Not only is the river the major source of the area's tourist potential, it is also the fresh water source for the 7 million inhabitants of the greater Taipei region.
新店溪由源於烏來的南勢溪，及來自坪林的北勢溪匯合而成，水流清澈，為大台北地區七百萬居民的水源。它也是帶動新店觀光事業發展的活水源頭。