Tarim River

The Tarim River is a very long river. It flows through a big desert in China.

The river starts in cold mountains. In summer, snow and ice melt. This melting snow turns into river water.

The river moves through the sand. It can change its path often. Some people say it is like a horse without reins.

Many animals live near the water. You can find camels and birds there. Some trees grow along the river too.

Today, the river does not reach the sea. It dries up in the desert. It is a very special river.

The Tarim River is a very long river in China. It is the longest inland river in the country. It flows through the Tarim Basin. This is a large desert area.

The river starts in the Karakoram and Kunlun Mountains. Most of its water comes from melting snow and glaciers. This melting happens mostly from June to September. In the winter, the river freezes over. It stays frozen from December to March.

The river's path can change often. Some people say the name Tarim means "horse without reins." This describes how the river moves and shifts. It carries a lot of silt, which is fine sand and dirt. This makes the river shallow.

Many plants and animals live near the water. You can find poplar trees and shrubs like wormwood. Wild camels and red deer live there too. Many birds stop to rest in the river valley.

Today, the river does not reach the sea. It used to flow into a place called Lop Nur. Now, it often dries up at Taitema Lake. This is because people use the water for farms.

The Tarim River is a very special river in Xinjiang, China. It is the longest inland river in the whole country. This river flows through the Tarim Basin, which is a huge desert area. The river sits between the Tian Shan and Kunlun Mountains. It is an endorheic river, which means it does not flow into the ocean. Instead, the water stays within the land.

This river works by gathering water from many different places. It starts in the Karakoram Mountains and flows along the Taklimakan Desert. Most of its water comes from melting snow and glaciers in the mountains. This melting happens mostly from June to September. In the winter, the river freezes over from December to March. The river is also very shallow because it carries a lot of silt. Silt is fine sand and dirt that settles in the water.

People have studied this river for a very long time. In the 2nd century AD, a Greek geographer named Ptolemy called it the Oichardes River. During the Qing dynasty, some people called it "Erse Gol." In Mongolian, this means "flowing water." Another name for the river comes from its behavior. The name Tarim might mean "horse without reins." This describes how the river moves and shifts its path often.

There are many important numbers to know about this river. The Tarim River is 2,327 kilometers long. It drains a massive area of 1.02 million square kilometers. The Aksu River is its most important tributary. It provides 70 to 80 percent of the river's total water. In the summer, the water levels rise during floods. In the winter, the water volume is much lower.

Even in a desert, the river supports many living things. You can find Tugay poplar forests along the river valley. These forests are the largest of their kind in the world. Many animals live near the water, like wild Bactrian camels and Tarim red deer. You might also see geese and egrets flying by. These birds use the valley as a place to stop and rest. The river is a vital path for life in the dry desert.

The Tarim River is a massive, shifting waterway in Xinjiang, China. It is the longest inland river in the country. An endorheic river is a type of river that does not reach the ocean. Instead, its water stays within a closed basin. The Tarim River flows through the Tarim Basin, a desert region located between the Tian Shan and Kunlun Mountains. This river is vital because it provides life to an extremely dry environment.

This river system works through a process of mountain runoff and collection. The water originates in the Karakoram Mountains and several other surrounding ranges. There are 144 rivers that feed into this centripetal water system. These include the Tianshan, Pamir, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Altun Mountains. The river is primarily fed by glaciers and melting snow. Because of this, the water volume changes with the seasons. Between June and September, melting snow causes floods. This period accounts for 70% to 80% of the annual runoff. In contrast, the winter months see much lower water levels. The river actually freezes over every year from December through March.

The Tarim River is formed by the union of several major tributaries. Near Aral City, the Aksu River flows from the north to meet the Yarkand River from the southwest. The Yarkand River is the main source of the system. It begins at the southeastern foot of Mount Telim Kanli. A third river, the Khotan River, also joins this area, though it is often dry when it arrives. The Aksu River is the most important tributary of all. It supplies 70% to 80% of the total water volume. The total average annual water volume at the confluence of the three major sources is 4.299 billion cubic meters. The Aksu River contributes 3.358 billion of those cubic meters.

Geologists and historians view the Tarim as a highly unstable river. It is a braided stream, which means it has many shallow channels that split and rejoin. This happens because the river carries a very heavy silt load. Silt is fine sand and sediment that the water carries along. Because of this sediment, the river is too shallow for navigation. The river's course also changes frequently. In the 2nd century AD, the Greek geographer Ptolemy called it the Oichardes River. During the Qing dynasty, it was called "Erse Gol," which is Mongolian for "flowing water." The name "Tarim" itself may mean "horse without reins." This name describes how the river frequently diverts from its original path.

The river's path is divided into three distinct sections. The upper section is above Yangji Baza. In this area, the riverbed is unstable and the water erodes the sides strongly. The middle section runs from Yangji Baza to Qunke. Here, the terrain is gentle and creates many depressions. The water flows in a disordered network of forks, lakes, and swamps. During floods, the water overflows and disperses into these areas. The lower section begins below Qunke. In this final part, the river channel becomes more unified and restored. Historically, the river reached Lop Nur. Today, it often dries out before reaching it, reaching only as far as Taitema Lake.

Despite the harsh desert, the river supports incredible biological diversity. The Tarim River Basin contains the world's largest primitive Populus euphratica forest. These are special poplar trees that grow in the river valley. Other plants include willow, sea buckthorn, and tamarisk. These plants create a corridor of life in the sand. Many animals depend on this water. You can find Tarim red deer and wild Bactrian camels here. Migratory birds, such as whooper swans and egrets, use the lakes as stopover points. However, these forests are currently disappearing. This is because the water volume has decreased due to human use and river cut-offs.

Human activity has significantly changed how the river functions. In 1921, a major change occurred when the main stream was diverted east. In 1952, a dam was built near Yuli County. This dam separated the river from the Kongque River. As a result, water now flows back to Taitema Lake through the old Tieganlik road. Humans also use the water for irrigation and farming. This has caused the water volume in the main stream to decrease. In the 1950s, the water volume was about 6 billion cubic meters. By the start of the 21st century, it had dropped to 4.4 billion cubic meters. This is an average decrease of 320 million cubic meters every decade.