Chien Chiang

(also Wu Chiang), a river in China, a right tributary of the Yangtze. The name “Ch’ien Chiang” is sometimes applied to just the lower course of the river.

The Ch’ien Chiang is approximately 1,500 km long (1,018 km according to some sources) and drains an area of 86,200 sq km. It rises on the Kweichow Plateau and flows through mountainous regions for its entire length, forming rapids and waterfalls. The river is fed by rain; high water occurs in the summer. The mean flow rate is 1,750 cu m per sec. The river’s hydroelectric potential has been estimated at 8 million kilowatts. The Ch’ien Chiang is navigable as far as the city of Ssunan. The city of Fuling is situated at the mouth of the river.