TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Water Resources Agency rejected Sunday the National Audit Office’s criticism of its failure to update river management plans, stressing that its management rate for rivers under its jurisdiction has reached 91.25%.
The National Audit Office noted in its report that, of the 183 rivers and tributaries under central government jurisdiction, 50% have not had their management plans updated in 10 years, with major flooding occurring in 11 of them, per UDN. The office suggested that without updating management plans, as required by existing regulations, the government cannot effectively evaluate whether flood mitigation capacity and standards are correct.
The office pointed out that Mataian Creek, which saw a catastrophic barrier lake overflow last year, last had its management plan updated in 2013. It called on the agency to update the plan so necessary flood mitigation projects and adjustments can be made.
KMT Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) noted that Taiwan has seen an increase in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall, per UDN. She called for a comprehensive review of Taiwan’s flood mitigation measures and the cost-effectiveness of related investments in southern Taiwan.
Central Weather Administration official Lo Tzu-ting (羅資婷) told The Reporter that a review of daily precipitation data between 1960 and 2023 revealed that the frequency of heavy rainfall events increased between the first and second 30-year periods, with Kaohsiung seeing a more significant increase than Taipei. Administration official Chen Meng-shih (陳孟詩) pointed to climate change and rising temperatures, adding that Taiwan has seen a greater increase in precipitation intensity than the global average.
The Water Resources Agency rejected the assessment, noting that its river management rate and drainage regulation rate had reached 91.25% and 79.7%, respectively, per NOWNews. It argued that analyzing whether flood mitigation standards fit the needs on the ground, changes to river courses, and other factors are more important than simply updating river management plans.
The agency noted that flooding incidents over the past three years have mostly resulted from existing drainage infrastructure being unable to cope with intense rainfall. It added that flooding caused by rivers or drainage system overflows has not increased significantly.
The agency stressed that if significant changes in river systems are identified after flooding, such as the Mataian Creek barrier lake overflow, it will review its plans, per KNews. The agency said recent intense precipitation in southern Taiwan has exceeded the design capacity of the drainage systems, necessitating investments to lessen the impacts of future flooding incidents.
