Xi
Xi is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Coordinates
- 23.05°, 112.43°
About Xi
The Xi River (; Chinese: 西江) or Si-Kiang is the western tributary of the Pearl River in southern China. It is formed by the confluence of the Gui and Xun Rivers in Wuzhou, Guangxi. It originates from the eastern foot of the Maxiong Mountain in Qujing City, Yunnan Province. Then it flows east through Guangdong, and enters the Pearl River Delta just east of the Lingyang Gorge in Zhaoqing. The main branch of the Xi River flows southeast through the delta entering the South China Sea at Modao Men, just west of Macau. The major cities along the Xi include Wuzhou, Zhaoqing, and Jiangmen.
The other two main tributaries of Pearl River are the Dong River (literally, the East River) and Bei River (the Northern River). As for other functions, it plays a vital role in carbon storage and transport in Southern China. The Xi River is facing some ecological challenges such as drought, invasive species, and pollution.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Xi River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Xi in Depth
River Ecology
Rivers are a significant storage and transport system for both organic and inorganic carbon. The Xi River is an important source of atmospheric carbon dioxide in Southern China, with carbon inputs coming mainly from the river's headwater Nanpan and Beipan rivers. In the Beipan River, carbon inputs come from the oxidation of organic carbon and the coal industry along the river. In the Nanpan River, carbon inputs come mainly from soil and organic detritus.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Xi River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Xi: Key Facts
| Length | 2,197 km |
|---|---|
| Average discharge | 7,410 m³/s |
| Drainage basin | 437,000 km² |
| Mouth | Pearl River |
| Tributaries | Beipan River, Bei River, Xunjiang, Gui River, Yuecheng River, Xinxing River, Luoding River |
Facts from Wikidata Q216941 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Xi: Quick Answers
- Where is Xi?
- Xi is located in China, at 23.0520° N, 112.4253° E.
- Are there dams on the Xi?
- No dam on the Xi is recorded in the YearMaps dam index, which covers major structures only.