Korea Rural Community Corporation Uses AI to Operate Drainage Stations... Proactive Response to Extreme Rainfall

Headquarters view of Korea Rural Community Corporation

원본보기 아이콘

As extreme rainfall events have become more frequent due to climate change, the Korea Rural Community Corporation is taking a proactive approach by introducing an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drainage station operation system.

On April 13, the Korea Rural Community Corporation announced that it will introduce a "Drainage Station Operation Decision Support Program" to respond to extreme rainfall.

The corporation has previously strengthened its disaster response capabilities through the "Agricultural Water Management Automation Project." This involved installing closed-circuit (CC)TVs and communication devices at agricultural infrastructure sites, and establishing a remote control system to monitor and control sites in real time.

However, as the frequency of extreme rainfall events-defined as more than 50mm per hour-has increased recently due to climate change, the need for a more precise response has grown. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's "113 Years of Climate Change Analysis Report," the number of days with maximum hourly precipitation exceeding 50mm has been increasing by 0.04 days (0.96 hours) every decade.

In response, the corporation has decided to upgrade the existing project, which was originally scheduled to sunset in 2025, and to newly establish an AI-based decision-making system. The new program uses artificial intelligence to analyze real-time data collected from equipment such as rain gauges, water level meters, and flow meters, as well as historical operation data, to determine the optimal operating times for drainage pumps.

Once the system is implemented, on-site response speed and accuracy are expected to improve significantly. By analyzing weather conditions and changes in river water levels in real time, the AI will recommend the optimal timing for operations, allowing staff to make more systematic decisions regarding sluice gate operation and pump activation.

This is expected to both prevent flooding of farmland and human casualties, as well as reduce overload on drainage station equipment and lower the risk of pump failures. In particular, it is anticipated that stable operations will be possible even during consecutive heavy rainfall events.

This year, the corporation plans to invest 2 billion won of government funds to install the system at a total of 59 drainage stations-including 37 in locations such as Boseong and Jangheung in South Jeolla Province, and 22 in places such as Yecheon and Gyeongsan in North Gyeongsang Province. The corporation also plans to continue expanding the system nationwide and further advancing its AI models.

Kim Injoong, President of the corporation, stated, "In the current climate crisis, it is essential to supplement the experience of facility managers with a data-based, precision response. By operating disaster facilities in a regionally integrated manner, we will establish an intelligent disaster management system and create an environment where farmers can safely focus on their agricultural work."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.