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What causes most flooding on the Amur River?

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Topographic map of the Amur River basin and its drainage network, covering parts of northeastern China, eastern Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, shows major rivers and tributaries, surrounding mountain ranges, swamps, marshes, and lakes, and includes a locator inset of the region within Asia. Major cities, railways, and dams are also marked. — Amur River The Amur River basin and its drainage network.

The primary cause of flooding on the Amur River is monsoon rains that occur during the summer and autumn months. These rains cause the river to rise significantly between May and October, often resulting in serious economic loss.1

While spring flooding also occurs due to snowmelt, these events are much smaller in scale compared to the monsoon-driven floods. Additionally, catastrophic flooding can be caused by ice jams that form in the river's sharp bends during the colder months. These jams act as temporary dams that can raise water levels by as much as 50 feet (15 metres) before bursting abruptly.1