This study has been conducted to investigate the potential energy reserve amount of river water as energy resource with useful temperature difference. Since the river water temperature is one of the primary parameters deciding the potential amount of river water energy reserve amount, the climate change effects on it are critically important. In this study, the heat exchange processes and the inter-relationship between the air temperature and river water temperature have been theoretically analyzed. Based on the present study, the potential energy reserve of river water is calculated to amount to 192,000 Tcal/year. Among this, it is estimated that approximately 2,000 Tcal/year can be directly utilized for heat pump energy sources.