Plum Rains Fill Liyutan Reservoir to New Annual High

Central Taiwan's Liyutan Reservoir is experiencing a significant surge in water levels, reaching a new annual high of 95.24 million tons and an 82.5% storage rate. This welcome news comes after a period of critically low water, with levels dipping to just 25% in early April due to scarce spring rainfall.

The recent plum rain front has brought substantial precipitation to the reservoir's catchment area, leading to a dramatic increase in water storage. Since June 5, when the reservoir held 67.01 million tons, it has gained 28.23 million tons. The daily increase has been as high as 1.39 million tons, pushing the water level to 295 meters, only 5 meters shy of full capacity.

This rainfall offers much-needed relief for the water supply in Miaoli, Taichung, and Changhua. While the current levels are a significant improvement, they are still lower than the full capacity achieved by mid-April last year. The continuous rain over the past ten days has been crucial in reversing the downward trend and ensuring a more stable water situation for the region.