by Jeong Ilwoong
Published 22 Dec.2021 14:05(KST)
[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province and the Ministry of Environment have decided to join forces to resolve the chronic water shortage in the Boryeong Dam area.
On the 22nd, Chungnam Province announced that Governor Yang Seung-jo of Chungnam, Minister Han Jeong-ae of the Ministry of Environment, Chairman Lee Sang-jin of the Geumgang River Basin Water Management Committee, President Park Jae-hyun of K-water, Mayor Kim Dong-il of Boryeong, and mayors and county heads of eight cities and counties in Chungnam signed a business agreement on this matter.
According to the province, Boryeong Dam was constructed in the early 1990s to solve water shortages in eight cities and counties along the west coast. However, due to recent climate change, droughts have persisted, and water shortages in the Boryeong Dam area have worsened.
In fact, the water inflow volume to Boryeong Dam itself decreased from 106.2 million tons in 2013 to 71.7 million tons in 2014, 60.2 million tons in 2015, 8,390 tons in 2016, 61.1 million tons in 2017, and 53.5 million tons in 2019.
Although 2018 (151.2 million tons) and last year (214.6 million tons) saw an unusually large amount of rainfall, significantly increasing water inflow, the province judges this as a one-time factor and not a sustainable situation.
Especially, the daily water supply volume in the Boryeong Dam area has increased every year, from 188,000 tons in 2013 to 190,000 tons in 2014, 193,000 tons in 2015, 199,000 tons in 2016, 197,000 tons in 2017, 228,000 tons in 2018, 229,000 tons in 2019, and 233,000 tons last year, suggesting that the water shortage crisis is likely to worsen.
Previously, since the drought warning system was implemented in February 2016, drought warnings have been issued 14 times over five years and ten months, with the lowest reservoir rate dropping to 8.3%.
The business agreement focuses on resolving the chronic water shortage crisis in the Boryeong Dam area under these conditions.
First, according to the agreement, the Ministry of Environment will reflect projects related to drought relief in the western Chungnam region in the ‘Geumgang River Basin Water Resource Management Plan’ currently being established for integrated development and use of water resources, flood prevention, and damage minimization.
Also, considering the climate crisis situation, the Ministry plans to reassess the water supply capacity in the western Chungnam region and review drought investigation and countermeasure projects proposed by the province to overcome drought.
The Geumgang River Basin Water Management Committee will support the inclusion of measures for drought relief in western Chungnam and sustainable water resource securing and supply when establishing the government's legal water management plans. The Ministry of Environment and K-water agreed to operate the Boryeong Dam waterway from the interest stage but will adjust the operation timing through consultation considering drought forecast situations.
The province and the eight cities and counties will promote policies such as efficient use of agricultural water, improvement of water retention rates, rainwater utilization, introduction of water circulation construction methods in development projects, and expansion of wastewater reuse.
In particular, the agreement parties plan to form a ‘(tentative name) Interagency Consultative Body for Solving Water Issues in Western Chungnam’ involving experts, residents, and officials to jointly respond by discovering and reviewing projects to solve water shortages.
Governor Yang Seung-jo of Chungnam said, “Considering the urgent need for more fundamental and permanent solutions to water shortages, this agreement will be the starting point for securing stable water resources in the Boryeong Dam area,” adding, “We will work closely with each participating institution to resolve the drought problem.”
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