Landlocked salmon In the 1940s a Japanese zoologist named Shikano Tadao drew up cross-section diagrams of the rivers in western Taiwan. He discovered that most rivers at altitudes of 1500-1700 meters are located on steep slopes and run very rapidly. In comparison, the Tachia River--at about the same altitude--is on a gentler slope. Moreover, it is located in central Taiwan where there are fewer typhoons, so it offers unusually good natural conditions.
一九四○年代，日本動物學者鹿野忠雄曾畫出台灣西部河川的剖面圖，發現多山的寶島，在標高一千五百到七百公尺的河段中，異常陡峻、湍急，比起來，大甲溪坡度卻最平緩，又位居颱風最少侵襲的中部，可以說風水特佳。