type": "pocket", "version": "1.0.0", "exp": "", "snap": "alpha 0.17.0.1", "content": "Added (link to polar bear article, displayed as polar bears), which can spawn in frozen rivers."}
[hide]Bedrock Edition
1.4.0			beta 1.2.13.8				Added drowned, which spawn in river biomes. {"type": "bedrock", "version": "1.4.0", "exp": "", "snap": "beta 1.2.13.8", "content": "Added (link to drowned article, displayed as drowned), which spawn in river biomes."}
			beta 1.2.14.2				Added salmon, which spawn in rivers. {"type": "bedrock", "version": "1.4.0", "exp": "", "snap": "beta 1.2.14.2", "content": "Added (link to salmon article, displayed as salmon), which spawn in rivers."}
							Rivers now generate with seagrass. {"type": "bedrock", "version": "1.4.0", "exp": "", "snap": "beta 1.2.14.2", "content": "Rivers now generate with (link to seagrass article, displayed as seagrass)."}
1.13.0			beta 1.13.0.9				Squid can now spawn in rivers. {"type": "bedrock", "version": "1.13.0", "exp": "", "snap": "beta 1.13.0.9", "content": "Squid can now spawn in rivers."}

• 

  The first image of a river released by Notch.

Issues

Issues relating to "River" or "Frozen River" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

• Both types of rivers override ravines at or close to the surface level, causing the ravine to be abruptly cut off by a wall of stone. However, if the ravine is long enough, it may continue on the other side of the river.
  • Ravines can generate underground in river biomes without being cut off.

Gallery

Screenshots

• 

  A river near two forests.

• 

  A narrow river.

• 

  A frozen river in a cold biome.

• 

  A river separating a desert and a forest.

• 

  Rivers splitting and cutting through a taiga.

• 

  A river running through a desert.

• 

  A river running between a forest and windswept hills, with a sunset in the background.

• 

  A river in Java Edition 1.18 Experimental Snapshot 1.

• 

  A river that failed to generate properly due to a nearby mountain.

• 

  Frozen river carved a fjord through mountainous terrain.

• 

  A circular river surrounding a small plains biome.

• 

  A river running through a swamp.

• 

  A big river.

• 

  A river buffet world.

• 

  A frozen river buffet world.

• 

  A river connected to a large lake in a jungle.

• 

  A big river flowing past a village.

• 

  A big river flowing past a village.

• 

  A river next to a cherry grove.

• 

  Traveling by boat through a river.

• 

  A river flowing through a dark forest.

• 

  A weird "river" in the middle of a mesa.

• 

  Ditto, but with f3 screen for proof.

In other media

• 

  A snifflet approaching a river.

See also

• Swamp
• Beach
• Ocean

External links

• Around the Block: River – Minecraft.net on October 22, 2020
• Around the Block: Frozen River – Minecraft.net on November 28, 2023