Barrier lake in Hualien just 7km from site of Matai’an flood

Barrier lake in Hualien just 7km from site of Matai’an flood

2026-06-22

Ever since last year’s Matai’an Creek flood in Hualien, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has regularly monitored the surrounding area to prevent a similar disaster from happening again, and now the agency has discovered a new 3-hectare barrier lake located just 7km to the north of the site of last year’s disaster.

Deep in the mountains in Hualien, an aerial photograph reveals that a 3-hectare barrier lake has formed next to a large landslide. The barrier lake is only 7km to the north of where the Matai’an barrier lake breach disaster occurred last year.

Huang Chium-tse
Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
There’s an elevation difference between the riverbed and the settlement downstream, so currently there’s no need to be overly concerned. Our evaluation is that the barrier lake’s location is very deep in the mountains and it’s not accessible by road, which is why we haven’t recently had anybody get close to that body of water.

Ever since the Matai’an Creek disaster, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has routinely monitored the nearby area. The agency found a new barrier lake where the upper reaches of Wanli Creek passes through Lintianshan Forestry Culture Park. The body of water is deeper in the mountains than last year’s barrier lake at Matai’an Creek. The closest settlement is Wanrung Village at 22km away; and there’s also Xibao Bridge and Wanli Creek Bridge, which are 24km and 27km away, respectively. Many landslides have occurred near Wanrung Village, so the closest cars can get is 3.5km, and there’s no hiking path that leads to the body of water. As a result, a helicopter was sent to inspect the area on Monday morning.

Huang Chium-tse
Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
Based on preliminary data, we’ve already notified the Ninth River Management Branch, and they’ll help us monitor water levels. Hualien County Government, Fenglin Township Office, and Wanrung Township Office were also immediately notified about the situation.

Hsieh Yu-chen
Borough Warden in Fenglin Township
The words “barrier lake” strike fear in the hearts of everyone, so I personally went door-to-door, notifying every resident that a barrier lake has formed, and the riverbed isn’t all that far from us.

With Typhoon Mekkhala—the year’s seventh typhoon—looming, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency won’t be taking any chances, which is why an emergency response team has been formed in order to closely observe the barrier lake’s water levels as well as the possibility of a breach.

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