Irrigation Agency

I. Project Innovation
1. Through detailed land surveys and site inspections, the project makes full use of the limited available land area. In addition to meeting the basic design objectives of rehabilitating aging channels and patrol roads, a linear multi-functional storage basin was incorporated into the design.

Water storage: During normal conditions, the facility stores surplus water during off-peak nighttime hours, reducing water waste.

Sediment settling: By functioning as a stilling basin, it reduces sediment content in irrigation water, thereby decreasing sediment deposition in downstream channels and lowering maintenance and management costs.

Flood detention: During heavy rainfall events, the facility stores floodwater from upstream runoff that would otherwise overflow into the Zhuo Main Canal, reducing the load on downstream waterways, lowering the risk of overtopping, and enhancing regional flood mitigation and detention capacity.

Regulation: Stored water can be used for irrigation allocation, improving water supply stability and overall efficiency of water resource use.

2. Traditional labor-intensive management practices were improved by integrating control and monitoring systems with the management and maintenance units. Through cloud-based video monitoring equipment, conditions at gate structures can be observed in real time to enable timely response, upgrading operations to an information-based management model.

II. Project Challenges
1. The Zhuo Main Canal serves an irrigation area of 38,700 hectares. Maintaining existing irrigation demand during construction and ensuring that irrigation water supply was not affected represented a major challenge. During the planning stage, construction was phased by sections using adjacent available land to laterally relocate and construct a new Zhuo Main Canal. Connection between the new and existing channels was then completed during short irrigation shutdown periods. This approach enabled the canal reconstruction to be completed without interrupting irrigation supply.

2. The project area is located adjacent to a freeway and contains numerous and complex aboveground and underground pipelines. Proactive coordination and collaboration with the relevant pipeline authorities were undertaken in advance to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes

III. Project Comprehensiveness
1. Within the constraints of limited space, the original fixed weir overflow length of 5 meters was cleverly reconfigured using overflow weir principles into a horseshoe-shaped fixed weir. This design increased the effective overflow length from 5 meters to 18.22 meters, boosting discharge capacity by 3.6 times and ensuring flood conveyance safety.

2. While ensuring structural safety, the storage basin and the main canal were designed with a shared wall structure, reducing costs and land requirements while expanding the storage basin capacity and enhancing overall effectiveness.

3. An electronic water level monitoring system enables real-time tracking of water conditions. In the event of rapid rises in water level caused by sudden rainfall, remote control and timely response can be implemented immediately.

4. The installation of a side spillway for the storage basin and a horseshoe-shaped spillway on the main canal ensures channel safety. Even in the event of an unexpected gate malfunction, overtopping and related hazards can be prevented.

5. During planning and design, full consideration was given to local environmental conditions and community input. A 5-meter-wide maintenance road and landscape improvements were implemented to enhance local accessibility and improve residents' quality of life.
 

I. Outstanding Project Performance
1. During construction, close attention was given to finishing details to enhance overall project quality and integrity. Strict requirements were applied during the setting-out stage. Both curved and straight sections were executed to consistent quality standards, improving visual comfort.

2. Occupational safety and health education and training, as well as safe construction practices, were fully implemented. No construction safety incidents occurred during the project period.

3. Good neighbor relations were actively maintained throughout construction, and no public supervision reports were filed during the project period.

4. Project quality and schedule were well managed, and the project received a Grade A rating in engineering supervision by the competent authority.

II. Significant Project Benefits
1. Direct Benefits
According to the Zhuo Main Canal Improvement Planning Report, following the improvement of the entire 32,914-meter canal, annual conveyance losses along the main canal can be reduced by approximately 48.15 million metric tons. Following improvements to 266 meters of the canal, seepage losses are reduced by approximately 390,000 metric tons per year.

Upon completion of the Zhuo Main Canal’s Multi-Functional Storage Basin Project, an additional 187,000 metric tons of storage capacity will be created. When operated in conjunction with the completed downstream Zhuo Main Canal storage basin (96,000 metric tons) and the Anqing Canal storage basin (20,000 metric tons), overall water resource utilization efficiency will be significantly enhanced.

2. Indirect Benefits
The project provides multiple functions, including water storage, sediment settling, flood detention, and flow regulation.

By stabilizing irrigation water supply, the project reduces farmers’ reliance on groundwater extraction, effectively mitigating land subsidence, lowering pumping costs for both the agency and farmers, and reducing carbon emissions associated with energy consumption.

More stable irrigation water supply improves farming conditions, benefiting an estimated 38,700 hectares of agricultural land, increasing farmers’ income, and contributing to rural prosperity..

The project also helps advance the vision of rural revitalization, enabling the public to better understand and appreciate the government’s commitment to supporting agriculture and promoting the benefits of irrigation encompassing production, life, and ecology.
 

• Public Transportation

1. Take the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Yunlin Station.
2. Transfer to the THSR shuttle bus and get off at the Chifa Mazu Temple stop.
3. Proceed south along Guoxi Road (Yun 75 County Road).
4. Walk for approximately 30 minutes.

• By Car

1. Coordinates: 120.47395, 23.720659
2. Exit National Highway No. 1 at the Huwei Interchange (southbound Exit 235, northbound Exit 236).
3. Proceed along Provincial Highway 145B toward THSR Yunlin Station.
4. Continue south along Guoxi Road (Yun 75 County Road) to reach the filming location.