Muzat River
Encyclopedia
The Muzart River or Muzat River is a river in Aksu Prefecture
of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
, a left tributary of the Tarim River
. An early 20th-century source also gives an alternative name for this river, Shāh-Yār-Daryā.
The Muzart River starts in the Muzart Glacier (木扎尔特冰川) in the Tian Shan
Mountains, not too far from Khan Tengri
Peak, and flows toward the southeast and east through Baicheng County
, in the valley between the main range of the Tian Shan and the Queletage Mountains (却勒塔格山) to the south. Most of Baicheng County's population lives in the valley irrigated by this river.
As the river flows east, toward Kucha
, it crosses the Queletage Range in a steep valley. Cut into the northern walls of the valley are 230 caves and grottos, the Kizil Caves
archaeological site.
The river has been dammed a short distance upstream of the Kizil site, forming a large man-made lake. With the surface area of 50,000 sq m, the reservoir has been described as "the largest swimming pool" in southern Xinjiang. However, its construction may have destroyed the possibility of future archaeological excavations for the area.
Farther east the river enters a wide plain, where most of its water is taken into irrigation channels supporting the agriculture of the Kuqa, Toksu
, and Xayar Counties. Theoretically, the Muzart River is considered a left tributary of the Tarim River
, but in practice its waters flow all the way to the Tarim only during the spring-summer flood season.
Aksu Prefecture
Aksu Prefecture is located in mid-western Xinjiang, China. It has an area of 132,500 km² and 2.19 million inhabitants .The name Aksu is Turkic for 'white water'.-Geography:...
of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, a left tributary of the Tarim River
Tarim River
The Tarim River is the principal river of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
. An early 20th-century source also gives an alternative name for this river, Shāh-Yār-Daryā.
The Muzart River starts in the Muzart Glacier (木扎尔特冰川) in the Tian Shan
Tian Shan
The Tian Shan , also spelled Tien Shan, is a large mountain system located in Central Asia. The highest peak in the Tian Shan is Victory Peak , ....
Mountains, not too far from Khan Tengri
Khan Tengri
Khan Tengri is a mountain of the Tian Shan mountain range. It is located on the China—Kyrgyzstan—Kazakhstan border, east of lake Issyk Kul. Its geologic elevation is , but its glacial cap rises to...
Peak, and flows toward the southeast and east through Baicheng County
Baicheng County
The Baicheng County is a county in the Aksu Prefecture of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. The county's land area is 15,889 km2...
, in the valley between the main range of the Tian Shan and the Queletage Mountains (却勒塔格山) to the south. Most of Baicheng County's population lives in the valley irrigated by this river.
As the river flows east, toward Kucha
Kucha
Kuchaor Kuche Uyghur , Chinese Simplified: 库车; Traditional: 庫車; pinyin Kùchē; also romanized as Qiuzi, Qiuci, Chiu-tzu, Kiu-che, Kuei-tzu from the traditional Chinese forms 屈支 屈茨; 龜玆; 龟兹, 丘玆, also Po ; Sanskrit: Kueina, Standard Tibetan: Kutsahiyui was an ancient Buddhist kingdom...
, it crosses the Queletage Range in a steep valley. Cut into the northern walls of the valley are 230 caves and grottos, the Kizil Caves
Kizil Caves
The Kizil Caves are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres northwest of Kucha...
archaeological site.
The river has been dammed a short distance upstream of the Kizil site, forming a large man-made lake. With the surface area of 50,000 sq m, the reservoir has been described as "the largest swimming pool" in southern Xinjiang. However, its construction may have destroyed the possibility of future archaeological excavations for the area.
Farther east the river enters a wide plain, where most of its water is taken into irrigation channels supporting the agriculture of the Kuqa, Toksu
Toksu County
Toksu County is a county in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, and is under the administration of the Aksu Prefecture. It contains an area of 5,821 km2. According the 2002 census, it has a population of 140,000.-Transportation:...
, and Xayar Counties. Theoretically, the Muzart River is considered a left tributary of the Tarim River
Tarim River
The Tarim River is the principal river of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
, but in practice its waters flow all the way to the Tarim only during the spring-summer flood season.