[1] The Gaoping River headwaters originate near Yushan[3] in northern Kaohsiung’s Tauyuan District and a small part of southern Nantou County.

The Laonong emerges from the mountains at Meinong as a wide braided stream and after being joined by the Ailiao from the east, the Gaoping proper is formed, which flows about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south along the coastal plain, through Pingtung County, emptying into the Taiwan Strait in Linyuan District.

[10] On August 27, 2000, flooding damaged a bridge across the Gaoping River causing 16 vehicles to fall into the water, injuring 22 people.

About 3 metres (120 in) of rain (one year’s typical precipitation) fell over the Gaoping River basin in a period of three days.

[13] The flow of the river was so strong that it created currents of up to 60 kilometres (37 mi) per hour in the Taiwan Strait, damaging or destroying eight submarine cables.

The Qishan River tributary is diverted to fill Nanhua Reservoir, which provides nearly 90% of the water supply for Kaohsiung City.

The water would be diverted from the Laonong segment of the Gaoping River within Liouguei District and transported to the reservoir via a tunnel.

[17] The lower part of the river is heavily polluted by runoff from factories and livestock operations, especially from pigs and chickens.