Klang River

Klang River
The Gombak River (left) merges with the Klang River (right) at Kuala Lumpur.
Map
Native nameSungai Klang (Malay)
Location
CountrySelangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationKuala Seleh
 • elevation100 m (330 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Port Swettenham
Length120 km (75 mi)
Discharge 
 • average50 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftGombak River, Damansara River, Penchala River
 • rightKerayong River

The Klang River (Malay: Sungai Klang) is a river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia and eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km (75 mi) in length and drains a basin of about 1,288 km2 (497 sq mi). The Klang River has 11 major tributaries.

Because the river flows through Klang Valley, which is a heavily populated area of more than four million people, it is considerably polluted, because of deep siltation caused by human waste from informal settlers of the riverbank and even from some business establishments without septic tanks or sewage treatment plants and by soil carried by mudflows from mountains. Heavy development has narrowed certain stretches of the river to the point that it resembles a large storm drain in some places. This contributes to flash floods in Kuala Lumpur, especially after heavy rain.