Plover Cove Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Plover Cove Reservoir located within Plover Cove Country Park
, in the northeastern New Territories
, is the largest reservoir in Hong Kong
in terms of area, and the second-largest in terms of volume. It was the first in the world to construct a lake from an arm of the ocean. Its main dam was one of the largest in the world at the time of its construction, disconnecting Plover Cove
from the sea.
(bay, as the name suggests) and was a popular hiking
site. Construction work commenced in 1960 and was completed in 1968, providing a capacity of 170 million m3. Work on raising the height of the dams began in 1970. Upon completion in 1973, the reservoir capacity was increased to 230 million m3.
One main dam
and three service dams were built to shut the cove off from the sea
. The cove was then drain
ed and was converted into a fresh-water
lake
.
The dam of the Reservoir is 28m tall and approximately 2km long. Besides rain
from its catchment
, it also stores water imported by pipes from Dongjiang. The Bride's Pool
flows into the Plover Cove Reservoir.
villages which were covered by the reservoir. The Hakka
villagers were compensated by the Hong Kong British colonial government with apartments and shop units along Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po
which were built for their resettlement there.
Fisherman who used to live at the original Sam Mun Tsai site, close to Tai Kau of Luk Heung, now at the northeastern shore of Reservoir, were relocated to Sam Mun Tsai New Village on the island of Yim Tin Tsai
(Tai Po District
) in 1966. At the time, 36 families were moved to housing on land.
at the northwestern end of the main dam is a popular barbecue
site in Hong Kong
.
Plover Cove Country Park
Plover Cove Country Park is a country park in Hong Kong located in the Northeastern New Territories. The original country park was established in 7 April 1978, covering 4,594 hectares of natural terrain in the administrative North District and Tai Po District...
, in the northeastern New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
, is the largest reservoir in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in terms of area, and the second-largest in terms of volume. It was the first in the world to construct a lake from an arm of the ocean. Its main dam was one of the largest in the world at the time of its construction, disconnecting Plover Cove
Plover Cove
Plover Cove or Shuen Wan Hoi is a cove in the Tai Po area of Hong Kong, near Tolo Channel and Tolo Harbour.It is encircled by the hills Pat Sin Leng and Wan Leng , the Yim Tin Tsai, Ma Shi Chau and Tung Tau Chau island ranges, and a long peninsula extending from Fu Tau Sha...
from the sea.
Construction
The location was a former coveCove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. They usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often inside a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are often considered coves...
(bay, as the name suggests) and was a popular hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
site. Construction work commenced in 1960 and was completed in 1968, providing a capacity of 170 million m3. Work on raising the height of the dams began in 1970. Upon completion in 1973, the reservoir capacity was increased to 230 million m3.
One main dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
and three service dams were built to shut the cove off from the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
. The cove was then drain
Drainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
ed and was converted into a fresh-water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
.
The dam of the Reservoir is 28m tall and approximately 2km long. Besides rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
from its catchment
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
, it also stores water imported by pipes from Dongjiang. The Bride's Pool
Bride's Pool
Bride's Pool is a lake with a waterfall in northeastern New Territories, Hong Kong near Tai Mei Tuk. Mirror Pool is nearby.-Legend and its Name:...
flows into the Plover Cove Reservoir.
Displaced people
The creation of the Plover Cove Reservoir necessitated the displacement of the inhabitants of a number of HakkaHakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
villages which were covered by the reservoir. The Hakka
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
villagers were compensated by the Hong Kong British colonial government with apartments and shop units along Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po
Tai Po
Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui and the Tai Wo Town on the other side of the Lam Tsuen River, near the old Tai Po Market Station of the...
which were built for their resettlement there.
Fisherman who used to live at the original Sam Mun Tsai site, close to Tai Kau of Luk Heung, now at the northeastern shore of Reservoir, were relocated to Sam Mun Tsai New Village on the island of Yim Tin Tsai
Yim Tin Tsai (Tai Po)
Yim Tin Tsai is an island of Hong Kong located in Tolo Harbour.-Geography:Yim Tin Tsai is located in Tolo Harbour and forms part of the southern border of Plover Cove. It is connected to the mainland in the north by a road, leading next to The Beverly Hills, and to the island of Ma Shi Chau in the...
(Tai Po District
Tai Po District
Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It covers the areas of Tai Po, Tai Po Kau, Ting Kok, Plover Cove and the northern part of Sai Kung Peninsula on both shores of Tolo Channel. It is located in the New Territories...
) in 1966. At the time, 36 families were moved to housing on land.
The reservoir today
Plover Cove Reservoir is a natural fish pond that supports a diverse wildlife, including many freshwater fish species. Tai Mei TukTai Mei Tuk
Tai Mei Tuk is a place close to the Plover Cove Reservoir in Tai Po District, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is a very popular place in Hong Kong for barbecues and cycling. There are villages and harbour nearby where many restaurants can be found...
at the northwestern end of the main dam is a popular barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
site in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
See also
- Water supply in Hong KongWater supply in Hong KongProviding an adequate water supply for Hong Kong has always been difficult because there are few natural lakes, rivers or substantial groundwater sources and of its high population density. About 70% of water demand thus is met by importing water from the Dongjiang River in neighboring Guangdong...
- Reservoirs of Hong KongReservoirs of Hong KongReservoirs in Hong Kong are spread fairly evenly over the entire 1,104 km² of Hong Kong. There is plenty of space for small reservoirs in Hong Kong, as the hilly areas provide valleys suitable for water storage. However, the larger reservoirs, i.e. High Island Reservoir and Plover Cover Reservoir,...
- Country parks and conservation in Hong KongCountry parks and conservation in Hong KongAlthough Hong Kong is regarded as one of the world's great cities, out of the total 1,092 km² of land, about three-quarters is countryside. Scenically, Hong Kong has a great deal to offer - a landscape rising from sandy beaches and rocky foreshores to heights of almost 1,000 metres, woodlands...
- Scott Wilson GroupScott Wilson GroupScott Wilson Group plc, with over 5,500 members of staff, is a global integrated design and engineering consultancy for the built and natural environments...
External links
- Wong W.H., "Towards Urbanisation: Shuen Wan and Plover Cove Reservoir", Tai Po Book pp. 234-255
- Berkowitz, Morris, "Plover Cove Village to Taipo Market: A Study in Forced Migration", Journal of Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol. 8, 1968, pp. 96-108
- Waterworks of a CenturyWaterworks of a Century
- Reservoirs in the eastern part of New Territories - in Chinese (Traditional)Traditional Chinese characterTraditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi...
- Pictures of the Plover Cove (via Google Search in English)
- Pictures of the Plover Cove Reservoir (via Google Search in Chinese (Traditional))
- Plover Cove