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Hydraulic development is an important factor contributing to assistance in land reclamation. The regional differences in Taiwan’s natural environment have resulted in varying degrees of hydraulic development across the country. Taiwan has abundant rainfall, and hydropower is the main natural resource in Taiwan with great development value. Interrelated hydraulic development and hydropower complement each other. So far, power plants with both functions remain scarce. Zhuzimen Hydro Plant located in Meinong features both functions, and the century-old power plant continues to operate today. The established Zhuzimen Hydro Plant, in addition to assisting in the natural environmental factors, also generates power required by the Takao Port construction, while the remaining tailwater after the power generation is directed to the Shi-Tze-Tou irrigation system for re-irrigation purposes, thereby bringing abundant water resources into the vast Meinong area and creating more economic benefits. In view of the course of development of four topics, namely, hydropower, hydraulics, Nanlong Farm, and agriculture”, and from the perspective of the colonial government, the construction objectives set by the Zhuzimen Hydro Plant have exceeded the expected objectives, leading to the progressive transformation of Meinong’s landscape. Throughout the process of gradual modernization, the area has also encountered varying degrees of change in terms of the migration of ethnic groups due to relevant hydraulic facility constructions and colonial business development. The topic of this study is the link between hydropower and hydraulics following the establishment of Zhuzimen Hydro Plant, and the gradual change and impacts on the area are sequentially discussed.
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