Tamsui River

Tamsui River
Tamsui in downtown Taipei
Native name	淡水河
Country	Taiwan
Basin
Main source	Pintien Mountain 3,529 metres (11,578 ft)
River mouth	Taiwan Strait 0 metres (0 ft)
Basin size	2,726 square kilometres (1,053 sq mi)
Physical characteristics
Length	158.7 kilometres (98.6 mi)
Discharge	Average rate: 210 cubic metres per second (7,400 cu ft/s)

Satellite image of the Tamsui River mouth

The Tamsui River (formerly romanized as Danshui River, Chinese: 淡水河; pinyin: Dànshǔi Hé; Wade–Giles: Tan⁴-shui³ Ho²; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tām-chúi-hô; literally: "Freshwater River") is a river in northern Taiwan. It begins at the confluence of Xindian Creek and Dahan Creek 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.^[1]

The river's three tributaries are Xindian Creek, Dahan Creek and Keelung River. Dahan Creek 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 Dahan Creek, Tamsui River has a total length of 159 km (99 mi) and a drainage area of 2,726 km² (1,053 sq mi).^[2]

Map of the Tamsui River watershed

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, Taiwan Central Government and several citizen organizations.^[3][4]

Bridges

Several famous bridges run across the river, such as:

• Guandu Bridge
• New Taipei Bridge
• Taipei Bridge
• Danjiang Bridge (proposed)^[5]

See also

• List of rivers in Taiwan

References

1. Campbell, William (1903). "Explanatory Notes". Formosa under the Dutch: described from contemporary records, with explanatory notes and a bibliography of the island. London: Kegan Paul. p. 541. OCLC 644323041.
2. "Chapter 1: Geography & Demographics". The Republic of China Yearbook 2014 (PDF). Executive Yuan, R.O.C. 2014. p. 44. ISBN 9789860423020.
3. Taipei from the River - Marco Casagrande, E-Architect March, 2011
4. Tamshui River Restoration Project Commercial, Taipei City Government, retrieved November 29, 2012.
5. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2015/09/11/445578/Danjiang-Bridge.htm

Coordinates: 25°10′30″N 121°24′30″E / 25.175°N 121.408333333°E