It transfers water from the Irtysh River (which flows toward the Arctic Ocean) into several dry endorheic basins of north-central Xinjiang, where it is used for irrigation and general use of the population and industries.

[1] The ideas for redirecting some of the waters of the Irtysh for irrigation use in the (Soviet) Central Asia was actively discussed in the USSR in the mid-20th century.

However, the bulk of the Soviet Northern river reversal project was never implemented; only a fairly minor Irtysh–Karaganda Canal was constructed in central Kazakhstan.

[citation needed] The 134 km long Main Trunk Canal (总干渠) of the Irtysh–Karamay–Ürümqi system starts at the Project 635 Dam on the upper Irtysh, at 47°14′01″N 88°28′42″E / 47.233615°N 88.478394°E / 47.233615; 88.478394, in Fuhai (Burultokay) County of Altay Prefecture.

The West Trunk of the Irtysh–Karamay Canal crosses the Baiyang River on an aqueduct at 46°7′45″N 85°25′35″E / 46.12917°N 85.42639°E / 46.12917; 85.42639, upstream of Urho District's main urban area.

After leaving the tunnel, it runs in the general southern direction across the almost uninhabited Gurbantünggüt Desert[6] It reaches the Tian Shan piedmont belt of human habitation at Daquan Ranch (大泉牧场) in Fukang County-level city at around 44°24′00″N 88°24′15″E / 44.40000°N 88.40417°E / 44.40000; 88.40417.