Feitsui Dam

Feitsui Dam (Chinese: 翡翠水庫; pinyin: Fěicuì Shuǐkù, also Feicui Dam) is a double curvature concrete arch dam on the Beishi River in northern Taiwan. The dam is located in Shiding District, New Taipei City, and is one of the principal water sources for the Greater Taipei area. The name of the dam and reservoir translates as "emerald lake", in reference to the pure quality of the water. The area is managed by the Taipei Feitsui Reservoir Administration. Public access is heavily restricted in order to protect water quality, which is among the highest of Taiwan's reservoirs.

History

The dam was proposed in the 1970s during a period of severe drought in northern Taiwan. The reservoir site was located on the Beishi River, which joins with the Nanshi River to form the Xindian River which flows through New Taipei City. A dam built here would hold back water during the wet season, when the flow in Nanshi River alone is enough to meet water demands, and release water to augment supplies as needed during the dry season.