Huai Ho

a river in East China. Depending on the place of discharge considered, the Huai Ho has a length of 813–1,087 km. It rises in the T’ungpai Shan and flows through the North China Plain. Its main tributary is the Yün Ho (Grand Canal). The river is fed mainly by rain; freshets occur in the summer. The Huai Ho has a mean flow rate of approximately 1,000 cu m per sec, with a maximum of 10,000–13,000 cu m per sec. During freshets, the river and its tributaries carry a sediment load of 10–15 kg per cu m, much of which is deposited on the riverbed; as a result the riverbed has gradually become elevated and in places rises above the surrounding plain.

To prevent flooding in the river basin, dikes with a height of 6–8 m and a total length of approximately 6,000 km have been constructed. In the past the dikes have given way, and in the ensuing floods the riverbed has shifted. The Huai Ho has at various times emptied into the Yangtze, the Huang Ho, and the Yellow Sea. At present it discharges, through a system of lakes and canals, primarily into the Yangtze. Efforts to control flooding in the Huai Ho basin have resulted in the construction of reservoirs and of a canal that provides an outlet to the Yellow Sea.

The Huai Ho is navigable as far as the city of Chengyangkuan, and it is linked to the Yangtze and the Huang Ho by the Great Canal. The river is used for irrigation, primarily in the southern part of the river basin. The cities of Huainan and Pangpu are situated on the Huai Ho.