Brief introduction of Beijing water system

Yongding River, which diagonally crosses the southwest of Beijing, is the largest transit river. Due to the uneven seasonal distribution of precipitation in the upper reaches, its flow is extremely unstable. In addition, the upper reaches pass through the loess area, and the river has more sediment concentration. Rivers in plain areas are constantly silted up and their migration is uncertain. Historically known as the Little Yellow River, Wuding River is another name. It was not until the completion of Guanting Reservoir in 1950s that the hydrological characteristics of Yongding River were changed.

Chaobai River is the second largest river in Beijing, and its upper reaches are divided into Chaohe River and Baihe River. After the two rivers meet near Hecao Village in Miyun County, they are called Chaobai River. It is also a river that often silts, breaks and migrates. From the late 1950s to the early 1960s, Miyun Reservoir was built in Luo Yan Basin in the middle of Miyun County.

The North Canal flows through the north and east of Beijing. Its upstream is Wenyu River, which originates from the southern foothills of Du Jun and flows from northwest to southeast. It is called the North Canal only after Tongxian meets Tonghui River. The North Canal is the northernmost section of the North-South Grand Canal excavated by the Sui Dynasty in the early 7th century. Rivers in the suburbs of Beijing, such as Qinghe River in the north and Liangshui River in the south, almost all flow into the North Canal, which is the main drainage channel in Beijing.

There are several big rivers in Beijing, including Yongding River, Chaobai River and North Canal, and there are more than 80 large and small rivers.