Why Did the Natural Monument Otters Come to Seongnaecheon in Songpa-gu?

Songpa-gu and Hanam-si to Supply 50,000 Tons of Han River Water Daily to Jangji Stream... Han River Water to Be Supplied as Maintenance Water to Jangji Stream and Other Wirye New Town Streams... Expected to Improve Residential Conditions by Securing Waterfront Spaces and Restoring Ecosystems

On May 27, at Songpa District Office, the 'Basic Agreement Ceremony for the Improvement Project of Stream Maintenance Water Supply between Songpa-gu and Hanam-si' was held. (From left) Park Gwang-gyun, Head of SH Urban Space Project Headquarters; Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu; Kim Sang-ho, Mayor of Hanam; Yoo Seok-tae, Head of LH Hanam Project Headquarters.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) is partnering with Hanam City to supply Han River water to streams flowing through Wirye New Town, including Jangji Stream, to secure waterfront spaces for residents and restore the ecosystem.

To this end, the district signed the "Songpa-gu-Hanam City Stream Maintenance Water Supply Improvement Project Basic Agreement" at the district office on May 27.

According to the agreement, Songpa-gu and Hanam City will be responsible for project implementation, while Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH) and Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), in charge of developing Wirye New Town and Hanam Gam-il District respectively, will bear the project costs.

This project involves supplying the most crucial stream maintenance water for the natural stream restoration project of Jangji Stream. Since the government's announcement of Songpa New Town in 2006, there had been disagreements between local governments and land development project implementers over the use of Tancheon riverbed filtered water and Han River water, leaving the issue unresolved for over a decade.

Accordingly, the district accelerated the project by continuously consulting with Hanam City, SH, and LH, deciding to use Han River water, which is abundant in quantity and easy to maintain.

Upon completion, a total of 50,000 tons of stream maintenance water per day will be supplied to Jangji Stream, Neungan Stream, and Beolmal Stream, which originate in Hanam City and flow into Songpa-gu.

This figure includes the 20,000 tons per day of Han River water supplied to Seongnae Stream through the Seongnae Stream Restoration Project in 2004.

The project will commence in June. After basic and detailed design phases, construction will begin in October this year, with test water flow scheduled for March next year. Trial operation will continue through the summer of next year, and the project is expected to be completed by October.

The district particularly expects that since this project includes Neungan Stream and Beolmal Stream in Hanam City, the upper reaches of Seongnae Stream, the ecosystem connecting from the Han River to Namhansanseong Fortress will become richer.

Additionally, it is anticipated to play a significant role in improving residents' quality of life by creating a synergy effect with the "Songpa Dullegil" walking trail, which will be completed by the end of June.

Meanwhile, Seongnae Stream, which was once a dry stream, has seen a successful ecological restoration with juvenile fish ascending through Han River water, and recently, the discovery of the natural monument otter has demonstrated a healthy coexistence of nature and humans in the urban area.

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, "With this project, clear Han River water will flow into the southeastern water system, enriching the ecosystem and revitalizing the value of nature. We will strive to ensure the project is completed smoothly and contribute to the local economy and residents' quality of life based on the improved ecological environment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.