Ninth River Management Branch, WRANinth River Management Branch, WRA

To ensure that the Mataian Creek post-disaster emergency dredging project maintains the highest standards of engineering quality, legal compliance, and administrative integrity under intense time pressure, the Ninth River Management Branch officially launched the "Procurement Integrity Platform for the Mataian Creek Emergency Dredging Project" today (January 6) in Guangfu Township, Hualien County. This cross-departmental, interdisciplinary institutional cooperation aims to comprehensively strengthen risk control throughout the procurement and execution phases of the project.

According to the Water Resources Agency (WRA), a previous barrier lake overflow along the Mataian Creek caused a massive influx of sediment and rocks downstream. This resulted in a significant elevation of the riverbed and a severe reduction in the flood discharge cross-section, posing an immediate threat to downstream communities and flood prevention safety. Following a professional assessment, the WRA initially targeted a dredging volume of 6 million cubic meters before the 2026 flood season. To date, approximately 9.1 million cubic meters have been dredged—exceeding the target by about 3.1 million cubic meters. Dredging operations remain ongoing to further expand flood discharge capacity and enhance river defense safety.

Given the urgency of this disaster prevention project, combined with the substantial volume of subsequent sediment auctions and tracking management involved, the project inherently carries high procurement and integrity risks. Consequently, the WRA proactively introduced the "Procurement Integrity Platform" mechanism, integrating critical stages—such as project planning, tendering, construction, and sediment management—into a structured and institutionalized oversight framework.

Lin Yuan-peng, Director-General of the WRA under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, emphasized that the Mataian Creek remediation is a disaster prevention project "racing against time," where engineering efficiency and clean governance are of equal importance. The establishment of the Integrity Platform not only provides real-time consultation on procurement procedures and legal regulations but also helps eliminate improper external interference. This ensures that engineering decisions are strictly guided by professional judgment, allowing frontline personnel to dedicate themselves fully to construction and quality control within a safe and transparent system.

The Ninth River Management Branch further explained that relevant project details will be disclosed to the public via a dedicated "Dredging Information Transparency Section." This section will feature crucial data including project tenders, construction progress, dredging volumes, and the destination of excavated sediment to enhance public oversight and administrative transparency. Additionally, the platform will convene regular inter-agency liaison meetings to facilitate immediate communication and coordination regarding technical, legal, and administrative issues that may arise during the project.

To date, a temporary emergency earthen dike spanning approximately 2,860 meters has been completed along the Mataian Creek. Moving forward, the branch will continue to push ahead with restoration works, the construction of high-specification dikes, the excavation of the main river channel, and riverbed reshaping. All subsequent construction items will be concurrently monitored under the Integrity Platform’s oversight mechanism.

The WRA stressed that the Mataian Creek emergency dredging project is not only a vital initiative for flood control and disaster mitigation but also serves as a model case demonstrating the integration of public works with clean governance and risk management. Looking ahead, the WRA will steadfastly adhere to the principle of "no compromises on engineering quality, zero concessions on administrative integrity," ensuring the project is completed on schedule and to the highest standards, thereby establishing a governing benchmark for disaster prevention engineering nationwide.