塱原及河上鄉最新消息（2021年8月）
剛過去的6、7月天氣不穩，6月降雨量不但高於平均值近三成，更有多個熱帶氣旋襲港，極端天氣正好測試灌溉水道的疏水能力。長春社和香港觀鳥會在雨後例行巡田時未有發現大型水浸的痕跡
（圖1），唯見承建商在數塊鄰近灌溉水道的農田田壆打開缺口，疏導雨水至灌溉水道，因此我們暫時相信水道有一定防洪作用
（圖2）。
對於有會員憂慮灌溉水道兩旁的垂直「石籠」牆容易困住水道中的動物，事實上，塱原團隊一直非常關注各項工程對動物的影響，工友將陸續在灌溉水道兩側各100米的距離，梅花間竹地放置動物逃生裝置（即裝置之間相隔50米）。裝置設計非常簡單，是一個表面凹凸的混凝土斜台，嵌入「石籠」之間
（圖3），萬一兩棲爬行動物不慎掉進灌溉水道，也可在短距離找到逃生出口
（圖4）。
回應上一則 #塱原 更新中提及利用電動鎚鑽拆卸不合規格構築物地台一事 (
https://www.facebook.com/hkbws/posts/3890337117722298)，經討論後，承建商最終放棄使用重型機器，改用小型挖土機把地台壓碎，再用履帶機運走瓦礫，減輕噪音對日間活動雀鳥的影響。
最後，塱原河上鄉管理計劃傳來壞消息。6月連日暴雨令河上鄉的米田出現「倒伏」情況，經過長春社和香港觀鳥會同事搶救後，情況一度好轉。可惜七月收米期間再遇上颱風及大雨，不僅打亂我們收米的進度，更催化未收割的稻米發芽
（圖5），我們不得不忍痛放棄餘下未收的米，因此今年頭造米的產量只有往年約五分一。我們心痛但不心死，農友和同事已經積極準備下一造米，迎接回歸的禾花雀。
Long Valley and Ho Sheung Heung Update (August 2021)
Weather was very unstable in the past two months. Rainfall in June exceeded monthly average by almost 30%. Furthermore, Hong Kong has been affected by a few tropical storms. Extreme weather in this period continuously challenged the flood prevention and drainage capability of the irrigation channel. In the recent regular field checking in Long Valley, the Long Valley team found no signs of serious flooding in the construction site
(Picture 1), whilst we found the contractor has broken up a few farmland bunds near the irrigation channel to divert water to the channel. At the moment, we think that the irrigation channel has no problem in preventing flooding under adverse weather
(Picture 2).
Our members have recently expressed concern over the potential risk of amphibians and reptiles being trapped by the vertical gabion walls of the irrigation channel and birds having difficulties in foraging in the irrigation channel. In fact, the Long Valley team is also concerned about how the ongoing construction works could have affected all wildlife living in Long Valley. Animal passage devices will be installed into the gabion wall alternatively on both sides of the irrigation channel with a 50 meters distance between two devices
(Picture 3). The animal crossing device is a simple, inclined concrete block with a rough surface which will become exits for animals accidentally fallen into the channel.
(Picture 4).
As mentioned in the last #Long Valley Regular Update, the contractor has suggested using excavators with a hydraulic breaker to remove the concrete platform of the substandard structures (
https://www.facebook.com/hkbws/posts/3890337117722298). After further discussions, the contractor has changed to use small excavators to crush the concrete platform into pieces and removed the debris with tracked carriers. The move significantly reduced noise and disturbance to diurnal birds.
Lastly, we have bad news from the Ho Sheung Heung Management Agreement project. Large patches of paddies collapsed after weeks of heavy rain and tropical storms in June. The situation has improved after staffs from CA and HKBWS tied up the paddies into bundles to provide more support. However, rain storm hit again during harvest days in July. That did not only slow down our harvesting pace, but also triggered the early rice germination
(Picture 5). This year, our harvest is only one fifth of the amount of normal years. We are now preparing for the second round of rice planting and looking forward to seeing the Yellow-breasted Buntings return.
1. 臨時通道有少量積水，未見大範圍水浸痕跡
Puddles of water were observed on the temporary access, with no signs of flooding
2. 大雨過後，灌溉水道水位上漲，但仍能應付自如
After heavy rain, water level of the irrigation channel rose
3. 工友正裝嵌動物逃生裝置
Workers were installing the animal crossing device into the gabion wall
4. 已安裝的動物逃生通道
Installed animal crossing device
5. 稻米因連日大雨導致提早發芽（長春社圖片）
Early rice germination due to heavy rain (Photo by The Conservancy Association)
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Last edited by HKBWS_Koren at 16/08/2021 18:10 ]
