Urban river zones are vital components of blue-green infrastructure (BGI), offering essential ecosystem services and promoting urban resilience. However, their potential is often undervalued or mismanaged, leading to environmental degradation and reduced benefits for urban populations. This study examines the role of urban river zones as components of Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) in Novosibirsk, the third largest city in Russia. The research focuses on the properties, functional roles, and efficiency of river zones in providing ecosystem services and enhancing urban sustainability. The study area includes the Ob River and its tributaries within the city boundaries. Through geospatial analysis, historical mapping, and field surveys, we examine the spatial distribution, land use patterns, and environmental conditions of both major (Ob River) and minor river zones. The results show that the major river zone, despite its cultural significance, poorly performs the function of a green corridor due to the prevalence of sealed lands, low green infrastructure quality, and limited access to ecosystem services. Minor river zones are less managed and have few parks. However, due to a higher percentage of vegetated areas, they have a larger capacity to provide ecosystem services. However, they do not perform the linking function of green corridors due to a lack of green elements, poor environmental quality, and few links with Ob’s ecosystems. The study concludes that the efficiency of river zones as part of BGI in Novosibirsk is low, but they have the potential to be transformed into efficient green corridors with proper planning and management.