What kind of river is the Tarim River? Learn more in this article →

“Tarim River, the river of my hometown, how many times have you flowed through my dreams…” Whenever the melody of this song sounds, the image of the Tarim River, a river that flows through the vast history and feeds nearly half of the population of Xinjiang, unfolds slowly like a magnificent picture scroll.

Tarim River

What kind of river is it?

For thousands of years, there have been countless rumors about the Tarim River, and its impression has not remained unchanged over time. It is necessary to draw a complete "portrait" of the Tarim River.

01

Origin: Three Rivers Converge

In historical documents, the Tarim River was once called the Jishu River, the Congling River, the Ergoguole River, etc. It was not until the late Qing Dynasty that it was called the Tarim River.

▲The source of the main stream of the Tarim River. Photo by Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily reporter Jambulati Manarbek

Many people's understanding of the Tarim River is: China's longest inland river, the fifth largest inland river in the world, located on the northern edge of the Tarim Basin in southern Xinjiang. Just like the basic information such as name, gender, and place of origin in a personal resume, it does not reveal its personality, let alone its origin.

▲The snow-covered Pamir Plateau. Photo by Erken Tasi Timur

The Tarim River itself does not produce flow. Historically, nine major water systems have flowed into the Tarim River. Today, the Aksu River originating from the Tianshan Mountains, the Yarkand River originating from the Karakoram Mountains and the Kunlun Mountains, and the Hotan River constitute the three major sources of the upper reaches of the Tarim River.

The source of the Yarkand River comes from the meltwater from glaciers on the Pamir Plateau. From this perspective, the Tarim River has a close connection with the Pamir Plateau, which is known as the "Roof of the World" and the "Source of All Waters".

▲The Tarim River is frozen in the coldest days of winter on January 12, 2021. Photo by Wang Zhiqing

The three rivers converge at Xiaojiashe, 16th Regiment of the First Division of the Corps, to form the main stream of the Tarim River, with a length of 1,321 kilometers.

The direction of the flow is determined by the topography. The Tarim Basin is surrounded by the Tianshan Mountains in the north, the Pamir Plateau in the west, and the Kunlun Mountains and the Altun Mountains in the south. The three sides are surrounded by high mountains. Generally speaking, the terrain is high in the west and low in the east. Therefore, like the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, the Tarim River flows from west to east, first winding in the northern part of the Tarim Basin, then turning southeast, passing through the eastern part of the Taklimakan Desert, and finally merging into the Taitema Lake on the southeast edge of the Taklimakan Desert. Looking down from the sky, it looks like a huge inverted "C" shape crawling in the Tarim Basin.

▲ Schematic diagram of the Tarim River. Source: Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily

02Flows through: Five prefectures and four divisions

The Tarim River is 2,486 kilometers long, starting from its longest source, the Yarkand River, which is equivalent to the distance of two round trips from Urumqi to the Baktu Port in Tacheng. The river passes through the southern part of Aksu, Shaya, Kuche, Luntai, Korla, Yuli and other counties (cities), and finally flows into Taitema Lake.

▲On January 12, 2021, overlooking the geometric beauty of the Tarim River. Photo by Wang Zhiqing

Water is the source of life. The Tarim River, which flows through 1.02 million square kilometers of land, supports 12.5432 million residents in five prefectures and four divisions of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, accounting for 48.52% of Xinjiang’s total population.
▲On December 6, 2014, the Tarim River flows through the desert landscape. Photo by Sun Jihu

The alternation of the four seasons and the wear and tear of traveling thousands of miles have made the once-busy Tarim River become thin during the dry season and plump during the flood season.

▲The poplar forest along the Tarim River. Photo by Erken Tasi Timur

All this is because many of the 144 rivers in the nine major water systems that converge into the Tarim River are seasonal rivers: in summer and autumn, there is plenty of water, and even floods, but in winter and spring, the water volume decreases sharply, and some river sections even dry up for a long time;

It is also due to the geographical and climatic conditions of the Tarim Basin: little precipitation and astonishing evaporation, coupled with seepage and consumption along the way through the desert sections, the amount of water that finally arrives at Taitema Lake is no longer as abundant as when it set out.

It also stems from large-scale agricultural reclamation and intensive development of water resources.

▲A river alluvial fan in the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon Scenic Area on Duku Highway on National Highway 217 on August 5, 2022. Photo by Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily reporter Zou Yi

By the 1970s, the Tarim River was already "poor and sick" - the river section below Daxihaizi in the lower reaches of the main stream was dry for nearly 360 kilometers, the Taitema Lake at the tail end dried up, and a large area of ​​poplar trees in the ecological corridor died. The two major deserts separated by the Tarim River - the Kumtag Desert and the Taklimakan Desert - were advancing towards each other from the north and south, and were gradually converging...

▲On March 26, 2019, the Lop Nur National Wetland Park in the Yuli section of the Tarim River Basin. Photo by Que Hure

However, how can the people who are nourished by the Tarim River sit idly by and do nothing? It is imperative to manage the Tarim River.

In 1997, my country’s first local river basin water resources management regulation, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Tarim River Basin Water Resources Management Regulations, was issued;

In 2001, the State Council approved the implementation of the "Recent Comprehensive Management Plan for the Tarim River Basin", with 10.74 billion yuan allocated for the ecological protection and restoration of the Tarim River.

In 2011, the management system of the Tahe River underwent a fundamental change, achieving unified dispatch and management of water resources;

In 2016, the autonomous region aligned the water allocation plan for the Tarim River Basin with the “three red lines” water use control indicators;

In 2017, the river and lake chief system was fully implemented in the Tarim River Basin.

▲Overlooking the Aksu National Wetland Park (taken by drone on July 26). Photo by Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily reporter Yotikker Nigati

A series of people's livelihood projects, happiness projects and ecological projects are in full swing.

In 2018, the Aksu National Wetland Park, built on pothole-ridden and flooded land, was officially opened;
In 2019, the Dashixia Water Conservancy Project, which is responsible for supplying ecological water to the main stream of the Tarim River, taking into account flood control, irrigation, and peak-shaving of electricity in the four prefectures of southern Xinjiang, started construction;
In 2021, the Altash Hydropower Project, the largest water conservancy project in Xinjiang, was put into use, playing a comprehensive role in ecology, flood control, irrigation and power generation, and completely solving the millennium flood problem of the Yarkand River.
Since 2000, Xinjiang has implemented ecological water transfer to the lower reaches of the Tarim River for 23 consecutive times...

▲Ailisi water diversion hub. Photo by Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily reporter Jambulati Manarbek

Today, Tahe River has regained its vitality. The Taitema Lake, which once dried up, is now rippling with green waves, the endangered Populus euphratica forests are growing again, and the green ecological corridor is gradually recovering; the two major deserts are moving away from each other in the north and south directions, facing each other across the river...

The management of the Tarim River has not yet been completed. A new stage is coming, which will develop water conservancy and benefit people's livelihood.

The revival of Tahe is what everyone expects.

▲ Taitema Lake, the tail of the Tarim River, where National Highway 218 passes through, has become a famous scenic avenue (data picture). Photo courtesy of Xinjiang Photo Collection

03Destination : Revival and prosperity

The Tarim River not only gives birth to life, but also offers rich natural resources and cultural landscapes, giving its people broad feelings and pride in their rich history.

▲Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves. Aksu Daily

Here is the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, the earliest large-scale cave complex in my country's history and listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site, which records the historical and real life scenes in Xinjiang from about the 3rd to the 13th century AD.

▲ Flocks of birds flying in autumn (data photo). Photo by Wang Yongqiang

Here is the Bayinbuluke Swan Lake, the largest swan nature reserve in Asia and the only one in my country. The slowly flowing Kaidu River stops here and lingers, creating a magical winding path.

▲The winding path sparkles under the setting sun. Photo by Erken Tasi Timur

Here is the oldest, largest, best-preserved and most densely distributed poplar forest in the world - it lives for a thousand years, stands for a thousand years after death, and remains immortal for a thousand years after falling;

Here is the ancient kingdom of Loulan, which was located on the Silk Road and mysteriously disappeared, leaving only ruins. It is still talked about and studied...

▲Lop Nur. Source: CCTV News

If a river has a source, it must have a destination.

The main stream of the Tarim River once flowed into Lop Nur. Due to the reduction of river water volume and the fluctuation of the river channel, the river was diverted. Before 1972, the tailwater could reach Taitema Lake in the north of Ruoqiang County. Later, the end point retreated to the Daxihaizi Reservoir in Tieganlik. After the whole basin was managed in the early 21st century, water began to flow to Taitema Lake again.

▲On the banks of the Tarim River, more and more wild animals are regaining vitality.

When things are difficult, you must change; change leads to success; success leads to longevity. The swaying changes of the Tarim River are the reason why it can flow endlessly in the arid inland, and also the path for human beings to understand nature and improve the environment.
From its origin to its decline, the Tahe River has gone through thousands of years and experienced vicissitudes; from its revival to its prosperity, the Tahe River will carry on the past and have a long way to go.

The Tarim River carries the history of Xinjiang; the Tarim River has witnessed the great changes in Xinjiang.

▲Tourists take a shuttle bus for sightseeing in the Luobu Village Scenic Area in Yuli County (file photo). Photo by Li Fei

The river flows, life goes on

If you understand this river, you will understand Xinjiang

Author: Hu Xiaorong

Image design: Mohaba Ahati

References:

1. Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2021-10-12 "Tarim River: Hometown River, Mother River, River of Life"

2. 2021 "Seventh National Population Census Bulletin"

3. Sediment Research Issue 6, December 2002, Sediment Research Institute, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research 4. Report on the Work of Tarim River Basin, Tarim River Basin Administration of the Autonomous Region (July 5, 2022)

5. Chinese Heritage 2009 Issue 10

Author: Tang Rongyao

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