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]

Map including a section of the Keriya River in the Taklamakan Desert (DMA, 1974)

Map including a section of the Keriya River (labeled as K'o-li-ya Ho) in the Taklamakan Desert (DMA, 1974)

Map including a section of the Keriya River (labeled as K'o-li-ya Ho) in the Taklamakan Desert (ATC, 1970)

Map including a section of the Keriya River (labeled as K'o-li-ya Ho (Keryia Daryo)) in the Taklamakan Desert (ATC, 1971)

Keriya River
Map of the Tarim Basin including the Keriya River
Location
Country	China
State	Xinjiang
Physical characteristics
Source	Kunlun Shan
• coordinates	35°38′31″N 82°43′30″E
• elevation	5,610 m (18,410 ft)
Mouth	Tarim Basin
• coordinates	38°36′11″N 82°05′48″E
• elevation	1,150 m (3,770 ft)
Length	519 km (322 mi)
Basin size	7,358 km2 (2,841 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Keriya Town
• average	22.6 m3/s (800 cu ft/s)
• minimum	0 m3/s (0 cu ft/s)
• maximum	780 m3/s (28,000 cu ft/s)

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]