Study on the Tarim River and Its Watercourse Evolution in Xinjiang: Recorded in the "Records of Rovers"

Water is one of the most active factors in geographical environment evolution,especially in arid areas.Most of the abandoned oases,land desertification and traffic obstruction of roads are related to the shift and evolution of watercourses of rivers.Therefore,it is very important to research the shift and evolution of watercourses of rivers.It was recorded in a historical literature named the Records of Rivers that there were two Tarim rivers in history,i.e.,the South Tarim and North Tarim River.However,there is only one Tarim River on the current maps,i.e.,the North Tarim River.There are two opposite viewpoints about the existence of the South Tarim all along,some scientists consider that the South Tarim existed in history,but some others do not think so.After carrying out many times of field investigation and some research work and referring the investigated data,RS data and historical literatures,the authors consider that the South Tarim did exist in history,and the stream flow of the South Tarim was cut off and the South Tarim disappeared during the period from 18th century to the 19th century,because the watercourse of the Hotan River,a tributary of the South Tarim River,shifted westward and its stream flow flowed into the Keriya River,a tributary of the current Tarim River.Moreover,the records about the Tarim River in the Records of Rivers and the different viewpoints about the South Tarim are reviewed,and the geographical location and the disappearance causes of the South Tarim are analyzed.