With the river flowing, life continues!

Laokeng River is a beautiful little watercourse in Yangmei which is rich in freshwater fish and shrimp. Water from the river irrigates rice fields and receives water discharges from residents in the vicinity. Before dredging the river, the Water Bureau did not ask the local community if they had implemented ecological protection on the stream, so the dredging process was environmentally destructive. An excavator was given free rein to ride roughshod over this ecologically sensitive stream, injuring many creatures in the process. When eco-volunteers from Sing-yang-ping Community College and wardens from Laokeng River Patrol Team discovered the situation, they immediately contacted the Water Bureau and demanded the temporary halting of dredging work.

After several meetings and discussions, the Water Bureau, Sing-yang-ping Community College, Laokeng River Patrol Team, the village warden, local residents, and the engineering unit responsible for the project reached a consensus to continue dredging in a less damaging way. It is hoped that through time the stream will gradually regain its former ecological diversity. We must always bear in mind that river organisms are the guardians of the environment and their existence a symbol of a river's vitality.

以下為中文對照

川流不惜，生生不息！

 老坑溪是楊梅一條美麗的小溪，蘊育了溪蝦魚蟹，河川的水灌溉兩旁的稻田農作，也吐納附近的民生用水排放。但水務局在清淤時，並未詢問在地社團有無護溪保育，因此清淤的工法不友善，怪手碾壓河道，傷及溪中的生物，新楊平社大保育志工及老坑溪水巡守隊發現之後，與水務局溝通，因而暫停清淤工程。

  後續水務局、新楊平社大、老坑溪水巡守隊、里長、在地居民及工程單位，經過幾次的會勘討論及工程說明，大家在現場達成共識，在比較不衝突的河段繼續清淤。希望溪流經過一段時間後，會漸漸恢復往日的生態多樣性。河川生物是生態環境的守護神，它們的存在就是河川生命力的象徵，但願一時的不惜溪流生態，可以在時間的長河下，回復往日樣貌生生不息！

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