Plover Cove Reservoir, Reservoir in Tai Po District, Hong Kong.
Plover Cove Reservoir is a freshwater storage facility in northeastern Hong Kong created by damming a sea inlet. The main structure connects two promontories and shields the basin completely from the open sea.
Construction began in 1960 and transformed a salty bay into a freshwater lake within eight years by pumping out seawater. The project arose from the need to secure water supply for Hong Kong's rapidly growing population.
The name Plover Cove comes from the plovers that once populated the coastline along the former sea inlet. Today walkers and cyclists use the dam crest as a viewing point over the calm freshwater basin and surrounding green hills.
Access is through walking and cycling paths along the dam that offer wide views over the water and mountains. On windy days the dam crest can be exposed, so weatherproof clothing is advisable.
Engineers experimented with an entirely new method to replace saltwater with freshwater without letting the dams leak. Today freshwater fish swim in the same basin where marine creatures once lived.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
