| Keriya River | |
| Map: | Tarimrivermap.png |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | China |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Xinjiang |
| Length: | 519km (322miles) |
| Discharge1 Location: | Keriya Town |
| Discharge1 Min: | 0m3/s |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 22.6m3/s |
| Discharge1 Max: | 780m3/s |
| Source1: | Kunlun Shan |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 35.6419°N 82.725°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 5610m (18,410feet) |
| Mouth: | Tarim Basin |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 38.6031°N 82.0967°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 1150m (3,770feet) |
| Basin Size: | 7358km2 |
The Keriya River is a river in the province of Xinjiang in China. It flows for 519km (322miles) from the Kunlun Shan mountain range north into the endorheic Tarim Basin, but is lost in the desert several hundred kilometers south of the Tarim River. The only major settlement along the river is Keriya Town, east of Hotan. The river is an important source of irrigation water and also supplies historically important oases along its course. Its drainage basin covers about 7358km2.[1]
Situated in an extremely arid region, the river is heavily dependent on glacier meltwater, which provides about 71% of its flow. Some 20% comes from groundwater seepage, and only 9% comes from direct precipitation. Historical accounts suggest that the river may have reached the Tarim as recently as 200 B.C, when the climate in the area was wetter and much less water was being used by human activities.[2]