Removing the 6 million cubic meters of post-flood silt on fields in Hualien County could take three years, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday, adding that partial removal combined with on-site reconstruction or farmland readjustment could be alternative solutions.
The Irrigation Agency Deputy Director-General Lin Kuo-hua (林國華) yesterday said the agency has drilled two wells that are supplying 1,480 tonnes of irrigation water per day to the 63 hectares of farmland in Guangfu (光復) and Fonglin (鳳林) townships unaffected by the barrier lake that burst.
Soil analyses showed the deposit on fields is composed mainly of coarse sand, which is covered with silty sand, he said.
Photo: CNA
Minister of Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) said there were concerns whether the tiny particles of silty sand could affect produce growth, but an analysis of 30 samples showed the thickness of the silty sand layer is only 3 to 5cm and limited to the surface.
The underlying soil layers contain coarse sand, similar to the soil composition of farmland in the region, he said.
The investigation showed that levels of heavy metals in the floodwash did not exceed acceptable limits and would not affect either the soil or growth in the future, he added.
Chen said the two wells were built under the ministry’s emergency irrigation scheme to water the 63 hectares of unflooded farmland, with a 1km water pipeline installed to substitute for the blocked irrigation channels.
The flooded farmland in the two townships totals about 800 hectares and is covered with floodwash ranging from several centimeters to 6m in thickness, he said.
It would take at least three years to completely remove all the silt, which would require somewhere to put it, Chen said.
Complete silt removal would be difficult, Lin said, adding that another proposed solution is to reconstruct the farms at their original sites while removing some of the silt.
However, some flooded farms have residential housing, which would be situated below the surface level when surrounding silt is removed, he said.
Farmland readjustment — the third solution — is believed to be the most efficient, and could restart farming by planning suitable farm roads and irrigation lines for each plot of farmland, Lin said.
Farmland readjustment would be a lasting solution, Chen said, adding that all the three solutions were being explored.
“We will find out the solution that is most beneficial to agricultural workers and most sustainable for agricultural operations,” he said.
The government wants to hear local farmers’ opinions and seek to reach a solution with input from local agricultural communities to promote farmland rehabilitation in the region, he added.
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