Asian Journal of Environment and Disaster Management 2011 3 2

doi: 10.3850/S1793924011000733

The Mitigation Strategy for Taiwan HSR Passing through the Land Subsidence Area of Yunlin County

Shao-Yang Huang^1,2,a, Jet-Chau Wen^1,2,3,b, Chia-Chen Hsu² and Ju-Huang Lee^{4 1}Graduate School of Engineering Science and Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Yunlin 640, Taiwan. rhlee@wra.gov.tw ²Research Center for Soil & Water Resources and Natural Disaster Prevention, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, 123, Section 3, University Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County 640, Taiwan, R.O.C. ^aasyh1019@ntu.edu.tw ^bbwenjc@yuntech.edu.tw ³Department and Graduate School of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Yunlin 640, Taiwan. chiachen@yuntech.edu.tw ⁴Hydrology & Technology Department of Water Resources Agency,Ministry of Economic Affairs of Republic of China, 9-12F., No.41-3, Sec. 3, Xinyi Rd., Da'an Disrict., Taipei City 106, Taiwan, R.O.C. rhlee@wra.gov.tw

ABSTRACT

Yunlin County is located in the southwestern area of Taiwan, of which partial or whole areas of 13 out of 20 townships have serious land subsidence. This research uses the data of rainfall stations, groundwatermonitorwells, and land subsidence monitorwells in Yunlin County to investigate whether climate change has affected Yunlin County's hydrological environment and its corresponding land subsidence. According to the land subsidence monitoring data of 2002, the greatest subsidence rates in the area which the HSR passes through was over 10 cm/yr. In order to reduce the extent of land subsidence along the HSR route, in 2005 the government chose specific areas to carry out a well sealing plan, which was to seal dozens of official wells at a distance of 1.5 kms on each side of the high speed rail (HSR) route. The plan was completed in 2008. Fromthe actual land subsidencemonitoring data of 2009, the greatest subsidence rates in the area which the HSR passes through was decreased from 10.6 cm/yr to 7.0 cm/yr. Thus limiting over pumping of groundwater has improved the land subsidence problem.

Keywords: Climate change; Land subsidence.

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