Project

Content

Water Source

Main Stream：Danshui River

Tributary：Dahan River

Effective Water Storage (cubic meter)

251880000

Type of Dam

Earth-rock fill dam

Function

Irrigation, hydropower generation, public water supply, flood prevention, and sightseeing

Overview

The upper reaches of the Dahan River, originally called the Takekan Creek, and follows a very sharp descent, allowing for no water storage, whereas below the reservoir along the banks at trines dry conditions make for hardship. Work on the dam was begun in July 1956, and completed in June 1964.

The eight-year construction job cost NT$4.85 billion in all.

Irrigation

The irrigation service area includes Taoyuan Hsinchu and Taipei, for a total of 36,500 hectares irrigated, which means it is a major contributor in helping boost the agricultural productive levels in the areas serviced.

Hydroelectric power

Making use of the water impoundment at Shihmen Dam, the Shihmen Power Plant generates some 200 million units of electricity annually, a vital contribution to helping Taiwan’s power grid meet peak power demand while also boosting industrial development.

Water supply

The reservoir supplies water to 28 districts, home to 3.4 million people. This makes it a very important water source for the livelihoods of the people living in northern Taiwan, not to mention the industrial users.

Flood prevention

The reservoirs main function is to obstruct or ameliorate the rapid descent rates of the rivers upper tributaries, reducing the effect of peak flood cresting, and saving the areas below, such as the Taipei floodplain, from waterborne disaster.

Sightseeing

The lake and mountains of the surrounding area make for a beautiful prospect, rendering it the ideal spot for water-related recreation. The setting undergoes seasonal transformations, providing a natural drama with change after change in backdrop, for a scenic area that is unparalleled elsewhere.