The name Tô Lịch River is derived from the name of a god who was living in the Jin dominated the Jiaozhi (Vietnamese: Giao Chỉ).

Đại nam nhất thống chí book (composed between the 19th century) wrote: Currently Tô Lịch River begins in Nghĩa Đô ward, Cầu Giấy District (south of the Hoàng Quốc Việt road), running the same direction as the Bưởi, Láng and Kim Giang road to the south, southwest and then turns to the southeast and flows to Nhuệ River (opposite the village of Hữu Từ, Vĩnh Quỳnh, Thanh Trì).

After the historical floods in early November 2008, people in Hanoi have, since then, seen Tô Lịch river's water "clean" as it was in previous years.

[1] Before said floods, Tô Lịch river was diluted down the mud and waste by rainwater, rising yards, rolling flow and fishes.

This project is regarded as "sub-scheme" first made the handling of three environmental issues most pressing in the area.