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Huai River

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The Huai River is a major river located in East China.

It sits roughly midway between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. These two other rivers are the longest in China. The Huai River covers a drainage area of about 101,000 square kilometers. It is a vital part of the region's geography. The river helps form the Qinling–Huaihe Line. This line includes the Qin Mountains and the Huai River. It acts as a geographical dividing line between northern and southern China. This boundary closely follows the January isotherm. An isotherm is a line on a map connecting points with the same temperature. It also follows the isohyet, which is a line connecting points with equal rainfall.

The river follows a complex path through several provinces. It originates in the Tongbai Mountain in Henan province. From there, it flows through southern Henan and northern Anhui. It also passes through northern Jiangsu. Much of the water pools into Lake Hongze. From this lake, the river flows southwards as the Sanhe River. This path takes the water through Gaoyou Lake and Shaobo Lake. The river eventually empties into the Yangtze River at Sanjiangying. This location is near Yangzhou. Other passages exist for the water to travel. One is the Huaihe Sea Entryway and Subei Irrigation Canal. This path passes through Huai'an and reaches the sea at Biandan Port.

Bengbu Huaihe Railway Bridge
Bengbu Huaihe Railway Bridge

There are several distinct ways the water moves through this system. In Jiangsu province, the river is interconnected with different waterways. This connection makes it part of the Grand Canal. This helps to circumvent or avoid flooding. Another separate course runs north through the Huaimu River and Huai Shu River. This route connects the Huai River system to the Xinyi River. The Xinyi River is part of the Yishusi River system. This system eventually exits into the sea at Guanyun in Lianyungang. These different channels show how the river system has been managed over time.

The history of the Huai River shows how much the landscape can change. Historically, the river entered the Yellow Sea at Yunti Pass. This was through a broad and level lower course. The river was used to irrigate many farmlands. It was the center of many canals and tributaries. However, the Yellow River began to change the area in 1194. The Yellow River repeatedly changed its course southwards. It began to run into the Huai River. This caused heavy silting in the basin. Silt is fine sand or clay carried by running water. The Yellow River returned to its northern course in 1897. By then, the geography had changed significantly. The silt created new high lands and lakes.

These geological changes caused serious problems for water flow. Water from the midsection could not flow easily into the lower section. At the same time, water in the lower section could not find an outlet to the sea. The situation became even more difficult during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Nationalist government opened the southern levee of the Yellow River. They did this to check the pace of the Japanese invasion. The main stem of the Yellow River flowed through this breach for nine years. This further disrupted the entire Huai river system. As a result, water from the Huai River began to pool in Lake Hongze. Most of the flow now runs south towards the Yangtze River.

The river is famously vulnerable to flooding. Between the years 450 and 1950, the river experienced many major floods. On average, there were 94 major floods per century. The area also suffered from droughts between these flood events. Engineers have tried to solve these problems for many years. They have focused on building outlets into the Yangtze River and the sea. Currently, much of the flow enters the Yangtze via Lake Hongze. The North Jiangsu Main Irrigation Canal also diverts water. It follows the old historical course toward the sea. There are plans to upgrade this with a new parallel channel. Some former tributaries still carry water to the sea.

The Huai River system includes many different tributaries. There are 15 main tributaries that cover a large area. There are also 21 main tributaries with a catchment area larger than 10,000 square kilometers. A catchment area is the land where water collects and drains into a river. These tributaries include the Hong River and the Ying River. Other rivers include the Guo River and the Bai Lu River. These waterways are essential for the local environment and the people who live there.

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File:Liang Huai yan chang ji si sheng xing yan tu. LOC gm71005050.jpg
Liang Huai yan chang ji si sheng xing yan...
File:Bengbu Huaihe Railway Bridge.JPG
Bengbu Huaihe Railway Bridge.JPG
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