Yüan Chiang

a river in South China. The Yüan Chiang is 993 km long and drains an area of about 90,000 sq km. It rises in the southeastern part of the Kweichow Plateau and empties into Tungt’ing Hu in the Yangtze basin. The mean flow rate is about 2,500 cu m per sec; high water occurs in summer. The lower course of the river is navigable and is commercially fished. The cities of Hungchiang, Yüanling, and Ch’angte are located on the Yüan Chiang.