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Why do glacier-fed streams from the surrounding mountains disappear in the Takla Makan Desert?

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Map of Asia highlighting the location of the Takla Makan Desert in northwestern China, with the desert area shaded in orange. Surrounding regions, including parts of Europe, Africa, and the Pacific Ocean, are shown for geographic context. An inset in the top right corner provides a global view with the desert's location marked. — Takla Makan Desert The Takla Makan Desert is flanked by high mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west.

Glacier-fed streams from the surrounding mountains disappear in the Takla Makan Desert primarily because the region is an internal-drainage basin characterized by extreme aridity and high rates of evaporation.1

As these rivers flow from the Kunlun Mountains and other ranges into the desert, they typically penetrate only 60 to 120 miles (100 to 200 km) before gradually drying up in the sands. This process occurs because the desert's climate is exceptionally dry, with annual precipitation often as low as 0.4 to 1.5 inches (10 to 38 mm). The intense heat and dry air cause the water to evaporate rapidly, while the remaining flow is absorbed into the groundwater strata beneath the desert floor. Consequently, most of these rivers are unable to maintain a continuous surface flow across the basin.12