>Vsmith at 15:31, 3 June 2021

2021-06-03T15:31:07Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Dras River
| name_native =
| name_native_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology =

| image = Drasvalley.JPG
| image_size = 290 px
| image_caption = Dras River
| map =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Ladakh
| pushpin_map_size =
| pushpin_map_caption= The confluence of the Dras River with the Suru River

| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[India]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[States and union territories of India|Union Territory]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ladakh]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts in India|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Kargil district|Kargil]]

| length = {{convert|86|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location=
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|212|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max =

| source1 = {{Coord|34.272303|N|75.529832|E|display=inline}}
| source1_location = [[Machoi Glacier]] near [[Zojila]]
| source1_coordinates=
| source1_elevation = {{convert|4400|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = {{Coord|34.5946|N|76.1202|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_location = [[Suru River (Indus)|Suru River]] at Kharul [[Kargil district|Kargil]]
| mouth_coordinates =
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|3618|m|abbr=on}}
| progression =
| river_system =
| basin_size =
| tributaries_left =
| tributaries_right =
| custom_label =
| custom_data =
| extra =
}}

The '''Dras River''', also spelt '''Drass River''', is a [[river]] in the [[Kargil district]] in the [[India]]n union territory of [[Ladakh]]. It originates below the [[Zoji La]] pas in the [[Great Himalayas|Great Himalayan]] range and flows northeast towards [[Kargil]], where it joins the [[Suru River (Indus)|Suru River]]. The [[Shingo River]], which flows in a parallel direction in [[Pakistan-administered Kashmir|Pakistan-administered]] [[Baltistan]], also joins the Drass River. The combined river is alternatively called Suru, Drass and Shingo by various local groups.

The Drass River valley is traversed by the [[National Highway 1D]] that connects [[Srinagar]] in Kashmir with [[Leh]] in Ladakh. It represents a historic trade route.

== Course ==
The Dras River is {{convert|86|km|abbr=on}} long and flows entirely in the Dras Valley. Its [[river source|source]] lies in the [[Machoi Glacier]] near [[Zojila Pass]], the gateway to [[Ladakh]], {{convert|26|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Sonamarg]] and {{convert|120|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Srinagar]], the capital of Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gaffarakashmir.com/kargil.html|title=Kargil the Suru valley|publisher=gaffarkashmir.com|access-date=2012-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419140828/http://gaffarakashmir.com/kargil.html|archive-date=19 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Dras valley">{{cite book | author=Omacanda Hāṇḍā | title=Buddhist Western Himalaya: A politico-religious history |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4VuovXa5YUC&pg=PA67&dq=dras+river&output=html_text&cd=9 | access-date=27 August 2012 | year=2001 | publisher=Indus Publishing, 2001 | isbn=9788173871245 | page=-67}}</ref> The Machoi Glacier is also the source of the [[Sind River]], which flows through the neighbouring [[Kashmir Valley]] in the opposite direction to the Dras River.<ref name="Dras River"/> The Dras River flows northeast, fed by many glacial streams. [[NH 1D]], a national highway connecting Srinagar with Ladakh ([[Kargil district|Kargil]] and [[Leh district|Leh]]), runs parallel to the river. The river forms the Dras Valley at [[Dras]],<ref name="Dras valley"/> where it is joined by two tributaries, the Mashko Nala and Gamru Nala, which originate in the glaciers of Mashko Valley.<ref name="Dras River">{{cite book | author=Harish Kapadia | title=Across Peaks & Passes in Ladakh, Zanskar & East Karakoram |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pl5qHu_K45kC&pg=PA226&dq=dras+river&output=html_text&cd=4 | access-date=27 August 2012 | year=1999 | publisher=Indus Publishing, 1999 | isbn=9788173871009 | page=-226}}</ref> In the Dras Valley, the road connecting Dras and [[Gurais]] runs parallel to the river.

[[File:Singomeetsdras.JPG|thumb|left|The confluence of Dras (left) and [[Shingo River]]s]]
The [[Shingo River]] joins the Dras River at Latoo near Kaksar, and doubles the flow of the river. The Shingo River originates in the Chota Deosai Plains north of Minimarg ([[Astore District]], [[Gilgit-Baltistan]]) and flows east.<ref name="Kapadia1999">{{citation |last=Kapadia |first=Harish |title=Across Peaks & Passes in Ladakh, Zanskar & East Karakoram |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pl5qHu_K45kC&pg=PA226 |year=1999 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-100-9 |pages=226–}}</ref><ref name="Dras valley"/>

The combined Dras and Shingo rivers join the [[Suru River (Indus)|Suru River]] at Kharul, {{convert|7|km|abbr=on}} north of the town of [[Kargil town|Kargil]].<ref name="Dras valley"/> The Suru River is a left tributary of the [[Indus River]].<ref name="suru indus">{{cite book | author=S. S. Negi | title=Cold Deserts of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=54RgJ6FgMl0C&pg=PA13&dq=suru+river+tributary+of+indus+river&output=html_text&cd=3 | access-date=27 August 2012 | year=2002 | publisher=Indus Publishing, 2002 | isbn=9788173871276 | page=-13}}</ref> It originates from the Panzella glacier near [[Pensi La]], flows northwards and merges with the [[Indus River]] at Nurla in Pakistan-administered [[Gilgit-Baltistan]], {{convert|5|km|abbr=on}} north of its confluence with the Dras River. It enters the Pakistani-Administered Kashmir at Post 43 of India or Post 44 of Pakistan.<ref name="zanskar range">{{cite web|url=http://www.ladakh.com/ladakh-info/rivers|title=Rivers of Ladakh|publisher=ladakh.com|access-date=2012-08-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902233945/http://www.ladakh.com/ladakh-info/rivers|archive-date=2012-09-02}}</ref>

== Habitation ==
The Dras River flows through the towns of [[Matayan]], Pandrass, Troungjen, Dras, Bhimbat, Thasgam, Shimsha, Kharbu and Kakshar. The largest settlement on its banks is [[Dras]], which is the second-coldest inhabited place in the world after [[Siberia]].<ref name="Drass valley">{{cite book | author=M.S. Kohli | title=Mountains of India: Tourism, Adventure, Pilgrimage |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GIs4zv17HHwC&pg=PA124&dq=drass+coldest+place&output=html_text&cd=10 | access-date=29 August 2012 | year=2004 | publisher=Indus Publishing, 2004 | isbn=9788173871351 | page=-124}}</ref> The water flow of the river increases during the late summer, due to the heavy melting of glaciers.<ref name="Dras River water flow">{{cite book | author=Sharad Singh Negi | title=Himalayan Rivers, Lakes, and Glaciers Informative books on the himalayas-forestry-environment |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5YtUShKY8zcC&pg=PA61&dq=dras+river&output=html_text&cd=5 | access-date=27 August 2012 | year=1991 | publisher=Indus Publishing, 1991 | isbn=9788185182612 | page=-61}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==See also==

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book | author=William Moorcroft|author-link = William Moorcroft (explorer)|author2= George Trebeck|author-link2 = George Trebeck|author3= Horace Hayman Wilson|author-link3= Horace Hayman Wilson | title=Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Panjab; in Ladakh and Kashmir; in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and Bokhara ...: From 1819 to 1825, Volume 2 |url=https://archive.org/details/travelsinhimala00trebgoog | quote=Shingo river.| access-date=27 August 2012 | year=1841 | publisher=J. Murray, 1841 | page=-261–265}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Dras River}}
* [https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1159554 Suru River basin on OpenStreetMap], including the Dras River

{{Ladakh}}
{{Hydrography of Ladakh}}

[[Category:Rivers of Ladakh]]
[[Category:Geography of Ladakh]]
[[Category:Indus basin]]
[[Category:Rivers of India]]

Dras River - Revision history

>Vsmith at 15:31, 3 June 2021