NFU Partners with the Fifth River Basin Management Office — Building a New Model for Sustainable Waterfront Development Along the Beigang River

In order to strengthen the human-water relationship and create a water-friendly environment, National Formosa University President Chang Hsin-Liang and Wu Ming-Hua, Director-General of the Water Resources Agency's Fifth River Basin Management Office, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on 5/20 (Tuesday) for the "Collaborative Promotion of Sustainable Waterfront Environment Along the Huwei Levee Section of the Beigang River." Witnessed by Chen Yi-Fan, Deputy Executive Officer of the Executive Yuan's Yun-Chia-Nan Regional Joint Services Center, Wang Yi-Feng, Deputy Director-General of the Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other distinguished guests, the signing reflected both parties' shared commitment to advancing sustainable development and implementing local community care.

This collaboration stems from the Water Resources Agency's "Huwei Tide: Resilient Township Waterfront Stitching Program," Taiwan's first hydraulic engineering project planned through an international design competition, jointly designed by renowned domestic and international teams, with the Fifth River Basin Management Office responsible for implementation. The project integrates stormwater management and flood control functions, strengthening the township's resilience to extreme weather. It incorporates the concepts of "runoff sharing" and "local flood detention," diverting surface rainwater into waterways and land to improve the land's capacity for flood storage and regulation, while also using nearby farmland or vacant spaces to temporarily hold rainwater, mitigating the risk of flooding in the community.

This collaboration with NFU on the "Comprehensive Environmental Development Project for the Huwei Levee Section of the Beigang River" (Phase 1) represents the flagship project of this program. The site, located on the high-water floodplain beside the Huwei Iron Bridge, spans approximately 26 hectares, with an overall design integrating recreational, sports, ecological, and educational functions. The project is expected to be completed this September, with hopes of transforming Huwei Township into a model site nationwide for environmental resilience and culturally distinctive waterfront development.

The project's design includes extending NFU's athletic field, building a "Riverside Sports Platform," partnering with the university on a "Food and Agriculture Education Zone" to promote sustainable agriculture, and constructing the "Qingpu Flood Diversion Channel" and "Grassland Landscape," both featuring flood control and wetland ecological functions. The plan also includes a "Green Grand Staircase" offering scenic views for public recreation, and a "Multi-Functional Great Lawn" that can serve as a space for community activities. In addition, the site will feature extensive plantings of diverse trees, shrubs, and ground cover, creating a friendly waterfront environment where people and nature coexist harmoniously, injecting new life into the banks of the Beigang River.

NFU President Chang Hsin-Liang stated that this project marks several firsts — it is the first project selected through an international design competition, and the first time a university has been entrusted with such a project. As the entrusted university, NFU is also the first university in Taiwan to establish an Office of Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility, reflecting the university's emphasis on sustainable development. He expressed that NFU is honored to participate in this project, and looks forward to the Huwei Levee section becoming not only a scenic area for Yunlin County, but also a space for community activities and water-friendly recreation. He noted that the university will work collaboratively across all fronts to manage the project, continuing to fulfill its social responsibility as a university.

Chen Yi-Fan, Deputy Executive Officer of the Executive Yuan's Yun-Chia-Nan Regional Joint Services Center, stated that the "Huwei Tide: Resilient Township Waterfront Stitching Program" is the nation's first administrative program of its kind, and also its most important and exemplary. She noted that President Lai Ching-Te's policy platform of "Balanced Taiwan, Local Hope" emphasizes developing Taiwan's six major regional industries and promoting balanced local infrastructure development, within which water and environmental issues hold particular importance.

Chen pointed out that the Executive Yuan established a "Water and Watershed Sustainability" task force this past April, which will further integrate resources across ministries, including the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Environment, working across agencies to propose and promote adaptation strategies in response to extreme weather.

Wang Yi-Feng, Deputy Director-General of the Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs, stated that every great township has a river it is known for, and the culture and daily life of a place are often deeply intertwined with that river. He noted that in the past, rivers may have primarily served practical purposes such as flood control and water management, but today, the goal is to integrate rivers more closely with our towns and universities.

Wang explained that the Beigang River sits adjacent to National Formosa University, in an area home to a sugar mill — a place that has long sustained local residents' livelihoods and industrial development, while also situated within the expansive Jianan Plain and home to an outstanding university. He expressed hope that, through the stitching of the waterfront, the river can be revitalized, and that the Beigang River will become one of Taiwan's most beautiful and representative rivers. He noted that through this collaboration with the university, the Beigang River area will also become a future venue for the university's ESG-related activities.

Article provided by: Secretariat Office