Tuul River (
Mongolian ???? ???,
Tuul gol; in older sources also
Tola) is a river in central and northern
Mongolia. It is 704 km long and drains an area 49,840 square km.
Originating in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park in the Khentii Mountains, this body of water runs through the southern part of the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator. It is a tributary of the Orkhon River, which flows into the Selenge River, which flows into Russia and Lake Baikal. The Tuul River also flows along the Khustain Nuruu National Park. It is typically frozen over from the middle of November through the middle of April. Willow forests grow along the Tuul River, and the river itself is home to endangered species of sturgeon.
Currently the river is suffering from pollution, some caused by Ulan Bator's central sewage treatment facility, as well as heavy mineral and sedimentation pollution caused by gold mining in the Zaamar area. In addition, the steady influx of people settling near the river may be causing a degradation of water quality.
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