Gilgit River

Gilgit River
Course of the Gilgit River
Native name	دریائے گلگت (Urdu)
Location
Country	Pakistan
Autonomous territory	Gilgit-Baltistan
Districts	Gupis-Yasin, Ghizer and Gilgit
Physical characteristics
Mouth
• coordinates	35°44′31″N 74°37′29″E / 35.74194°N 74.62472°E / 35.74194; 74.62472
Length	240 km
Basin size	26,159 km2 (10,100 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Gilgit Gauging Station, Gilgit
• average	293 m3/s (10,300 cu ft/s)
• minimum	83 m3/s (2,900 cu ft/s)
• maximum	868 m3/s (30,700 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Alam Bridge Station, Jaglot
• average	617 m3/s (21,800 cu ft/s)
• minimum	66 m3/s (2,300 cu ft/s)
• maximum	4,834 m3/s (170,700 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Indus→ Arabian Sea
Tributaries
• right	Hunza River
Waterbodies	Shandur Lake, Khukush Lake

The Gilgit River (Urdu: دریائے گلگت) is a tributary of the Indus River, flowing through Gilgit Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.¹ The upper sections of the Gilgit River are also referred to as the Gupis River and Ghizer River.

Gilgit River flows through various districts including Gupis-Yasin, Ghizer and Gilgit. It originates from Shandur Lake and proceeds to join the Indus River near the towns of Juglot and Bunji. During its course, Yasin River from Yasin Valley and Karambar/Ishkoman River from Karambar Lake in Ishkoman Valley join it. Hunza River is its largest tributary, contributing over half of its mean annual volume. The confluence of Gilgit River with Indus marks the meeting point of three prominent mountain ranges: the Hindu Kush, the Himalayas, and the Karakoram.²

The catchment area of Gilgit River is 26,159 km² (10,100 sq mi).³ Before the confluence of Gilgit River with Hunza River, its mean annual discharge for the period 1981–2010 at Gilgit Gauging Station is 293 m³/s (10,300 cu ft/s), with a minimum and maximum discharge of 83 m³/s (2,900 cu ft/s) and 868 m³/s (30,700 cu ft/s), respectively.³ After receiving inflow from Hunza, its mean annual discharge for the period 1981–2015 at Alam Bridge Gauging Station was 617 m³/s (21,800 cu ft/s), with a minimum and maximum discharge of 66 m³/s (2,300 cu ft/s) and 4,834 m³/s (170,700 cu ft/s), respectively.¹