Hydrotech Laboratory, Water Resources Planning Institute, Water Resources Agency (referred to as the “Laboratory”, as shown in Figure 1) is located by Wu River in Wufong District of Taichung City. The Laboratory was first instituted in 1973 by the Water Resources Bureau of Taiwan (today’s WRA) as an unstaffed taskforce under the Water resources planning corps (today’s WRPI). As its affairs extended and its importance increased, in June 1977, it became officially a staffed laboratory. To satisfy the needs of affairs, in 1991, the Laboratory was divided into Hydraulics Laboratory and Geomatics Laboratory with more tasks including supporting research to the stages of planning, design and construction of hydraulic engineering.
Figure.1 Hydraulics Laboratory, Water Resources Planning Institute
The Laboratory had begun primarily with experiments on flood prevention and structure of reservoirs. The first hydraulic model for sediment sluicing gate of Shihgang Reservoir in 1973(as shown in Figure 2). The Laboratory has completed the model tests and research on many projects including the project of Wujie tidal gate, Jhuoshuei River spur dike, Baihe Reservoir, Daan River spur dike, Erchong floodway, Baoshan Reservoir spillway, Donggang River watersupply station, and the sandy reach of Jhuoshuei River(as shown in Figure 3).
Figure.2 Laboratory’s first model: Shihgang Reservoir
Figure.3 Model of Jhuoshuei River
Further for various needs of hydraulic construction, experiments were conducted to different type of experiments. For reservoir construction, like Nanhua Reservoir spillway, Liyutan Reservoir spillway(as shown in Figure 4), Xishih Reservoir spillway, and Hushan Reservoir spillway, relevant experiments were done.
Figure.4 Model of Liyutan Reservoir spillway
For river and flood prevention experiments, like watersupply work and silting basin in Jiji Weir, Tongtou Weir in Hushan Reservoir, Yuanshantsu Flood diversion tunnel(as shown in Figure 5), Jiji Weir and its downstream river(as shown in Figure 6), stabilization of Dajia River downstream of Shihgang Reservoir, relevant experiments were done.
Figure.5 Model of Yuanshantsu flood diversion
Figure.6 Model of downstream river in Jiji weir
Due to serious siltation problem of reservoirs in Taiwan, experiments about sediment sluicing of reservoirs were also done, like empty flushing of Nanhua Reservoir, empty flushing of Agongdian Reservoir, desilting tunnel of Shihmen Reservoir(as shown in Figure 7), desilting tunnel of Tzenwen Reservoir(as shown in Figure 8), and desilting tunnel of Baihe Reservoir.
Figure.7 Model of Shihmen Reservoir
Figure.8 Model of Tzenwen Reservoir
Besides above mentioned experiments, the Laboratory also involves in fishway model experiments(as shown in Figure 9) and fundamental experiments on scour and protection of river embankment. The type of experiments has always changed with national constructions.
Figure.9 Fishway model