The Tongtian River or Zhi Qu (Tibetan) is a 1,012 km long river in Qinghai Province in western China. It begins at the confluence of the Ulan Moron and Dangqu rivers, before flowing southeast and meeting the Jinsha River near the border of Qinghai and Sichuan. It is part of the Yangtze River drainage basin.

Name

The Chinese name comes from a fabled river in the classic novel Journey to the West. In antiquity, it was called the Yak River. In Mongolian, this section is known as the Murui-ussu (Муруй-Ус, lit. "Winding Water") and is sometimes confused with the nearby Baishui.

Geography

The three principal headwaters—the Chumaer, Muluwusu, and Akedamu rivers—join to form the Tongtian River, which flows southeast to Zhimenda near the frontier between Qinghai and Sichuan provinces, where it becomes the Jinsha River (Jinsha Jiang). The Jinsha River is a primary tributary of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). The Tongtian River is one of the five large rivers flowing from headwaters on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Its length is 1,012 kilometres, draining an area of 138,000 square kilometres. Pilgrims go to the river because it is mythical, but also it is known for its "sutra bridge" and "Gyiana Mani stones".

Dams

The Tongtian is planned for heavy development, primarily for hydroelectric power. As of March 2014 a total of 10 dams are planned for the river. Those dams are listed below from downstream to upstream.