Dajia River Hydroelectric Power Plant Ecological Park (Ma'an Dam Ecological Park) Introduction
The Dajia River Hydroelectric Power Plant in Taichung's Heping District has been transformed into the Dajia River Hydroelectric Power Plant Ecological Park (Maan Dam Ecological Park), integrating forest water resources, power technology, and natural ecology. It is not only the core of hydropower generation in central Taiwan but also houses a rich ecological corridor with diverse fish species, birds, butterflies, macaques, wild boars, and plants. The park serves both energy education and ecological observation purposes, and it features a bicycle rest station to provide a relaxing environment for cyclists. Visitors can plan a trip here to enjoy the forest's phytoncides, visit the century-old water conservancy construction, the Baileng Canal, or combine it with nearby attractions such as GuGuan Hot Springs and Baxianshan Forest Recreation Area for an intellectual leisure journey. The park includes several unique tourist attractions such as a green energy power generation exhibition, a dynamic wheel physical display, a technology exhibition hall, the Maan intake, a meditation pavilion, Egret Island, the Tianlun Baileng Suspension Bridge, the Baileng Canal water intake, the new Tianlun tailwater, Baileng popsicles, Baileng meat buns, and an ecological fishway display. Notably, the green energy power generation exhibition area features relevant power generation equipment, allowing visitors to see real-time electricity generation displayed on instruments, highlighting how climate influences wind and solar power generation. Furthermore, it offers visitors the chance to experience operating a water wheel to understand the principles of hydropower generation. The ecological fishway display area includes visitor pathways and fish observation windows to witness fish migration in real-time. Situated between Maan Dam and the Dajia River Hydroelectric Power Plant, the Tianlun Baileng Suspension Bridge spans 100 meters across the Dajia River. Originally the main passage between the banks of the Dajia River in the Baileng area, it is now limited to pedestrian use for safety reasons due to its age, with vehicles rerouted to the Maan Dam top road. Walking on the bridge, one can overlook the outflow area of the Dajia River Hydroelectric Power Plant upstream, and downstream witness egrets soaring in the sky, taking in the beauty of hydropower resources and natural ecology. Before leaving the park, visitors should not miss the chance to taste local delicacies, such as the cooperative-produced "Baileng popsicle" and the Hakka-style buns "Baileng meat buns," which have been around for over 40 years.
