Hualien DARES Assists in Post-Disaster Soil Environment Recovery for Mataian Creek Farmland
The Hualien Agricultural Improvement Station is helping farmers in the Guangfu and Fengrong areas reconstruct their production environment after flooding from Mataian Creek, providing soil improvement and recultivation expertise.
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- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 11:36
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HUALIEN (CNA) — Following the overflow of Hualien's Mataian Creek, which flooded farmlands in the Guangfu and Fengrong areas, the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (DARES) is assisting farmers in rebuilding their production environment. Through recultivation demonstrations, they aim to bring life and hope back to the damaged land.
In September last year, an overflow from a barrier lake in Mataian Creek resulted in large amounts of sediment accumulation, nutrient loss, and soil alkalization. Damaged irrigation systems also made short-term rice production difficult.
The Ministry of Agriculture's Hualien DARES recently held three "Agricultural Production Environment Reconstruction Project Briefings." During these sessions, Ni Li-feng, an associate researcher in the Soil and Fertilizer Laboratory, explained soil improvement results and project execution details.
Hualien DARES stated that the goal is to help farmers restore soil fertility. The "Light Disaster Zone" work will be carried out from June to October, while the "Moderate Disaster Zone" work is scheduled from September to August next year. Farmers are asked to submit their consent forms by June 30 to Hualien DARES, local farmers' associations, or the reconstruction station near Guangfu Station.
Farmers are reminded to clear personal items from their fields first to allow machinery to enter and accelerate fertility restoration. The station noted that post-flood silt lacks organic matter, has high pH values, and contains garbage, making crop growth difficult. Muddy conditions also make it hard for machinery to operate.
Earlier demonstration plots in the Guangfu area successfully grew vegetables, millet, buckwheat, and radish. Therefore, these soil improvement measures will be expanded to general disaster areas with silt depth below 50 cm. For areas with less than 20 cm of silt (light) and 20–50 cm (moderate), measures including free deep plowing, soil improvers, and green manure seeding will be implemented to speed up recovery.
In September last year, an overflow from a barrier lake in Mataian Creek resulted in large amounts of sediment accumulation, nutrient loss, and soil alkalization. Damaged irrigation systems also made short-term rice production difficult.
The Ministry of Agriculture's Hualien DARES recently held three "Agricultural Production Environment Reconstruction Project Briefings." During these sessions, Ni Li-feng, an associate researcher in the Soil and Fertilizer Laboratory, explained soil improvement results and project execution details.
Hualien DARES stated that the goal is to help farmers restore soil fertility. The "Light Disaster Zone" work will be carried out from June to October, while the "Moderate Disaster Zone" work is scheduled from September to August next year. Farmers are asked to submit their consent forms by June 30 to Hualien DARES, local farmers' associations, or the reconstruction station near Guangfu Station.
Farmers are reminded to clear personal items from their fields first to allow machinery to enter and accelerate fertility restoration. The station noted that post-flood silt lacks organic matter, has high pH values, and contains garbage, making crop growth difficult. Muddy conditions also make it hard for machinery to operate.
Earlier demonstration plots in the Guangfu area successfully grew vegetables, millet, buckwheat, and radish. Therefore, these soil improvement measures will be expanded to general disaster areas with silt depth below 50 cm. For areas with less than 20 cm of silt (light) and 20–50 cm (moderate), measures including free deep plowing, soil improvers, and green manure seeding will be implemented to speed up recovery.