Typhoon Podul's warning was lifted on the 14th, with heavy rain in the mountainous areas washing away 656 hectares of previously established water-covered areas. After the water receded, the 8th River Management Office immediately initiated repair operations, successively deploying heavy machinery and coordinating with the application of straw mat coverings. The goal is to increase the coverage rate to 80% before mid-September and complete the work by late September to cope with the impending northeast monsoon.
Dust control on the Beinan River is handled through a division of labor and cooperation between the 8th River Management Office and the Taitung County Environmental Protection Bureau. The 8th River Management Office is responsible for the river section from Chulai Bridge to Taitung Bridge, while the County Environmental Protection Bureau handles the section from Taitung Bridge to the Beinan River estuary. To mitigate river dust issues that easily occur during the peripheral circulation of typhoons and the northeast monsoon period, both parties continue to cooperate in promoting the "water covering method."
The heavy rain from Typhoon Podul once again destroyed the covered areas that had been repaired after the previous typhoon. Due to factors such as the undulating terrain of the Beinan River channel, changing water flow paths, difficulty in diverting water sources, and the scattered distribution of covered areas, construction difficulty has increased. The 8th River Management Office has actively mobilized personnel and resources to fully advance repair operations, striving for a complete restoration by late September.
Dust from the Beinan River has long been a plight for Taitung residents. Although various efforts were made in the past, the results were still limited until the introduction of the "water covering method," which led to significant improvements. Currently, they continue to cooperate with the County Environmental Protection Bureau to actively promote water covering to reduce the risk of dust from the riverbed, hoping to provide Taitung residents with good air quality. The 8th River Management Office also reminds the public that bare ground still poses a dust risk during the repair period, urging people to remain vigilant and take self-protective measures. You can download the "Dust Shield" APP on your mobile phone or visit the Beinan River Air Quality Monitoring website (http://taitung-pm10.com/) to get real-time information on Taitung's air quality.