Love River
Encyclopedia
The Love River or Ai River is a river (canal) in southern Taiwan
. It originates in Renwu District, Kaohsiung City, and flows 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) through Kaohsiung to Kaohsiung Harbor. Love River is the spine of Kaohsiung, playing a similar role to the River Thames
of London. It is of great cultural significance to the people of Kaohsiung and plays an important role in its economy and tourism. A riverside park, the Love River Park, runs along the riverbank in downtown Kaohsiung City. A night market operates in the park, and there are three outdoor cafés, often with live bands. Boats which hold about fifteen people take tourists up and down the river. The scenery is enhanced by attractive city structures near the river, such as the Holy Rosary Cathedral, Kaohsiung Bridge, and the Kaohsiung District Court. Cultural events such as concerts and the Lantern Festival are often held by the river.
The Love River was once heavily polluted, when raw sewage and industrial waste water flowed untreated into the river. Recent efforts by the city government to divert the waste water to the treatment plant in Cijin District
has resulted in significantly improved water quality.
, it was called the Takao River. In 1895, the Japanese dredged the river and turned it into a canal
to transport lumber
from Southeast Asia. Embankments (levees) were built on the river and in 1908, Kaohsiung Harbor was constructed at the mouth of the Love River, replacing the mangrove
forests. In 1945, Taiwan fell under the control of China
again and the riversides became parks. However, as Taiwan’s economy switched from agricultural to industrial
, the river began to get increasingly polluted. (The first incident of pollution was halfway through the Japanese occupation of Taiwan when paper mills ejected waste into the river.) The urbanization created more waste, and in 1965, raw sewage began to flow into the river when an export processing zone was created.
s were built on the river to capture trash and sewage and send it to a treatment plant. Unfortunately, the system only works from October to April because in the rainy season, May to September, the treatment system cannot cope with the increased flow and the floodgates must be opened, sending pollution into the lower stretch of the Love River. (The river here is tidal and so is safe to swim in the dry season.)
Taiwan°N date=December 2010°W
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. It originates in Renwu District, Kaohsiung City, and flows 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) through Kaohsiung to Kaohsiung Harbor. Love River is the spine of Kaohsiung, playing a similar role to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
of London. It is of great cultural significance to the people of Kaohsiung and plays an important role in its economy and tourism. A riverside park, the Love River Park, runs along the riverbank in downtown Kaohsiung City. A night market operates in the park, and there are three outdoor cafés, often with live bands. Boats which hold about fifteen people take tourists up and down the river. The scenery is enhanced by attractive city structures near the river, such as the Holy Rosary Cathedral, Kaohsiung Bridge, and the Kaohsiung District Court. Cultural events such as concerts and the Lantern Festival are often held by the river.
The Love River was once heavily polluted, when raw sewage and industrial waste water flowed untreated into the river. Recent efforts by the city government to divert the waste water to the treatment plant in Cijin District
Cijin District
Cijin District is a district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, covering the entire Cijin Island. Cijin Island was once connected to the mainland at the southern tip, but in 1975, this link was severed to create a second entry point to the Port of Kaohsiung....
has resulted in significantly improved water quality.
History
Before the urban development of the area, the river flowed in a wide and flat channel, used for irrigation and surrounded by farms. In the Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, it was called the Takao River. In 1895, the Japanese dredged the river and turned it into a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
to transport lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
from Southeast Asia. Embankments (levees) were built on the river and in 1908, Kaohsiung Harbor was constructed at the mouth of the Love River, replacing the mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
forests. In 1945, Taiwan fell under the control of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
again and the riversides became parks. However, as Taiwan’s economy switched from agricultural to industrial
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
, the river began to get increasingly polluted. (The first incident of pollution was halfway through the Japanese occupation of Taiwan when paper mills ejected waste into the river.) The urbanization created more waste, and in 1965, raw sewage began to flow into the river when an export processing zone was created.
Treatment
In 1979, the government started to clean the river. The water was black and had a sewer-like odor. A set of floodgateFloodgate
Floodgates are adjustable gates used to control water flow in flood barriers, reservoir, river, stream, or levee systems. They may be designed to set spillway crest heights in dams, to adjust flow rates in sluices and canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow entirely as part of a levee or...
s were built on the river to capture trash and sewage and send it to a treatment plant. Unfortunately, the system only works from October to April because in the rainy season, May to September, the treatment system cannot cope with the increased flow and the floodgates must be opened, sending pollution into the lower stretch of the Love River. (The river here is tidal and so is safe to swim in the dry season.)
External links
- Wilma Chou, Kaohsiung City's Love River brought back from the dead, Taiwan Journal, August 23, 2002
Taiwan°N date=December 2010°W