The Kuri Chhu, also known as the Lhozhag Xung Qu () or Norbu Lag Qu (), is a major river of eastern

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...

, that has formed a scenic valley with high peaks and steep hills. Kuri Chhu is a tributary of the

Manas River The Manas River (pron: �mʌnəs, known in Bhutan as the Drangme Chhu, is a transboundary river in the Himalayan foothills between southern Bhutan, India, and China. It is the largest of Bhutan's four major river systems, with the other three ...

system, which is the largest river of Bhutan and a major tributary of the

Brahmaputra River The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Southwestern China, Northeastern India, and Bangladesh. It is known as Brahmaputra or Luit in Assamese language, Assamese, Yarlung Tsangpo in Lhasa Tibetan, Tibetan, the Siang/Dihan ...

that drains most of eastern Bhutan.

Course

The Kuri Chhu originates from the

Kula Kangri Kula Kangri is a mountain in the Eastern Himalayas that has an elevation of , making it the 45th highest mountain on Earth and one of the Ultras of the Himalayas. Chinese and Japanese authorities claim nearby Gangkhar Puensum is higher, and t ...

Glacier in the

Tibet Autonomous Region The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), often shortened to Tibet in English or Xizang in Pinyin, Hanyu Pinyin, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China. It was established in 1965 to replace the ...

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

where it is known as the Lhozhag Nub Qu () and Xung Qu (), and another origin is the Lhozhag Xar Qu () a.k.a. Damxoi Xung Qu () originates between the Xoijin Qênri and the Tar Lhari. It crosses into Bhutan at a relatively low elevation of , flowing in a southerly direction up to Nye and changes its course to south-easterly until it reaches

Lhuentse Dzong Lhuentse Dzong is a dzong architecture, dzong and vihara, Buddhist monastery in Lhuentse District in eastern Bhutan. It lies on the eastern side of the Kuri Chhu and is perched on a spur at the end of a narrow valley. The Dzong was initially kno ...

. Further downstream the Kuri Chhu flows in a south-westerly direction and joins the

Tributaries

The main tributaries of the Kuri Chhu are the Khoma Chhu, Tangkhar Chhu, the Chuneygang Chhu, the Kilung Chhu, the Rong Chhu, the Nye, and Bagang Chhu and the Dungkhar Chhu.

Topography

Geographically Bhutan forms a giant natural staircase. Starting from the plains of India, in the south, at an altitude of around , the elevation rises to the high Himalayan peaks of over , in the north, on the borders with Tibet. Eastern Bhutan lies across the Donga range running north–south across the country and is crossed by the high Thrumshingla pass. From this high pass the terrain drops precipitously to the low valleys of the Kuri Chhu. On a clear day, one can see

Gangkhar Puensum Gangkhar Puensum (, alternatively, Gangkar Punsum or Gankar Punzum) is the highest mountain in Bhutan and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, with an elevation of and a prominence of . In Dzongkha language, its name means "White Peak ...

, Bhutan's highest peak, from Thrumshingla pass. After crossing the pass, for a drive to Sengor the road descends about in . After Sengor the road begins its descent into the Kuri Chhu valley. Numerous waterfalls and streams slide down the sharp cliffs and leap onto the road. In some places the road is critically cut into the side of the vertical cliff. Finally, the road leaves Thrumshingla National Park area and emerges into the upper part of the large valley of the Kuri Chhu, lush with bamboos and ferns. The area is also good for bird watching. The winding road gradually descends through corn fields; rice terraces and tropical fruit plants begin to appear. At Zuri Zampa (bridge) it gets to the lowest point at , after a marked descent of about from Thrumshingla Pass

Water sports

Bhutan is emerging as a noted destination for white water sports, although tourism in the country is strictly regulated. The rivers in Bhutan generally rush down very steep slopes with great force and road access is limited. Therefore, only relatively short sections of the main rivers are suitable for

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

and

rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

. Even within these limitations Bhutan is an attractive destination for the recreational kayaker with incredible rivers that are both challenging and are amongst some of the most beautiful in the world. The Kuri Chhu offers three runs—the upper run and the middle run are suitable only for kayaking, but the lower run is suitable for both rafting and kayaking.

Hydropower

Bhutan's

hydropower Hydropower (from Ancient Greek -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, ...

potential is estimated at 30,000 MW but harnessed capacity is only 460 MW, which includes the 60 MW run-of-the-river type project commissioned in 2001 on Kuri Chhu in

Mongar District Mongar District (Dzongkha: མོང་སྒར་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie transliteration, Wylie: ''Mong-sgar rdzong-khag'') is one of the 20 dzongkhags (districts) comprising Bhutan. Mongar is the fastest-developing dzongkhag in easter ...

. Bhutan and India formed Kurichu Project Authority in 1994 to develop a power plant on the Kuri Chhu. A straight gravity concrete dam was built with a surface power house operating at average net

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple ani ...

of . The Kuri Chhu Hydropower Plant is located in Gyalpozhing, in the Mongar District of Eastern Bhutan. The

plant was formally inaugurated by HRH Trongsa Penlop

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (born 21 February 1980) is the fifth Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) of Bhutan. His reign began in 2006 after his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne. A public coronation ceremony was held on 6 November ...

and H.E Shri Sudhir Vyas, Ambassador of India to Bhutan, on April 26, 2006. The design capacity is 60 MW (4x15 MW).

Weaving

Some of the villages of traditional "kushitara" weavers, linked with the royal family of Bhutan, are found in the Kuri Chhu valley near Mongar. The entire weaving process for complete

kira Kira may refer to: People * Kira clan, a Japanese clan, descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) * Kira (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Kira Chikazane (1563–1588), Japanese retainer * Kira (German singer) (Janine ...

takes between six months to one year to complete. The Bhutanese prize these textiles so highly that they are considered part of a family's wealth and are used as currency.

References

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