Typhoon Bavi Approaches, Water Resources Agency Urges River and Coastal Embankment Inspections

(CNA) As Typhoon Bavi approaches, Water Resources Agency Director-General Lin Yuan-peng convened the second flood control preparedness video conference today, urging all river basin management offices to strengthen inspections of river and coastal embankments. The Water Resources Agency stated that regarding the response and handling of four monitored landslide-dammed lakes across Taiwan, the Ministry of Agriculture has established a cross-ministerial communication platform to coordinate and establish a monitoring and early warning mechanism.

The Water Resources Agency stated in a press release today that following the first preparedness meeting, all river basin management offices have consulted with local governments to review disaster causes and enhance preparedness for areas prone to disasters. This includes a joint on-site inspection of Sanye Creek in Tainan City, where the city government has cleared obstructions at Shuangxi Bridge and Kengkou Bridge, and the Taiyi Industrial Park has completed the reinforcement of 750 meters of embankment. In Kaohsiung City, at areas like Yuehshihchieh and Xiaogunshui communities, the city government has cleared debris under Chongde Bridge on the Erren River, and will support with three water pumps from the Sixth River Basin Management Office as needed.

Additionally, for flood-prone areas in Pingtung, including Meinong, Donggang, Linbian, and Jiadong, the Seventh River Basin Management Office is supporting the county government with 600 sandbags to seal breaches in the Linluo Drainage embankment. In Yilan, the Suao Alishi Pumping Station has been tested and is operating normally, and six large mobile pumping units have been installed for the Xizhou Drainage.

The Water Resources Agency stated that Lin Yuan-peng has requested all river basin management offices to strengthen inspections of river and coastal embankments, while also contacting county and city governments to ensure the completion of emergency repairs, clearing of drainage ditches, or urgent desilting, and to enhance the operation of water gates and pumping stations, and to pre-emptively drain detention ponds to prepare for the typhoon. Furthermore, 27 mobile pumping units sustained damage during the previous heavy rain disaster relief efforts, with one unit in Changhua County, four in Yunlin County, three in Chiayi County, eighteen in Pingtung County, and one in Yilan County. The county and city governments have requested manufacturers for urgent repairs. All 98 mobile pumping units managed by the Water Resources Agency are functioning normally and can be deployed for mobile support at any time.

Regarding landslide-dammed lakes, the Water Resources Agency mentioned that there are currently four monitored landslide-dammed lakes across Taiwan, all located within areas managed by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency monitors three, and the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau monitors one. The Maotaoan Creek landslide-dammed lake currently has no stored water, but still contains 240 million cubic meters of sediment. In addition to continuous monitoring by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, the Ninth River Basin Management Office of the Water Resources Agency has restored the standard flood discharge capacity of the Maotaoan Creek and has contracted five dredging projects to handle incoming sediment annually. Six large mobile pumping units have also been pre-positioned on-site for support.

The Water Resources Agency stated that the newly formed Wanli Creek landslide-dammed lake has a storage capacity of 3.25 million tons. The Ninth River Basin Management Office explained that its river channel flood discharge capacity is greater than the designed flood discharge flow. However, as the storage capacity of the landslide-dammed lake continues to increase, seven emergency projects have been completed based on the extreme scenario simulation results from the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency. These include reinforcing the head of the Lintianshan embankment with concrete blocks, raising the embankment crest by 500 meters, and reinforcing the rear slope with concrete for 1000 meters. The Senrong No. 1 embankment has been raised by 1 meter and extended for 950 meters. The embankment downstream of the railway bridge has been raised by 1 meter and extended for 100 meters. The Fenglin No. 2 embankment has had its head reinforced with concrete blocks. The embankment under the highway bridge has been raised by 2 meters. Two pumping units have been deployed on the right bank downstream of Jianying Bridge.

The Water Resources Agency explained that the Tagang Creek landslide-dammed lake in Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, is currently overflowing stably and does not pose a threat to downstream protected areas. The Jiachouliao Creek landslide-dammed lake in Zhushan Township, Nantou County, discovered by the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau on June 13, currently has a storage capacity of approximately 69,000 tons and is seeping stably. In addition to continuous monitoring by the Nantou Branch Office of the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, Nantou County Government and the Fourth River Basin Management Office have erected warning signs prohibiting public access.

The Water Resources Agency emphasized that for the response and handling of landslide-dammed lakes, the competent authorities have established a cross-ministerial communication platform, with relevant central and local agencies stationed to coordinate and establish a monitoring and early warning mechanism, as well as to implement various emergency engineering projects for response. (Editor: Lin Jia-xian) 1150707

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