Chindwin River
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| Location | |
| Country | Myanmar |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Hukawng Valley,Kachin State |
| • coordinates | 27°3′26.7048″N97°1′33.618″E / 27.057418000°N 97.02600500°E /27.057418000; 97.02600500 |
| • elevation | 1,134 m (3,720 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Irrawaddy River |
• coordinates | 21°28′26″N95°16′53″E / 21.47389°N 95.28139°E /21.47389; 95.28139 |
• elevation | 55 m (180 ft) |
| Length | 1,207 km (750 mi) |
| Basin size | 114,684.9 km2 (44,280.1 sq mi)[1] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Near mouth |
| • average | (Period: 1967– 2009)149.7 km3/a (4,740 m3/s)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Monywa (74 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 110,350 km2 (42,610 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1966–2009)4,637 m3/s (163,800 cu ft/s)[2] |
| • minimum | (Period: 1966–2009)649 m3/s (22,900 cu ft/s)[2] |
| • maximum | (Period: 1966–2009)19,935 m3/s (704,000 cu ft/s)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Hkamti (Basin size: 27,420 km2 (10,590 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1972–2009)2,290 m3/s (81,000 cu ft/s)[2] |
| • minimum | (Period: 1972–2009)109 m3/s (3,800 cu ft/s)[2] |
| • maximum | (Period: 1972–2009)14,150 m3/s (500,000 cu ft/s)[2] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Uyu |
| • right | Myittha |
TheChindwin River (Burmese:Chindwin Myin), also known as theNingthi River[3][4] (Meitei:Ningthi Turel[5][6][a]), is a river flowing entirely inMyanmar, and the largesttributary of the country's main river, theIrrawaddy.[7] Its official name is also spelledChindwinn.[8]
The Chindwin originates in the broadHukawng Valley ofKachin State of Burma, roughly26°26′18″N96°33′32″E / 26.43833°N 96.55889°E /26.43833; 96.55889, where the Tanai, the Tabye, the Tawan, and the Taron (also known as Turong or Towang) rivers meet.
The headwaters of the Tanai are at25°30′N97°0′E / 25.500°N 97.000°E /25.500; 97.000 on the Shwedaunggyi peak of the Kumon range, 12 miles (19 km) north ofMogaung. It flows due north until it reaches the Hukawng Valley. In 2004, the government established the world's largest tiger preserve in the Hukawng Valley, theHukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, with an area of approximately 6,500 km2 (2,500 sq mi); later, the Sanctuary was extended to 21,800 square kilometres (8,400 sq mi), making it the largest protected area in mainland Southeast Asia. The river then turns to the west and flows through the middle of the plain,[7] joined by the Tabye, the Tawan, and the Taron rivers from the right bank. These rivers drain the mountain ranges to the north and northeast of the Hukawng valley.
The Tanai exits the Hukawng valley through the Taron or Turong valley and through a sharpdefile in the river. It then takes on the name of Chindwin, and maintains a general southerly course.[7] It passes the town of SingkalingHkamti on the left bank, then the town ofHomalin, also on the left bank.
The river's course is generally southwesterly until the town ofMingin. It then takes a more southeasterly course entering the broad central plain, passing the city ofMonywa on the left bank. Its course at this point forms the boundary between theSagaing District ofSagaing Region and thePakokku District ofMagway Region.
It enters theAyeyarwady River (Irrawaddy) at about21°30′N95°15′E / 21.500°N 95.250°E /21.500; 95.250. The extreme outlets into the Ayeyarwady are about 22 miles (35 km) apart, the interval forming a succession of long, low, partially populated islands. The lowestmouth of the Chindwin is, according to tradition, an artificial channel, cut by one of the kings ofBagan (Pagan). It was choked up for centuries until 1824 when it was opened out by an exceptional flood.[9] Satellite pictures show this lowest channel to be the widest one today.[10]
Average, minimum and maximum discharge of the Chindwin River atMonywa. Period from 1966/01/01 to 2023/12/31:[2][11][12]
| Year | Discharge (m3/s) | Year | Discharge (m3/s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Mean | Max | Min | Mean | Max | ||
| 1966 | 610 | 5,611 | 24,550 | 1995 | 684 | 4,977 | 20,680 |
| 1967 | 775 | 4,812 | 17,740 | 1996 | 616 | 3,989 | 16,080 |
| 1968 | 757 | 5,137 | 25,450 | 1997 | 432 | 4,434 | 20,400 |
| 1969 | 582 | 4,006 | 20,130 | 1998 | 736 | 5,113 | 19,600 |
| 1970 | 548 | 4,775 | 19,790 | 1999 | 480 | 5,188 | 21,530 |
| 1971 | 509 | 5,792 | 19,450 | 2000 | 632 | 5,514 | 18,740 |
| 1972 | 757 | 3,257 | 16,490 | 2001 | 512 | 4,278 | 14,040 |
| 1973 | 530 | 5,103 | 21,700 | 2002 | 672 | 4,595 | 24,300 |
| 1974 | 921 | 5,566 | 25,000 | 2003 | 744 | 5,134 | 18,460 |
| 1975 | 709 | 4,493 | 17,840 | 2004 | 608 | 5,862 | 19,770 |
| 1976 | 892 | 6,928 | 26,650 | 2005 | 552 | 3,486 | 16,200 |
| 1977 | 798 | 4,398 | 23,800 | 2006 | 242 | 3,771 | 16,520 |
| 1978 | 672 | 3,956 | 16,540 | 2007 | 318 | 5,355 | 19,740 |
| 1979 | 530 | 4,063 | 18,920 | 2008 | 288 | 4,500 | 23,270 |
| 1980 | 806 | 5,075 | 20,300 | 2009 | 257 | 3,232 | 16,160 |
| 1981 | 790 | 3,833 | 16,010 | 2010 | 121 | 3,898 | 13,787 |
| 1982 | 650 | 4,385 | 23,160 | 2011 | 132 | 3,771 | 19,673 |
| 1983 | 653 | 4,247 | 18,840 | 2012 | 343 | 4,817 | 16,600 |
| 1984 | 600 | 5,091 | 22,710 | 2013 | 201 | 4,236 | 16,560 |
| 1985 | 613 | 5,305 | 19,450 | 2014 | 297 | 3,169 | 18,081 |
| 1986 | 591 | 3,981 | 15,420 | 2015 | 4,585 | 25,510 | |
| 1987 | 659 | 5,339 | 20,010 | 2016 | 802 | 5,160 | 19,067 |
| 1988 | 610 | 5,097 | 25,450 | 2017 | 6,776 | 21,831 | |
| 1989 | 783 | 4,796 | 22,490 | 2018 | 5,618 | 19,019 | |
| 1990 | 907 | 5,670 | 20,580 | 2019 | 477 | 4,290 | 12,963 |
| 1991 | 852 | 6,488 | 25,600 | 2020 | 6,114 | 17,800 | |
| 1992 | 1,039 | 4,102 | 14,470 | 2021 | 276 | 4,776 | 16,610 |
| 1993 | 981 | 4,826 | 21,140 | 2022 | 972 | 4,603 | 11,805 |
| 1994 | 644 | 3,439 | 13,410 | 2023 | 156 | 4,204 | 14,527 |
.JPG)
Much of Chindwin's course lies within mountain ranges and forests. Due to the difficulty of access, much of it remains unspoilt. The government of Burma recently created a very large (2,500 square mile) sanctuary for the endangered tiger within the Hukawng Valley.[16]
The mountain ranges to the west of the Chindwin are formidable, yet not totally impregnable to armies. The Kabaw valley saw many an invasion by the kingdom ofManipur to the west, most notably during the reign of KingGaribaniwaj (1709–1748) when his army crossed over the Chindwin and theMu, took Myedu, and reached as far as Sagaing opposite the capitalAva. The tables were turned in 1758 after KingAlaungpaya ascended the Burmese throne.[17] The Burmese army invaded and occupiedManipur andAssam marching across the western mountain ranges, and even encroached upon British India.
DuringWorld War II, when theJapanese had cut off sea access, the British army and other allied forces under GeneralJoseph Stilwell retreated on foot to India across the same mountains, with disastrous results, mainly due to disease and hunger. TheLedo Road was built across the Hukawng valley to supply China.[18] The Chindwin was a major barrier both for the Japanese trying to invade India and for the Allied forces to reoccupy Burma.[19]
The chindwin river has a great impact on the culture of western Burma.[20] Central Sino-Tibetan languages originated from valley areas of this river.
The Chindwin is served by regular river-going vessels up to the town of Homalin.Teak forests within its drainage area have been a valuable resource since ancient times. TheHukawng Valley is known for its abundance of Burmeseamber. Along the river, there are deposits ofjade, butHpakant in the headwaters of the Uyu river is the only place in the world where the finest jade - known asjadeite or imperial jade - is found, along with an abundance offish.[13][14]
Called Ningthi by the Manipuris of India, it drains northwest through the Hukawng valley and then begins its 520-mile (840-kilometre) main course.
The first being the Irrawaddy River Drainage system, where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal. . . . The Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) System includes Tuijang, Taret and Maklang river basins.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)The riverine systems of Manipur falls into two major systems namely the Irrawaddy River System, where water flowing through the rivers of Manipur falls first into the Ningthi Turel (Chindwin River) and thereafter into the Irrawaddy River before discharging into the Bay of Bengal ...
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Download coordinates as:
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