Tamsui River
{{Short description|River in Northern Taiwan}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2008}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Tamsui River
| native_name = {{native name|zh|淡水河}}
| image = Tamsui River’s mouth during a shower.jpg
| image_caption = The mouth of Tamsui River
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 8
| source1_location = Pintian Mountain
| mouth_location = Taiwan Strait
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Taiwan
| length = {{convert|158.7|km|mi}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|3529|m|ft}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|ft}}
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|210|m3/s|cuft/s}}
| discharge1_max = {{cvt|13600|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| basin_size = {{convert|2726|km2|mi2}}
| extra =
}}
The Tamsui River (alternatively Danshui River, {{zh|c=淡水河|p=Dànshǔi Hé|w=Tan4-shui3 Ho2|l=Freshwater River|poj=Tām-chúi-hô|first=t}}) is the third longest river in Taiwan after Zhuoshui River and Gaoping River, with a total length of {{cvt|158.7|km|abbr=on}}, flowing through Hsinchu County, Taoyuan, Taipei and New Taipei City. It is located in northern part of the island.
Geography
File:Space Radar Image of Taiwan.jpg
File:Aerial panorama of Taipei city's west side facing the Tamsui River.jpg
The Tamsui River begins at the confluence of Xindian River and Dahan River at the western boundary of Taipei and New Taipei City, just north of Banqiao District, and flows northward and northwestward, passing the eponymous Tamsui District, then emptying into the Taiwan Strait.
The river's three tributaries are the Xindian River, Dahan River and Keelung River. The Dahan River is the main tributary and has its headwaters in the Pintian Mountain in Hsinchu County and flows through Hsinchu County, Taoyuan City and New Taipei City. As a river system including the Dahan River, the Tamsui River has a total length of {{convert|159|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} and a drainage area of {{convert|2726|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}}.{{Cite book |year=2014 |title=The Republic of China Yearbook 2014 |chapter=Chapter 1: Geography & Demographics |publisher=Executive Yuan, R.O.C. |url=http://www.ey.gov.tw/Upload/UserFiles/YB%202014%20all%20100dpi.pdf |isbn=9789860423020 |page=44}}
A major artificial distributary on the left bank of the Tamsui, the Erchong Floodway, was completed in 1984 as part of a flood control scheme for the Taipei Basin. The flood control plan for Greater Taipei dated back to 1959, and by 1987, dykes had been built along the banks of the Tamsui.{{cite news |title=Is it all the fault of "straightening"? |url=https://www.taiwanpanorama.com.tw/en/Articles/Details?Guid=d0168b41-bf41-421e-bf98-ccf9502771d7&langId=3&CatId=10&postname=Is%20It%20All%20the%20Fault%20of%20%22Straightening%22%3F |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=Taiwan Panorama |date=December 1987}}
Pollution
File:Aerial panorama of Taipei's west from the perspective of Tamsui River.jpg
The Tamsui River is heavily polluted by both raw sewage and industrial pollution from illegal industry. Clean up and natural river restoration is on the agenda of the Taipei City Government, Executive Yuan and several citizen organizations.[http://www.e-architect.co.uk/taiwan/taipei_from_the_river.htm Taipei from the River] - Marco Casagrande, E-Architect March, 2011[http://english.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=9915803&ctNode=8588&mp=100002 Tamshui River Restoration Project Commercial], Taipei City Government, retrieved November 29, 2012. Through the 1970s, the river was clean and could support ship traffic and fishing.{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Jack |title=A walk along the bank |url=https://www.taiwanpanorama.com.tw/Articles/Details?Guid=26fe075d-cac2-48aa-9e96-26513e713275&langId=3&CatId=10 |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=Taiwan Panorama |date=June 1987}}{{cite news |title=Reclaiming The Tamsui River |url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?post=23902&unit=14,29,34,45 |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=Free China Review}}{{cite news |title=Diagnosing the Tamsui |url=https://www.taiwanpanorama.com.tw/Articles/Details?Guid=41f217da-574b-4ffc-9b1f-8b266f03c068&langId=3&CatId=10 |work=Taiwan Panorama |date=June 1987}} By the 1980s, the Tamsui was polluted and was dominated by tilapia.{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Ching-ju |title="A fierce dragon" can cross the river after all–exotics are driving out Taiwan's native species |url=https://www.taiwanpanorama.com.tw/Articles/Details?Guid=aca81fcc-1769-4ee9-8a88-5c1a617d0c2c&langId=3&CatId=10 |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=Taiwan Panorama |date=December 1991}} Governmental efforts to clean up the Tamsui include "The Recovery Project of the Tamsui River Watershed Area" implemented in 1987 by the Environmental Protection Administration, at the time a division of the Department of Health.{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Gypsy |title=It's not just cleaning up a sewer... |url=https://www.taiwanpanorama.com.tw/en/Articles/Details?Guid=695f2678-918f-444a-9d76-62e834c02307&langId=3&CatId=10&postname=It%27s%20Not%20Just%20Cleaning%20Up%20a%20Sewer.%20.%20.%20. |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=Taiwan Panorama |date=June 1987}} This effort was finally undertaken as a result of massive public pressure. The first goal set was to have the river no longer smell in the summer. Water quality improved significantly however efforts to improve water quality were hampered by the numerous residences whose sewage emptied straight into the river.{{cite web |last1=Cheung |first1=Han |title=Taiwan in Time: Tamsui River on life support |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2022/03/20/2003775102 |website=taipeitimes.com |publisher=Taipei Times |access-date=22 April 2022}} Cleanup efforts continue to the present day, and include linking the watershed's residents to a shared sewer system.{{cite news |author1=Han Cheung |title=Taiwan in Time: Tamsui River on life support |url=https://taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2022/03/20/2003775102 |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=Taipei Times |date=20 March 2022}}
Fauna
Scientists conducting research on what they believed to be Meretrix lusoria in the Tamsui River sent samples for genetic analysis and discovered that they were a distinct species: Meretrix taiwanica.{{cite web |last1=PFLUGHOEFT |first1=ASPEN |title=New species was hiding in plain sight and being raised on Taiwanese farms, experts say |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article274244010.html |website=miamiherald.com |publisher=Miami Herald |access-date=13 April 2023}}
In popular culture
Bridges
Several famous bridges run across the river, from south to north downstream:
- {{ill|Zhongxing Bridge (Taiwan)|zh|中興橋|lt=Zhongxing Bridge}}
- {{ill|Zhongxiao Bridge|zh|忠孝橋}}
- Taipei Bridge
- {{ill|Danshui River Bridge|zh|淡水河橋}}{{efn|For images, see Danshui River Bridge.}}
- {{ill|Chongyang Bridge|zh|重陽大橋}}
- Guandu Bridge
- Danjiang Bridge (under construction){{cite web |title=Second phase of new Danjiang Bridge over Tamsui River begin |url=https://chinapost.nownews.com/20160110-25632 |publisher=China Post |access-date=25 May 2020}}
- Tamsui Lover's Bridge (incomplete crossing within Tamsui only)
See also
References
{{Commons category|Danshui River}}
{{Reflist}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|25.175|N|121.408333333|E|source:dewiki_region:TW-TPQ_scale:10000_type:waterbody|format=dms|display=title}}