Gaoping River

Old railway bridge over the Gaoping

The Gaoping (Chinese高屏溪, Pinyin Gaoping Xī, PEH oē - jī Ko Pin- khe, also: Kaoping Hsi ) is a river in southern Taiwan and with a length of 171 km the second longest river of the island. It rises on the northeast slope of Yu Shan in Taiwan's Central Mountains and flows in Linyuan, the southernmost district of the city of Kaohsiung, in the Formosastraße.

Course

After its origin in the central mountains of Taiwan Gaoping the mountains flows down in a southwesterly direction and takes you past the places Taoyuan, Liugui, Ligang, Pingdong Dashu and Shangliao. After its union with the Laonong at Ligang, the river turns almost at right angles to the south, is in many places the border between Kaohsiung City and County Pingdong and flows in the district of Kaohsiung City in the Linyuan Formosastraße. The most important tributaries of the Gaoping are the Laonong, the Zhuokou and Ailiao.

History

The original name of the river was Tapouliangh or Tapoyan and was derived from the name of a resident on the river tribe of Taiwanese aborigines from, resulting in the Minnan language of Chinese immigrants, the name Ha - tam - chui (high Chinese下 淡水Xiadanshui ) was. In 1960 the river was officially renamed Gaoping, based on the fact that he largely by the counties Kaohsiung ( short Gao ) and Pingdong (short- Ping) flowed. The present meaning of the river name can therefore play with Kaohsiung Pingdong River.

Importance and environment

The Gaoping plays an important role in the agricultural irrigation in the plain between Kaohsiung and Pingdong. For shipping to it, however, is not suitable. As with many Taiwanese rivers of the subtropical zone, the water level is significantly different in dry and rainy seasons.

While in and at the headwaters of the river are home to numerous species, some of which are endemic to Taiwan, the lower river is strongly influenced by sewage pollution from intensive pig farming in the catchment area and the industrial park Linyuan affected. Since the 1990s, the authorities increasingly take measures to protect the environment and reduce the water quality gradually improved.

Among the most famous sights of Gaoping counts the built 1911-1914 by the Japanese colonial government Old railway bridge in Kaohsiunger municipality Dashu, which officially was in operation until 1992 and today is a listed building.