Old Iron Bridge Wetland Education Park (Dahu Old Iron Bridge) Introduction
The Old Iron Bridge Wetland Education Park is located in the Dashu District, covering an area from the cable-stayed bridge to the Gaoping Bridge on the right bank of the Gaoping River, stretching over 300 hectares. The riverside features a waterfront walkway, riverside bicycle paths, natural ecology areas, park green spaces, and a coffee plaza, among others, with the Old Iron Bridge Wetland Ecological Park occupying more than 100 hectares. This expansive wetland education park, characterized by its beautiful natural scenery, combines the unique religious, cultural, and historical landmarks of the Dashu District with natural ecology, water culture, and landscapes, making it a very unique leisure, tourism, and educational destination in the country. It is the best scenic spot along the Gaoping River, rich in animal and plant ecology, making it a great place for family learning and play, as well as an excellent location for photography enthusiasts, with the morning light at dawn and the sunset reflected on the water creating picturesque scenes. The "Gaoping Old Iron Bridge" within the park is a national historic site completed in 1913. Stretching across the Gaoping River like a rainbow, it connected the railway transport of Gao-Ping two areas and marks an important chapter in Taiwan's livelihood and economic development, also being the longest iron bridge in Asia at that time. Now revitalized and restored, it has become the Old Iron Bridge Sky Walk, featuring an observation platform for visitors to rest. Originally named the Lower Tamsui River Iron Bridge, it was constructed under the supervision of Japanese engineer Toyoji Iida, completed in 1913. This single-track railway bridge spans 1,526 meters, composed of 24 sets of steel trusses and granite brick piers, connecting the railway transport of Gao-Ping two areas. After a century, although the Old Iron Bridge has retired, its historical, cultural, and architectural significance deserves to be preserved sustainably. In 2014, marking the centenary of the iron bridge, the city government specifically revitalized and restored it with the principle of "not damaging any original component," creating a sky walkway that is 307 meters long and 8 meters wide. Steel plates were added in the gaps between the railway ties to allow people to walk and push bicycles, and an observation platform was built for visitors to rest. Walking along the sky walk not only provides a close-up experience of the beauty of the historic bridge and iron bridge architecture, but also offers a view of trains roaring past. The lush wetlands by the Gaoping River and the beautiful mountains and rivers present a multi-layered grandeur in the morning and evening light, allowing visitors to appreciate natural scenery while experiencing historical sentiment, broadening their minds. The Old Iron Bridge Wetland Park, located between the Old Iron Bridge and the Gaoping Bridge, features 13 artificially excavated ponds, utilizing aeration, sedimentation, and the cleansing functions of microorganisms to purify water sources through nature. The wetland park insists on not using herbicides, maintaining the ecology of the Gaoping River banks, thus creating a friendly environment for plant growth and a habitat for birds and aquatic animals. In this vibrant green space, visitors can fully enjoy the natural scenery via well-established walkways and bicycle paths, and closely observe hundreds of species of wildlife and aquatic plants, making it a visual and spiritual delight with rich natural ecology and serene riverbank landscapes. Access to the Gaoping River Weir requires formal application, necessitated by the uneven rainfall in southern Taiwan and increasing water demand. The Gaoping River Weir is constructed within the Dashu District of Kaohsiung City, located 2 kilometers upstream from the Gaoping Railway Bridge. Since its operation in 2000, it accounts for 63% of the daily water consumption in the Greater Kaohsiung area. The Gaoping River Weir is 960 meters long, of which 674 meters are fixed weir and 8 movable rubber dams totaling 286 meters; it also includes a "fishway" for migratory fish to spawn upstream. This weir only raises the water level without any storage capacity, using Taiwan's first self-made rubber dam to stop water at low water levels and allow the release of water downstream during peak flow periods, significantly contributing to river safety and water source acquisition while minimizing ecological damage. The weir management office also features a water resources museum, providing detailed graphical and textual explanations on the sustainable use of Gaoping River water resources, which has great educational significance.
