Ili

Ili, river, Central Asia, rising in north-western Xinjiang-Uygur (Sinkiang-Uighur) Autonomous Region, China. It flows in a western direction to the city of Ili in Kazakhstan and then north-west into Lake Balqash (Balkhash). Much of the terrain it traverses is a fertile valley in which lie numerous populous villages and well-stocked pastures. The delta of the Ili extends about 185 km (115 mi) from Lake Balqash. The river is generally shallow, but navigation is possible for about 451 km (280 mi) east of Ili during the rainy season. In 1970 a large dam was completed on the river near the town of Kapchagay, about 230 km (143 miles) upstream from Lake Balqash. As a result of the dam's construction, the amount of water reaching the lake from the Ili has decreased by about a third, and the lake's level has dropped by more than 2 m (6 ft) since 1970. The total length of the Ili is about 1,287 km (800 mi).