Nong-eochon Gong Jeonnam Headquarters Holds Water Release Ceremony at Myeongsan Pumping Station to Pray for a Bountiful Harvest

Published 20 Apr.2023 15:03(KST)

The Jeonnam Regional Headquarters of Korea Rural Community Corporation (Head Jo Young-ho) held a representative water release ceremony at Myeongsan Pumping Station in Myeongsan-ri, Mongtan-myeon, Muan-gun on the 20th, officially starting agricultural water supply.

According to the Jeonnam Headquarters of Korea Rural Community Corporation, the event was held with about 80 related personnel including Yoon So-ha, Standing Auditor, Muan County council members, and the head of Mongtan-myeon. The ceremony, held at the beginning of the farming season, involves opening the sluice gates that had been closed to express hopes for a bountiful harvest and self-sufficiency in staple grains.

Jeonnam Headquarters of Korea Rural Community Corporation Holds Water Release Ceremony at Myeongsan Pumping Station to Pray for a Bountiful Harvest
[Photo by Jeonnam Headquarters of Korea Rural Community Corporation]

This water release ceremony was conducted by pumping water from the Yeongsan River through the Myeongsan Pumping Station to the Illo 2 Reservoir, instead of directly releasing water from reservoirs (the four major reservoirs: Gwangjuho, Najuho, Damyangho, Jangseongho) due to the ongoing drought in the Jeonnam region.

The Myeongsan Pumping Station, where the water release ceremony was held, is a representative hydraulic facility in the area, with the Illo 2 Reservoir currently showing a storage rate of 50.2% over 709 hectares and benefiting an area of 326 hectares.

The Jeonnam Headquarters plans to operate 176 pumping stations in the Yeongsan River basin to secure sufficient water volume, while effectively controlling and conserving agricultural water through ICT-based water volume measurement and remote operation of hydraulic facilities during the full-scale rice planting water supply period.

Standing Auditor Yoon So-ha stated, “With this water release ceremony as an opportunity, all employees of the corporation will reaffirm their mission to work for farmers, overcoming the increasingly severe drought and flood risks, and will do their best on site to produce high-quality and safe agricultural products.”

Head Jo Young-ho said, “Concerned about water shortages during this year’s farming season, since the end of last year, employees have been continuously securing 14 million tons of water at 106 sites, and we expect no problems until rice planting begins. However, minimizing water waste is crucial. We ask for farmers’ cooperation in saving water during the rice planting schedule.”

As of today, the average reservoir storage rate in the Jeonnam region is 59.9%, and the headquarters plans to continue efforts to secure water so that no areas face shortages until rice planting is completed.

Meanwhile, the Jeonnam Regional Headquarters postponed the water release date for the four major reservoirs to the 23rd of next month.