The Tamsui River (alternatively Danshui River, ) is third longest river in Taiwan after

Zhuoshui River The Zhuoshui River, also spelled Choshui or Jhuoshuei River, () is the longest river in Taiwan. It flows from its source in Nantou County up to the western border of the county, subsequently forming the border between Yunlin County and Changhua ...

and Gaoping River, with a total length of , flowing through

Hsinchu County Hsinchu County (Wade–Giles: ''Hsin¹-chu²'') is a county in north-western Taiwan. The population of the county is mainly Hakka; with a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the county capital, where ...

, Taoyuan, Taipei and New Taipei City. It is located in northern part of the island.

Geography

The Tamsui River begins at the confluence of Xindian River and

Dahan River The Dahan River (, also spelled Tahan) is a river in northern Taiwan. It originates in Hsinchu County and then flows through Taoyuan City and New Taipei City for 135 km, before it joins Xindian River in Taipei to form the Tamshui River. The ...

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. Formerly known as the "Dolatok River", it is one of the few rivers in the island that flows along a north–south direction. The river's three tributaries are the Xindian River,

and Keelung River. The Dahan River is the main tributary and has its headwaters in the

Pintian Mountain Mount Pintian () is a mountain in Taiwan. Geology The mountain stands with an elevation of and is part of the Shei-Pa National Park. See also *100 Peaks of Taiwan *List of mountains in Taiwan *Shei-Pa National Park Shei-Pa National Park () ...

and flows through

, Taoyuan City and New Taipei City. As a river system including the Dahan River, the Tamsui River has a total length of and a drainage area of . A major artificial distributary on the left bank of the Tamsui, the

Erchong Floodway The Erchong Floodway () is a major flood control channel of the Tamsui River in New Taipei, Taiwan. Description The Erchong Floodway is approximately long and between and wide covering an area of about in the centre of the Taipei metropoli ...

, was completed in 1984 as part of a flood control scheme for 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 ...

. The flood control plan for

Greater Taipei Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality * ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record * "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014 *Greater Bank, an Australian ...

dated back to 1959, and by 1987, dykes had been built along the banks of the Tamsui.

Pollution

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 The Executive Yuan () is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Its leader is the Premier, who is appointed by the President of the Republic of China, and requires confirmation by the Legislative Yuan. ...

and several citizen organizations. Through the 1970s, the river was clean and could support ship traffic and fishing. By the 1980s, the Tamsui was polluted and was dominated by tilapia. 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 The Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan (EPA, ) is a cabinet-level executive agency responsible for protecting and conserving the environment in the Republic of China (Taiwan). This also includes, air quality, noise control, m ...

, at the time a division of the Department of Health. This effort was finally undertaken as a result of massive public pressure. The first goal set was the 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. Cleanup efforts continue to the present day, and include linking the watershed's residents to a shared sewer system.

Popular culture

Due to its pollution the phrase “I’d rather jump into the Tamsui River!” was once a popular saying in Taipei.

Bridges

Several famous bridges run across the river, from south to north downstream: * * *

Taipei Bridge Taipei Bridge (, informally ) is a motor-vehicle bridge across the Tamsui River connecting Taipei with Sanchong District, New Taipei City in Taiwan. A central span carries automobile and some motorcycle traffic while narrower spans on either side ...

* Danshui River Bridge * * Guandu Bridge * Danjiang Bridge (under construction) *

Tamsui Lover's Bridge The Tamsui Lover's Bridge () is a bridge in Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf, Tamsui District, New Taipei, Taiwan. History The bridge was opened on 14 February 2003. Architecture The shape of the white-colored bridge resembles the mast and rigging of ...

(incomplete crossing within Tamsui only)

References

Rivers of Taiwan Landforms of New Taipei Landforms of Taipei {{Taiwan-river-stub