Detention Pond with Reinforced Earth Dike for Fazi River, Taichung, Taiwan

In recent years, due to global climate anomalies, there has been a noticeable increase in extreme hydrological events, with the affected areas and severity far surpassing those of the past. The Shisanliao drainage system is located in the hillside region of a district in Taichung City, connecting to a primary tributary of the Fazi River. Due to the insufficient capacity of the existing drainage system, relevant authorities have planned improvements to the drainage system and have set up a retention pond to reduce peak flows and prevent flooding.

Due to certain parts of the river channels around Shisanliao being encroached upon and having unclear flow paths, the capacity for flood discharge is noticeably insufficient. The existing drainage within the community, while able to handle the surface runoff from that specific area, cannot cope with the increased runoff from external regions. This leads to inadequate water discharge and a subsequent rise in upstream water levels, causing flooding in nearby areas. In order to effectively reduce or mitigate the flood-prone areas and improve agricultural yield and land utilization, it's essential to reduce peak flow rates, ensuring the safety and protection of residents' lives and property in the region.

Due to certain parts of the river channels around Shisanliao being encroached upon and having unclear flow paths, the capacity for flood discharge is noticeably insufficient. The existing drainage within the community, while able to handle the surface runoff from that specific area, cannot cope with the increased runoff from external regions. This leads to inadequate water discharge and a subsequent rise in upstream water levels, causing flooding in nearby areas. In order to effectively reduce or mitigate the flood-prone areas and improve agricultural yield and land utilization, it's essential to reduce peak flow rates, ensuring the safety and protection of residents' lives and property in the region.

This project applied a reinforced earth dike for the detention pond. It provides water conservation and facilitates regional drainage, thus significantly reducing the risk of flooding. It has efficiently alleviated the flooding potential for over 16 hectares around the detention pond. Furthermore, the constructed detention pond improves local crop production and land applications, avoiding regional residents' life hazards and ensuring their property safety.

The reinforced earth dike made of in-situ geological materials provides reliable structural stability and significantly reduces material transportation costs and time. Such a strategy aligns with the principles of engineering sustainability, promoting energy conservation and carbon reduction. In addition, the lush greenery covering the surface of the dike enhances the aesthetic appeal of the surroundings of the flood detention pond while promoting ecological sustainability.