In the past the Tuwei River used to be the source of drinking water for villagers in Gaojiapu town. According to the locals, the fertile soil in Gaojiapu village used to be good to grow watermelons and rice. But the land has been no longer suitable for farming in recent years since the Jinjie Industrial Park has been in use. Instead of farming the villagers have been planting trees which can survive in poor conditions near the river.