Ecological Fixed-Sampling Station Survey
The Water Resources Planning Branch, Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs, has initiated an ecological fixed-sampling station survey program for centrally administered river basins in northern, central, eastern, and southern Taiwan. Through regular monitoring over a two-year period, comprehensive baseline biological data on fish, shrimp and crabs, aquatic insects, and other organisms are collected, while environmental factors such as water quality and anthropogenic disturbances are recorded simultaneously.
The survey covers a total of 250 fixed sampling stations throughout Taiwan. The work includes baseline data collection, on-site aquatic sampling, database establishment, and ecological trend assessment and analysis. Researchers use electrofishing, shrimp traps, and fixed-area sampling methods to conduct multiple surveys during wet and dry seasons in order to understand the life histories of aquatic organisms and changes in community structure.
The final results will be integrated into the official portal and serve as an important reference for future river basin improvement and adaptation planning.
Production and Application of Ecological Sensitivity Information Maps
To support the Water Resources Agency’s promotion of integrated improvement and adaptation planning for centrally administered river basins, aquatic ecological information maps are developed for the 26 river basins under its jurisdiction. Ecological issues of concern and species are inventoried and comprehensively analyzed, and based on the analysis results, ecological project survey needs for each river basin are evaluated and recommended.
In addition to ensuring flood-control safety, ecological information maps based on ecological survey data are established to prevent or mitigate impacts on ecological habitats before and after engineering construction, allowing flood-control safety and the ecological environment to coexist.
- Establishment of aquatic ecological information maps: Aquatic ecological information maps are established for the 26 centrally administered river basins under the jurisdiction of the Water Resources Agency as baseline information for preventing or mitigating impacts on ecological habitats before and after engineering construction. This work aims to achieve the coexistence of flood-control safety and the ecological environment.
- Inventory and integrated analysis of ecological issues and species of concern: Ecological data are collected, ecological areas of concern and habitats are assessed, and ecological issues and species of concern are comprehensively analyzed.
- Assessment and recommendation of ecological project survey needs: Based on the above analysis results, ecological project survey needs for each river basin are assessed and recommended.
- Project surveys and reviews for specific river basins: Existing species and issues of concern in the Beigang River and Puzi River basins are specifically reviewed, and corresponding ecological project surveys are initiated. These surveys are intended to obtain baseline ecological data and establish ecological sensitivity area maps in order to formulate river basin conservation strategies for use in ecological inspections of subsequent river improvement projects.
- Review and refinement of existing ecological survey results: The results of ecological fixed-sampling station surveys and project surveys in centrally administered river basins are further reviewed and refined.
- Establishment and analysis of an aquatic ecological integrity index: An aquatic ecological integrity index suitable for the scale of centrally administered river basins is studied and established.
- Promotion of data disclosure and application: After all field survey results are compiled, data forms are checked and the data are made publicly available. The primary purpose of these results is to provide ecological inspection data for units under the Water Resources Agency when carrying out related engineering projects, and serve as reference information for the application of ecological information maps throughout the engineering project life cycle.
Production, Application Guidance, and Promotion of Watershed Environmental Information Maps
As river management concepts have gradually shifted from the traditional focus on flood control and engineering safety toward multiple considerations including ecological conservation, cultural preservation, landscape development, and climate change adaptation, the effective integration of natural environment, social environment, and governance information at the watershed scale, as well as improvements in data quality and depth of application, have become important foundations for water environment governance and policy implementation.
Under this trend, the Water Resources Agency has promoted the “Guidelines for the Production of Watershed Environmental Information Maps,” requiring each River Management Branch to submit relevant map layers to ensure data accuracy and consistency and to serve as an important foundation for policy implementation, engineering planning, and local governance. The core objective is to “strengthen map data quality and enhance application value.”
- Strengthen map data quality and consistency: Through the inspection and correction of information maps submitted by each River Management Branch, data accuracy and consistency are ensured. This includes integrating the contents of basic map layers and developing improved inspection procedures and operating methods to enhance map production efficiency. The establishment of automated inspection programs also serves this purpose.
- Enhance the application value and integration of map data: Through standardized and institutionalized approaches, map data integration, process improvement, and inter-agency sharing are promoted. This supports the Water Resources Agency’s overall policy direction for smart water management and the watershed governance information platform.
- Align with the Water Resources Agency’s overall policy direction: This project continues the achievements of previous years and aligns with the Water Resources Agency’s overall policy directions, including “Smart Water Management” and “Integration of the Watershed Governance Information Platform.”
- Promote inter-agency sharing and decision support: Through the standardization of information maps and improvements in data quality, inter-agency sharing mechanisms and subsequent decision-support effectiveness are strengthened. Watershed map packages and information sets will serve as basic data for policy implementation and resource allocation and improve communication and coordination efficiency between central and local governments in water environment governance.
- Incorporate public participation and local opinions: Open tools such as Google Maps and Google Earth are actively used to collect local issues and public feedback during workshops and field visits, supplementing the perspectives provided by official map data and improving the interactivity and practicality of information maps. At the same time, the operational requirements and objectives of watershed information maps also include their functions as platforms for information integration and presentation, as well as for collecting public opinions and reflecting local issues.
- Revise and optimize the production guidelines: Based on actual inspection experience, promotion and exchange results, and practical operational feedback from each River Management Branch, the “Guidelines for the Production of Watershed Environmental Information Maps (First Revision)” are formulated. The guidelines will continue to be reviewed and updated as needed. This includes simplifying the main structure of watershed map packages, reorganizing map data classifications, clearly distinguishing between “Required Map Data” and “Optional Map Data,” and streamlining map data content according to the latest standards.