Update of the Greater Taipei Flood Prevention Hydraulic Model
Background
Initiated in February 1963 and completed in March 1964, the Greater Taipei Flood Prevention Hydraulic Test Facility is located at the Xindian Office Campus of the Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs. The original model facility covered the Keelung River, Xindian River, Dahan River, and the mainstream of the Tamsui River up to 4.5 kilometers beyond the river mouth, spanning a total length of approximately 25 kilometers. Designed as a fixed-bed distorted model with a horizontal scale of 1:300 and a vertical scale of 1:50, it supported numerous major hydraulic model tests over the years—including those for the Tamsui River, Erchong Floodway, Dahan River, and Keelung River—serving as a vital technical foundation for flood defense infrastructure in Greater Taipei.
In 2016, to accommodate the construction of the Ankeng Light Rail System, most facilities of the original model site were demolished, leaving only the tailwater board control room intact. The updated facility was reconstructed according to current site conditions. The upstream domain was adjusted to the Chengmei Long-Life Bridge on the Keelung River, the Fuhe Bridge on the Xindian River, and the Provincial Highway 65 (Expressway No. 2) Bridge on the Dahan River, while the downstream limit still covers the Tamsui River estuary. It continues to provide ongoing support for hydraulic model testing of major flood control projects in Greater Taipei.
Key Features of the Update
- Updated Topography: Based on 2022 river survey data, the facility re-established current channel topographies, levee configurations, and bridge distributions, significantly enhancing consistency between the model and the actual field environment.
- Realistic Bridge Simulation: A total of 46 bridges were constructed within the model site. Among them, four major structures—Danjiang Bridge, Dazhi Bridge, Crescent Bridge, and Guangfu Bridge—feature fully detailed bridge decks and superstructures to simulate the hydraulic impacts of bridge structures with greater fidelity.
- Automated & Stable Measurement: The facility incorporates 12 new automated radar-wave water level measurement systems featuring auto-measurement, data transmission, and real-time monitoring functions, effectively boosting test efficiency and measurement accuracy. For model roughness, cylinders of varied diameters were utilized instead of traditional gravel/cobble configurations, providing superior consistency, stability, and test repeatability.
Future Applications
Following the update, the Greater Taipei Flood Prevention Hydraulic Test Facility can simulate flood flow conditions under extreme rainfall and climate change scenarios. It evaluates whether existing flood defense facilities possess sufficient conveyance capacity, serving as a key validation platform for Greater Taipei’s flood safety.
The facility will also support hydraulic verification for improvement schemes under the Taipei Flood Prevention Plan 2.0. It offers design and planning references for channel governance, bridge engineering, cross-river structures, and major hydraulic infrastructure—mitigating engineering risks and maximizing flood control efficiency.
Looking forward, the site will integrate numerical simulations, smart monitoring, and physical hydraulic modeling to advance hydraulic testing research and technology development. Furthermore, it will function as an educational and demonstration space for professional hydraulic training, disaster prevention education, and environmental outreach, fully realizing its multi-faceted value across engineering, research, education, and public communication.