Yarkand River
| Yarkand River | |
|---|---|
 Yarkand River | |
  | |
| Location | |
| Country | China |
| Province | Xinjiang |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | North Siachen Muztagh, Karakoram range at an Altitude of 7,462 m (24,482 ft) |
| • coordinates | 35°32′53″N 77°28′58″E / 35.547983°N 77.482907°E |
| 2nd source | East Siachen Muztagh, North Rimo Glacier |
| • coordinates | 35°29′17″N 77°26′52″E / 35.488°N 77.4479°E |
| 3rd source | Karakoram_Pass |
| • coordinates | 35°30′48″N 77°49′22″E / 35.51346°N 77.8227°E |
| • elevation | 5539 |
| Mouth | |
• location | Tarim River or Neinejoung River |
• coordinates | 38°25′00″N 77°21′36″E / 38.416667°N 77.36°E |
| Length | 1,332.25 km (827.82 mi) |
| Basin size | 98,900 km2 (38,200 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 210 m3/s (7,400 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Yarkand |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Shaksgam, Tashkurgan, Kashgar |
| • right | Aktagh River |
| Waterbodies | Altash Water Conservancy Project (Midstream Reservoir) |
| Yarkand River | |
|---|---|
| Uyghur name | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Yè'ěrqiāng Hé |
| Wade–Giles | Yeh4-erh3-ch'iang1 He2 |
| IPA | [jêàɚtɕʰjáŋ xɤ̌] |
The Yarkand River (or Yarkent River, Yeh-erh-ch'iang Ho) is a
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of western China. It originates in the Siachen Muztagh in a part of the Karakoram range and flows into the Tarim River or Neinejoung River, with which it is sometimes identified.[clarification needed
] However, in modern times, the Yarkand river drains into the Midstream Reservoir and exhausts its supply without reaching the Tarim river. The Yarkand River is approximately 1,332.25 km (827.82 mi) in length, with an average discharge of 210 m3/s (7,400 cu ft/s).
A part of the river valley is known to the Kyrgyz people as Raskam Valley, and the upper course of the river itself is called the Raskam River.[1] Another name of the river is Zarafshan.[2] The area was once claimed by the ruler of Hunza.
Course
The river originates from the
Sinkiang border region, south of the Kashgar Prefecture.[3] It flows roughly due north until reaching the foot of the Kunlun Mountains. Then it flows northwest where it receives waters from the Shaksgam River
, which originates from the many glaciers draining the north flanks of the great Karakorum range. The Shaksgam River is also known in its lower course (before falling into the Yarkand) as the Keleqing River (Chinese: 克勒青河; pinyin: Kèlèqīng Hé).
Then Yarkand River flows north, through the
Tashkurgan valley, eventually receiving the waters of the Tashkurgan River from the west. It is then impounded by the Aratax dam, which was completed in 2019 to store 2.2 km3 (1,800,000 acre⋅ft) for flood control, irrigation and hydropower generation.[4]
After this, the river turns northeast and enters the
Yarkant county. Continuing northeast, it receives the Kashgar River
from the west, eventually draining into the Shangyou Reservoir.
Even though the river originally drained into the Tarim River, development along its course in recent decades has depleted its flow. During the period 1986 to 2000, it flowed into the Tarim River only once.[5]
The drainage area of Yarkand is 108,000 sq. km. It irrigates areas in
Bachu counties. It also irrigates ten mission fields in the Agricultural Division.[6]
History
The ancient
Fa Xian
is believed to have followed this route.
With the Arab conquest of
Khurasan in 651 AD, the main Silk route to western Asia was interrupted, and the importance of the South Asian route increased. Gilgit as well as Baltistan find increased mention in the Chinese chronicles (under the names Great Po-lu and Little Po-lu, from the old name Bolor). China invaded Gilgit in 747 AD to secure its routes to Gandhara and prevent Tibetan influence. But the effects of the invasion appear to have been short-lived, as Turkic rule took hold in Gilgit.[10][11]
It is possible that alternative trade routes developed after this time between Yarkand and
Mirza Haidar Dughlat.[14]
Gallery
-
Map including Zerafshan R. and Raskem daria (1917) -
Rivers of the Tarim Basin -
Moghulistan (Chagatai Khanate), 1490 AD -
Map including part of the Yarkand River (labeled as YĀRKAND RIVER) (AMS, 1955) -
![Map including the Yarkand River (labeled as Yeh-erh-ch'iang Ho) and surrounding region from the International Map of the World (AMS, 1966)[a]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Txu-oclc-6654394-nj-43-5th-ed.jpg/215px-Txu-oclc-6654394-nj-43-5th-ed.jpg)
Map including the Yarkand River (labeled as Yeh-erh-ch'iang Ho) and surrounding region from the International Map of the World (AMS, 1966)[a] -
Map including part of the Yarkand River (Yeh-erh-ch'iang Ho) (ACIC, 1969) -
Map including the upper reaches of the Yarkand River -
Yarkand River -
Sheep on the bank of the Yarkand River -
Ferry on the Yarkand River (1915) -
Langar Bridge (兰干桥) on the Yarkand River
_p61_PLATE19._SINKIANG_(14597194848).jpg)
.png)
![Map including the Yarkand River (labeled as Yeh-erh-ch'iang Ho) and surrounding region from the International Map of the World (AMS, 1966)[a]](/File:Txu-oclc-6654394-nj-43-5th-ed.jpg)
Notes
- ^ From map: "DELINEATION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED AUTHORITATIVE"
References
- ISBN 81-85431-71-Xvol 1 p.22, in Google Books
- ^ NGIA GeoNames search
- ISBN 978-81-7024-946-7
- ^ "Hydro dam built to tame Yarkant River in Xinjiang". China Daily. 2019-09-06.
- ISBN 978-1-84339-501-0
- ISBN 978-94-017-8017-9
- ^ Harmatta 1996, pp. 492–493.
- ISBN 978-0-85728-821-9
- ^ Harmatta 1996, pp. 425–426.
- ^ Litvinsky 1996, pp. 374–375.
- ^ Dani 1998, p. 222.
- ^ Dani 1998, pp. 223, 224.
- ^ Pirumshoev & Dani 2003, pp. 238, 242.
- ^ Khan & Habib 2003, p. 330.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-92-3-102846-5
- Litvinsky, B. A. (1996), History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume III: The crossroads of civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750 (PDF), UNESCO Publishing, ISBN 978-92-3-103211-0
- ISBN 978-92-3-103467-1
- Pirumshoev, H. S.; ISBN 978-92-3-103876-1
- Khan, Iqtidar A.; ISBN 978-92-3-103876-1
External links
- Yarkand River plotted on OpenStreetMap.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yarkand River.