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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Environment & Climate

Sun Moon Lake Nears Full Capacity, 'Nine Frogs' Sculpture Mostly Submerged

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan is nearing full capacity, with its water level reaching 99.1% due to recent rainfall.
  • The "Nine Frogs" sculpture, a marker for the lake's water level, now has less than 1.5 frogs visible, indicating the high water mark.
  • Taiwan Power Company, which manages the reservoir, stated that the lake is effectively full, as they typically avoid reaching maximum capacity to conserve water and manage overflow.

Sun Moon Lake, a popular tourist destination in Taiwan, is brimming with water, reaching an impressive 99.1% capacity following recent heavy rains from the plum season and southwest monsoons. The water level has risen to 748.21 meters, just shy of the full capacity mark of 748.48 meters.

The most visible indicator of the lake's high water level is the "Nine Frogs" sculpture, a series of stacked frog statues used to gauge the water's height. Currently, less than one and a half frogs remain visible above the water, signaling that the lake is effectively at its limit.

Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), responsible for managing the reservoir, explained that they usually aim to keep the lake from reaching its absolute maximum capacity. This practice helps conserve water resources and prevents unnecessary overflow, which would be wasteful. Instead, they manage the water levels through controlled releases for power generation or by temporarily halting water intake.

Taipower noted that the upstream catchment area has received substantial rainfall, and with the current typhoon season, maintaining a high water level is strategic. Even if the 748.48-meter mark isn't precisely reached, the consistent 98-99% capacity indicates the lake is functionally full. The decreasing visibility of the "Nine Frogs" is a direct consequence of this high water management.

Sun Moon Lake's water storage generally does not reach full capacity. Based on the current situation, Sun Moon Lake is actually full.

— Taiwan Power CompanyTaipower explained their water management strategy and the current state of Sun Moon Lake.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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