Stormwater Drainage and Flood Control

The northern and north-western districts of the New Territories are
particularly vulnerable to flooding because of their low-lying topography
and the effects of urbanisation. The department continued in 1997 to
implement major schemes aimed at alleviating flooding in these areas.
Projects valued at some $6 billion were at various stages of planning,
design and construction.

In the North-Western New Territories, construction work on
improvement of some 10 kilometres of the lower reaches of the Kam Tin
River and the Shan Pui River in Yuen Long will be completed in 1998.
Design work was in progress to build a further 24 kilometres of drainage
channels in Kam Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and San Tin.

In the Northern New Territories, Stage I of the Shenzhen River
Regulation Project was completed ahead of schedule in April 1997. The
construction of Stage II Works started in November 1996 and was
scheduled for completion by end-2000. Working jointly with the
Shenzhen Municipal Government, preparation for Stage III of the project
was under way. The training of eight kilometres of the Indus and Beas
Rivers in the Northern New Territories was under design. On completion,
these river training works will provide a high flood protection level to the
communities along the rivers.

As an associated measure, 15 floodwater pumping schemes were built
and put into operation to prevent low-lying villages in the New Territories
from flooding. The construction of four more floodwater pumping
schemes for San Tin, Chau Tau, Sha Po and Tsung Pak Long and Tai
Tau Leng were in progress. Another eight schemes were at various stages
of planning and design.

To alleviate drainage problems in the old areas of West Kowloon, a
comprehensive plan to upgrade the stormwater drainage system in these
areas at a cost of over $2.5 billion was drawn up. Detailed design for the
first package of works was nearing completion for construction to
commence in early 1998 while the construction of Stage II works and the
detailed design of Stage III works are scheduled to start in 1999.

The department was also commissioning seven Drainage Master Plan
Studies to cover all flood-prone areas in Hong Kong. The studies would
review the condition and performance of the existing stormwater drainage
system in a comprehensive manner. Both long-term and short-term
measures to upgrade the system to cope with current and future
development pressures would be devised. The first study began in
January 1996 and the rest have been carried out in phases. All studies
will be completed by end-1999.

Maintenance of main watercourses passing through private land was a
major problem in the past. The department is now empowered under the
Land Drainage Ordinance to gain access through private land to carry out
drainage works and remove obstructions in main watercourses. In this
way, efficient maintenance and enhancement of the capacities of the
watercourses can be provided to reduce the frequency and severity of
flooding.

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