On 24 July 1958, an official spokesman stated that government engineers were studying the idea of converting sea inlets into freshwater lakes, and cited Plover Cove as one of the foremost areas under consideration.

The plan was considered feasible as the cove was mostly enclosed on three sides, and could be fully cut off from the sea by damming sections of the Tolo Harbour known to be very shallow.

In mid-1959 the engineers delivered a report confirming the feasibility of the plan and laying out the basic arrangement of the proposed dams.

The Hakka villagers were compensated by the Hong Kong British colonial government with apartments and shop units along Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po known as "Luk Heung San Tsuen" (Chinese: 六鄉新村; lit.

[1] Tai Mei Tuk at the northwestern end of the main dam is a popular barbecue site in Hong Kong.