User:Shannon1/Sandbox 4

Zhuoshui River
The Zhuoshui River near its confluence with the Chenyoulan River in Nantou County
Map of the Zhuoshui River drainage basin
Native name	Chinese: 濁水溪; Hanyu Pinyin: Zhuóshuǐ Xī; Tongyong Pinyin: Jhuóshuěi Si; Wade–Giles: Cho2-shui3 Hsi1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lô-chúi-khoe Error {{native name checker}}: list markup expected for multiple names (help)
Location
Country	Republic of China
Region	Changhua, Chiayi, Nantou, Yunlin
Physical characteristics
Source	Wushe River (霧社溪)
• location	Hehuanshan East Peak, Nantou County
• coordinates	24°08′10″N 121°16′40″E / 24.13611°N 121.27778°E / 24.13611; 121.27778
• elevation	3,220 m (10,560 ft)
Mouth
• location	Between Changhua County and Yunlin County
• coordinates	23°50′26″N 120°14′19″E / 23.84056°N 120.23861°E / 23.84056; 120.23861
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	186.6 km (115.9 mi)[1]
Basin size	3,157 km2 (1,219 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average	141.6 m3/s (5,000 cu ft/s)[3]
• minimum	0.36 m3/s (13 cu ft/s)[2]
• maximum	28,900 m3/s (1,020,000 cu ft/s)[2]
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Chingshui River, Chenyoulan River, Kashe River, and others
• right	Shuili River, and others
Bridges	Xiluo Bridge

The Zhuoshui River (Chinese: 濁水溪) is a major river in west-central Taiwan. Starting in the Central Mountain Range in Nantou County, the river flows west toward the Changhua Plain, where it forms the border between Yunlin County and Changhua County, and empties into the Taiwan Strait. With a total length of 186.6 kilometres (115.9 mi),^[4] it is the longest river in Taiwan.^[5] It is known for its frequent flooding and has the highest sediment load of Taiwan's rivers, which earned it the name "Zhuoshui", muddy water.^[6] The river serves as an unofficial boundary between the north and south of Taiwan.^[7][8][9]

The Zhuoshui River basin has been inhabited by various indigenous peoples for at least 4,000 years. Although many indigenous groups were assimilated or driven out by Han Chinese settlement starting in the 1600s, the Atayal, Seediq, Bunun and Thao retain some of their traditional lands in the Nantou part of the basin. Han immigrants built Taiwan's first irrigation scheme on the Zhuoshui River, enabling the economic growth of the region. During Japanese occupation in the early 1900s, the upper Zhuoshui River was exploited for its natural resources, and resistance from indigenous groups led to numerous military confrontations including the Musha Incident.

The river has considerable economic importance. It is the site of one of Taiwan's largest hydropower schemes, an interconnected system of reservoirs, tunnels and power plants which include the Sun Moon Lake reservoir, one of Taiwan's most popular tourist attractions. The river is a key source of water for irrigation and industry in central Taiwan. In recent decades, sand and gravel mining and the construction of the Jiji Weir have significantly degraded the channel of the river.