The Erchong Floodway () is a major

flood control channel Flood control channels are large and empty basins which let water flow in and out (except during flooding) or dry channels that run below the street levels of some larger cities, so that if and when a flood occurs, the water will run into these ch ...

of the

Tamsui River The Tamsui River (alternatively Danshui River, ) is third longest river in Taiwan after Zhuoshui River and Gaoping River, with a total length of , flowing through Hsinchu County, Taoyuan, Taipei and New Taipei City. It is located in northern pa ...

New Taipei New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 3,974,683 as of 2022, making it the most populous city of Taiwan, and also the second largest s ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Description

The Erchong Floodway is approximately long and between and wide covering an area of about in the centre of the

Taipei metropolitan area Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...

. Located on the left bank of the

, the floodway passes through the districts of Sanchong, Xinzhuang, Wugu, and

Luzhou Luzhou (; Sichuanese Pinyin: Nu2zou1; Luzhou dialect: ), formerly transliterated as Lu-chou or Luchow, is a prefecture-level city located in the southeast of Sichuan Province, China. The city, named Jiangyang until the Southern and Northern Dyna ...

. Generally following the path of smaller natural tributaries of the Tamsui, the Erchong Floodway is separated by as much as from the main course of the Tamsui. In addition to its importance in flood control measures, the Erchong Floodway provides significant recreation and conservation functions. A network of urban parks, trails, greenspace, and leisure facilities within the floodway includes the New Taipei Metropolitan Park, Shuhongzhuifeng Park, and Shuhong Ecological Park among others. Wugu Wetland, at the mouth of the floodway on the Tamsui River opposite the mouth the

Keelung River The Keelung River () is a river in northern Taiwan. The Keelung River originates in the mountains west-northwest of the town of Jingtong in Pingxi District, New Taipei City, flows down to a rift valley and then flows ENE to Sandiaoling. Then i ...

, is an important ecological

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

for bird species within the greater Taipei area.

History

The

Taipei Basin The Taipei Basin () is a geographic region in northern Taiwan. It is the largest basin in Taiwan. The basin is bounded by the Yangmingshan to the north, the Linkou Plateau to the west, and the Ridge of Xueshan Range to the southeast. The shape ...

is historically prone to

flooding A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrolog ...

being located in a humid subtropical climate that can often experience catastrophic

typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

s. A number of rivers enter the Taipei Basin, including the Dahan, Xindian, and

Keelung Keelung () or Jilong () (; Hokkien POJ: '), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. The city is a part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with its neighbors, New Taipe ...

, that converge to form the

. The Tamsui acts as the sole hydrological outlet of the basin as it drains freshwater north to the

Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a -wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. The Taiwan Strait is itself a s ...

, but the river is at a low elevation near

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

and is therefore subject to reverse saltwater flow at

high tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide tables can ...

s several times a month. After Typhoon Gloria caused significant flooding in Taipei in 1963, the Taiwan government carried out an engineering project to widen the Tamsui River at its narrowest point at Lion's Head Rock, near the present-day

Guandu Bridge The Guandu Bridge () is a bridge in New Taipei, Taiwan. It spans over the Tamsui River and links Bali District and Tamsui District. The bridge is a 165 meters long through arch bridge designed by Tung-Yen Lin under T.Y. Lin International. It no ...

. The effect of this project was counter-productive as the Tamsui River was exposed to more flooding from ocean high tides. The idea of a freshwater floodway was first proposed in 1973 as part of Taipei District Flood Control Plan Proposal, but construction did not commence until 1979. The first phase was completed in 1984, creating an alternate freshwater channel for the Tamsui River on its left bank at times of high water level. The village of Zhouzaiwei was relocated to what is now Luzhou District as part of the first phase. A second phase, completed in 1987, increased the heights of the embankment

dikes Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to: General uses * Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian" * Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment * Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice * Dikes, ...

to account for 200-year flood levels. A third and final phase of the project was completed in 1996.

Gallery

Space_Radar_Image_of_Taiwan.jpg, Radar imagery of the

showing the Erchong Floodway as light navy blue in the centre, and the

in dark navy blue to the right. Luzhou and Sanchong District (Taiwan).jpg, Aerial photo showing the Erchong Floodway on the left and the main course of the Tamsui River on the right. Sanchong and

Districts are located between the floodway and the Tamsui. 新店八里快速道路-2.JPG, View of Highway 64 running parallel to the Erchong Floodway. Taipei Metropolitan Park 2016-6.JPG, New Taipei Metropolitan Park within the Erchong Floodway.

References

{{reflist Flood control projects

Description

History

Gallery

See also

References