Kapuas River
The Kapuas River (or Kapoeas River) is a river in the Indonesian part of Borneo island, at the geographic center of Maritime Southeast Asia. At 1,143 kilometers (710 mi) in length, it is the longest river in the island of Borneo and the longest river in Indonesia and one of the world's longest island rivers. It originates in the Müller mountain range at the center of the island and flows west into the South China Sea creating an extended marshy delta. The delta is located west-southwest of Pontianak, the capital of the West Kalimantan province. This Kapuas River should be distinguished from another Kapuas River, which starts on the other side of the same mountain range in central Borneo but flows to the south, merging with the Barito River and discharging into the Java Sea.
| Kapuas | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of Kapuas river | |
| Location | |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Mount Raya at Müller Mountain Range |
| • elevation | 2,278 m (7,474 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | South China Sea |
• coordinates | 0°4′0″S 109°10′59″E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 1,143 km (710 mi) |
| Basin size | 98,749 km2 (38,127 sq mi) |
| Depth | |
| • maximum | 40 m (130 ft) to 50 m (160 ft) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Kapuas Delta, South China Sea, Indonesia, Borneo (Kalimantan) |
| • average | (Period: 2016–2020)7,803 m3/s (275,600 cu ft/s)
(Period: 2003–2016)6,012 m3/s (212,300 cu ft/s) (Period: 1971–2000)6,260.1 m3/s (221,070 cu ft/s) (5,500 m3/s (190,000 cu ft/s) to 6,500 m3/s (230,000 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 2,000 m3/s (71,000 cu ft/s)–3,000 m3/s (110,000 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 8,900 m3/s (310,000 cu ft/s)–9,000 m3/s (320,000 cu ft/s) 22,000 m3/s (780,000 cu ft/s) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Sanggau (285 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 77,000 km2 (30,000 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 2000–2015)5,900 m3/s (210,000 cu ft/s)
(Period: 2013–2015)5,220 m3/s (184,000 cu ft/s) (Period: 1971–2000)5,069.3 m3/s (179,020 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 1,117 m3/s (39,400 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 9,394 m3/s (331,700 cu ft/s) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Putussibau (902 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 9,800 km2 (3,800 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1971–2000)886.3 m3/s (31,300 cu ft/s) 674 m3/s (23,800 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Kapuas basin (DAS320470) |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Bungan, Keriau, Manday, Bunut, Embau, Silat, Melawi, Tempunak, Sepauk, Sekadau |
| • right | Mandalam, Sibau, Awin, Palin, Embaloh, Tawang, Ketungau, Belitang, Sekayam, Tayan, Landak |