Keriya River
| Keriya River | |
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| State | XInjiang |
| Source | Kunlun Shan |
| - elevation | 5,610 m (18,406 ft) |
| - coordinates | CN 35°38′31″N 82°43′30″E / 35.64194°N 82.72500°E |
| Mouth | Tarim Basin |
| - elevation | 1,150 m (3,773 ft) |
| - coordinates | CN 38°36′11″N 82°05′48″E / 38.60306°N 82.09667°ECoordinates: CN 38°36′11″N 82°05′48″E / 38.60306°N 82.09667°E |
| Length | 519 km (322 mi) |
| Basin | 7,358 km2 (2,841 sq mi) |
| Discharge | for Keriya Town |
| - average | 22.6 m3/s (798 cu ft/s) |
| - max | 780 m3/s (27,545 cu ft/s) |
| - min | 0 m3/s (0 cu ft/s) |
 Map of the Tarim Basin including the Keriya River | |
The Keriya River is a river in the province of Xinjiang in China. It flows for 519 km (322 mi) from the Kunlun Shan mountain range north into the endorheic Tarim Basin, but is lost in the desert several hundred kilometers south of the Tarim River. The only major settlement along the river is Keriya Town, east of Hotan. The river is an important source of irrigation water and also supplies historically important oases along its course. Its drainage basin covers about 7,358 km2 (2,841 sq mi).[1]
Situated in an extremely arid region, the river is heavily dependent on glacier meltwater, which provides about 71% of its flow. Some 20% comes from groundwater seepage, and only 9% comes from direct precipitation. Historical accounts suggest that the river may have reached the Tarim as recently as 200 B.C, when the climate in the area was wetter and much less water was being used by human activities.[2]
References
- ↑ Saiti, Al (1989-01-15). "Stream types and flood features on the north slope of the West Kunlun Mountains" (PDF). Bulletin of Glacial Research. Japanese Society on Snow and Ice. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ↑ Yang, Xiaoping; et al. (2002). "Late Quaternary palaeoenvironment change and landscape evolution along the Keriya River, Xinjiang, China: the relationship between high mountain glaciation and landscape evolution in foreland desert regions" (PDF). University of Cincinnati. Retrieved 2011-09-22.