Bailong River

Bailong River
Bailong River
Native name	白龙江 (Chinese) འབྲུག་ཆུ (Standard Tibetan)
Location
Country	China
Provinces	Gansu; Sichuan
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Langmusi
Mouth	Jialing River
• location	Guangyuan
• coordinates	32°22′11″N 105°42′36″E
Length	576 km (358 mi)
Basin size	31,808 km2 (12,281 sq mi)

The Bailong River (simplified Chinese: 白龙江; traditional Chinese: 白龍江; pinyin: Báilóng Jiāng; lit. 'White Dragon River') or Khuchu, Drukchu (Tibetan: འབྲུག་ཆུ, Wylie: vbrug chu, ZYPY: Zhugqu) is a 576km-long river in the Yangtze River basin. From its source to confluence with the Jialing River, the Bailong is actually longer and is thus the main stem of the Jialing River system. The scenic Jiuzhaigou reserve is found along one of the Bailong's tributaries. Two reservoirs have been constructed in Wen County (Bikou Dam). The reservoirs serve to provide hydroelectricity, aquaculture, flood control, irrigation and for tourism development.

History

Main article: 2010 Gansu mudslide

In August 2010, heavy rains triggered a mudslide that dammed the river in Zhugqu County, Gansu, causing extensive damage and killing over a thousand people.

Course

The Bailong River, in name, rises in Gansu's Luqu County, just west of the town of Langmusi. The river drains the northern sections of the Min Mountains and then flows through Zhugqu and Longnan before meeting the Jialing River in Guangyuan, Sichuan. The main stem of the river, however, is actually a tributary that has its source in the Min Mountains, north of Songpan.

See also

• List of rivers in China