One of the best features of Starfield is the exploration. There are more than one thousand planets and moons with different atmospheres and terrains to survey. During open beta and the early days of the game, players noticed that, while there are oceans, there is a lack of Earth-like bodies of water like rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. Players are finding out, however, that these bodies of water do exist, but they are extremely rare. The scarcity of these bodies of water may be by design for a couple of reasons.

There are a lot of planets in Starfield with water and some even have aquatic life. But one possible reason rivers, lakes, and ponds are rare in Starfield is that it is much more exciting to find rare things while exploring. Another reason for the rarity of rivers and streams is that, because we don’t know what’s really out there in various systems of the universe, the rarity of Earth-like planets in Starfield is probably more in line with reality in this aspect (I know, it’s a completely fictitious video game, but hear me out).

From exploring these planets I’ve noticed that if you want a lake or beachside outpost, you may have to sacrifice. Most of these locations, so far, do not have the sweet spot of multiple mineral resources, especially the beaches. However, they can be great locations for animal husbandry and greenhouse outposts.

*Tip for surveying in Starfield: If you’re unable to find the last fauna to complete your survey, check the ocean or other water sources. Many of the oceans and other bodies of water in Starfield have aquatic life, or as I like to call them, space piranha.

Ocean Beaches

Oceans with beaches are quite easy to find in Starfield. When you survey a planet from your starship, pinpoint various locations to find the biome that says “coast”. For example, you can look for a biome that says, “Coniferous Forest Coast” or “Swamp Coast.” As long as the biome says “Coast” you will find your ocean. When you land, use your hand scanner and head in the direction where there are no distortions. Sometimes, you can see the coastline from your ship’s landing area.

In case you have not explored them yet, here are a few oceans on different planets and moons in Starfield.

Planets with Rivers, Streams, and Lakes in Starfield

There are plenty of planets and moons with surface oceans and water to harvest in Starfield. Surface rivers, streams, and lakes, however, are incredibly rare. Here are a few planets we found with earth-like ponds, streams, and lakes in Starfield. I’ve found that when looking for lakes, rivers, and ponds in Starfield, look in Wetlands and Swamp biomes. Sometimes Hills biomes will have a lake or pond as well. Also, coastal biomes where there looks to be little pockets of water could have waterways.

While there are plenty of ponds and lakes, rivers are extremely rare. Most players don’t even believe they exist. However, one Redditor, u/Bearpaw5000 found a gorgeous river on the planet Sumati in the Narion system. So far, confirmed planets and moons with water such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams in Starfield include:

• Alpha Tirna VIII-c

• Schrodinger IV

• Zeta Ophiuchi I

• Freya III

• Archimedes III

• Syrma IV

• Magnar - Delta Pavonis System

• Bradbury III

• Codos - Moon of Akila

• Zelazny II

• Ursa Major II

Alpha Tirna VIII-c

Alpha Tirna VIII-c is the only planet in Starfield with a river or stream. The stream pictured is in the Wetlands Coast biome on a peninsula. It’s a level 35 planet, so the fauna is fairly easy to handle. You also do not need to have points in Planetary Habitation to build an outpost here. Though the water is toxic, the resources here are abundant. I was able to find a sweet spot for my outpost with Titanium, Dysprosium, Lead, Tungsten, and Water. This spot also allows for both Animal Husbandry and a Greenhouse.

Schrodinger IV

The Schrodinger system is level 65 and up. Building an outpost on this planet requires three points in Planetary Habitation in the Science tree because of the extreme environment. There are several planets and moons that are full of life, making them some of the best places to farm XP in Starfield. It’s Schrodinger IV, however, that offers a beautiful view of lakes to go with your xp farming. If you’re looking for a beautiful location with decent resources to build your next outpost, Schrodinger IV in the Swamp biome is outstanding.

Zeta Ophiuchi I

Zeta Ophiuchi I is a gorgeous, tropical planet with great mineral, animal, and plant resources. The Swamp biome has plenty of large lakes with aquatic life like the Flocking Stingray Scavenger. Zeta Ophiuchi is also one of the planets where you can get four plus mineral resources in one area easily.

Freya III

Freya III is another beautifully dangerous planet. There are quite a few ponds and lakes throughout the Wetlands, though it takes some serious searching. The water on Freya III is radioactive so no skinny dipping; sightseeing only. You need to have three points in Planetary Habitation to build an outpost on Freya III. Beware of some of the most annoying fauna in Starfield, though, the Cataxi Warrior. They are basically alien scorpions that like to go underground and pop up behind you (Bethesda Games Studio loves its creepy scorpions). Though they are relatively easy to eliminate, they’re just a serious nuisance.

*correction: you only need one point in Planetary Habitation to build an outpost on Freya III.

Archimedes III

If you’re looking for a beautifully scenic spot to build your outpost but don’t have any points in Planetary Habitation yet, here’s the perfect planet for you. Archimedes III has gorgeous lakes and ponds in one particular area of the Swamp just above the Swamp Coast biome. This particular Swamp Coast biome borders a very small “ocean”. On the map, the ocean looks like a lake. The location is nice visually, making it a great spot to build a home. However, resources on Archimedes III are so spread out that getting more than two or three in one lakeside spot is nearly impossible. I say nearly because I have not explored every planet just yet.

This particular Swamp biome of Archimedes III has plenty of fauna and flora with great resources.

Syrma IV

Syrma IV doesn’t have a lot of useful resources, but it does have beautiful scenery that includes lakes and ponds. Even though the water is safe to swim in, these bodies of water are filled with aquatic life aka murder fish—space piranha if you will. This is another planet that does not require skill points in Planetary Habitation.

Magnar

Magnar in the Delta Pavonis System is another beautifully scenic planet with safe water and great mineral, plant, and animal resources. You can find this particular location on the lower right side of Magnar’s globe, under the bottom in the Swamp area, very close to the Swamp Coast but not the coast. You may need two or three skill points in Planetary Habitation as the weather is extreme. Though the water is safe for swimming, these lakes do have danger fish, so beware.

Bradbury III

Though Bradbury III isn’t the most scenic planet, it does have its spots. Bradbury III has a sort of rustic, wild beauty to it. Though its resources are pretty common across all the planets, there’s one thing Bradbury III has that is not so common. Rivers. Bradbury III is another rare planet in Starfield with rivers. There’s a river valley in one of the Wetland biomes. There are also ponds and lakes throughout different Swamp biomes.

Codos - Moon of Akila

Redditer Bovine_Arithmetic shared the location of a beautiful river system on Akila’s moon, Codo. This river system is in the Swamp biome just above Fortuna. The colorful flora and peaceful fauna in the area makes for a tranquil little spot for an outpost. Not to mention, the area where Fortuna is parked is stunning and surrounded by a huge lake. The resources are pretty typical, but the cool thing about Codos is that for each Swamp biome finding a river or lake is pretty easy.

Zelazny II

When scanning for distortions on planets, you may come across frozen lakes as a sign of life. However, they’re never just a part of the regular biome where you can set up an outpost. However, the Swamp biomes of Zelazny II are frozen and have gorgeous ice ponds and lakes that are not frozen over. The water is toxic but there is still aquatic life in many of the lakes. This location was shared with me by another Redditor, aspektx. This spot is gorgeous and reminds me of a perfect spot for a Winter retreat.

Ursa Major II

If you’re looking for a Skyrim-like environment, Ursa Major in the Ursae Majoris region has plenty of beautiful spots to check out. Lakes are easy to find just northeast of the Crash Site in the Deciduous and Coniferous biomes. Rivers are a bit harder to find. I did find a river system Northwest of the Crash site. Even though the planet's information says the water is radioactive, the water is still safe for swimming.

The scarcity of Earth-like bodies of water adds a unique dimension to exploration in Starfield. While rivers, lakes, and ponds are rare, they can be found in certain biomes like Wetlands, Swamps, and even Tropical Forest biomes like Paradiso Resort on Porrima II. These elusive water bodies offer not only stunning views but also the potential for resource-rich outposts. While most players may never come across these rare gems, for those who do, they provide a touch of realism in an otherwise fantastical world. We will do our best to keep this updated as we find more planets with Earth-like bodies of water. Have you found any bodies of water on other planets?