Yarlung Tsangpo River

Map of the Yarlung Tsangpo

Yarlung Tsamgpo River, whitewater

Yarlung Tsangpo River, sediment

The Yarlung Tsangpo River originates upstream from the South Tibet Valley and Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon, in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. It then passes through the state of Arunachal Pradesh, India, where it is known as the Dihang. Downstream from Arunachal Pradesh the river becomes wider and at this point is called the Brahmaputra River. It eventually disgorges into the Bay of Bengal. Since the river crosses international boundaries, it has at least three different names in different languages.^[1]

The Yarlung Tsangpo River is the highest major river in the world. Its longest tributary is the Nyang River. In Tibet the river flows through the South Tibet Valley, which is approximately 1200 kilometres long and 300 kilometres wide. The valley descends from 4500 metres above sea level to 3000 metres.^[2][3] As it descends, the surrounding vegetation changes from cold desert to arid steppe to deciduous scrub vegetation. It ultimately transitions into a conifer and rhododendron forest. The tree line is approximately 3,200 metres.^[4] Sedimentary sandstone rocks found near the Tibetan capital of Lhasa contain grains of magnetic minerals that record the Earth's alternating magnetic field current.^[1]

Yarlung Tsangpo River as it courses through the Tibetan Autonomous Region, with peaks Namche Barwa and Gyala Peri

The Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon, formed by a horseshoe bend in the river where it flows around Namcha Barwa, is the deepest, and possibly longest canyon in the world.^[5] The river has been a challenge to whitewater kayakers because of the extreme conditions of the river.^[6]

The Yarlung Tsangpo River has three major waterfalls.^[7] The largest waterfall of the river, the "Hidden Falls", was not discovered until 1998.^[8]

Kayak exploration

Since the 1990s the Yarlung Tsangpo River has been the destination of a number of teams that engage in exploration and whitewater kayaking. The river has been called the “Everest of Rivers” because of the extreme conditions of the river.^[9] The first attempt to run was made in 1993 by a Japanese group who lost one member on the river.

In October 1998, a kayaking expedition sponsored by the National Geographic Society attempted to navigate the Tsangpo Gorge. Troubled by unanticipated high water levels, the expedition ended in tragedy when expert kayaker Doug Gordon lost his life.^[10] The largest waterfall of the river, the "Hidden Falls", was not discovered until 1998.^[11]

In January-February, 2002, an international group consisting of Scott Lindgren, Steve Fisher, Mike Abbott, Allan Ellard, Dustin Knapp, and Johnnie and Willie Kern, completed the first descent of the upper Tsangpo gorge section.^[12]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Yarlung Zangbo

• Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon
• Tibetan Plateau

Notes

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