Guaranteed by the Public Works Gold Medal Award—Soil and Water Conservation Engineering for Disaster Preparedness and Ecological Restoration - Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, MOA

The 12th Public Works Gold Medal Award hosted by the Public Construction Commission, Executive Yuan, released the winners list in late October. The Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, Council of Agriculture, was recognized by the excellence award in the water resource category for its “Gengfang South River Upstream Section and Tributaries Phase-2 Dredging Project” and “Laoxi Bridge Debris Flow Disaster Prevention Project” and was nominated in the water resource category for the “Post-Disaster Rehabilitation Project for the Nanyi Ditch below the 3.5km Marker of Tengzhi Forest Road at Xinglong Village,” in addition to the excellence award in the civil engineering category for the “Sanlianbi Sansheng Farming Pond Environmental Improvement Works.”

New Engineering Methods Create Biodiversity Space

The Soil and Water Conservation Bureau authorities stated that the awarded projects were recognized not only for the excellent quality of the works, but also for their emphasis on the maintenance of diverse ecological systems. New engineering methods for both disaster preparedness and ecological restoration were adopted, revitalizing and rejuvenating the environments. Among them, the “Gengfang South River Upstream Section and Tributaries Phase-2 Dredging Project” at Toucheng Township, Yilan County, utilized rocks as the bank revetment material to reduce the use of concrete. Besides incorporating disaster preparedness functions, the design also blends into the surrounding landscape. At the same time, the “Laoxi Bridge Debris Flow Disaster Prevention Project” at Shoufeng Township, Hualien County, utilized the existing rocks around the site for the bank revetment, which provides a surface with increased roughness and reduced gradient that made for a high-quality eco-friendly corridor.

What’s more, the “Sanlianbi Sansheng Farming Pond Environmental Improvement Works” at Sanwan Township, Miaoli County, followed the traditional method of catchwater to faciliate slope surface drainage, in order to make a cool, shady enviornment with slightly wet ground. This makes Sanlianbi a unique, mythical pond that attracts travelers. The “Post-Disaster Rehabilitation Project for the Nanyi Ditch below the 3.5km Marker of Tengzhi Forest Road at Xinglong Village” at Liugui District, Kaohsiung City, was launched as a result of the severe damage caused by Typhoon Morakot. Engineering specialists used gabions and geogrids with colluvial soils as backfill material for slopeland protection, in order to save the removal and transport costs of colluvial soils and to prevent the surroundings from being damaged.

Quality Construction as a Base for Ecologically Sustainable Homeland

The Bureau authorities further stated that the recognition from the Public Works Gold Medal Award is greatly inspiring for the staff and that in the future the Bureau will still adhere to the “humanistic care, quality construction, sustainable development” philosophy and are determined to thoroughly realize “quality construction.” They will also make efforts toward sustainable public works by taking environmental change and ecological conservation into consideration.

Toucheng Township, Yilan County: Gengfang South River Upstream Section and Tributaries Phase-2 Dredging Project

Shoufeng Township, Hualien County: Laoxi Bridge Debris Flow Disaster Prevention Project

Sanwan Township, Miaoli County: Sanlianbi Sansheng Farming Pond Environmental Improvement Works