Sejong, April 14 - The South Korean government is establishing mid- and long-term measures to solve severe drought fundamentally in the Gwangju and Jellanam-do regions.   

On April 3, the Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) announced the 'major directions of the mid-and long-term measures to solve severe drought in the Gwangju and Jellanam-do regions. After consulting with the concerned authorities, the National Water Management Committee will deliberate and pass resolutions on the measures in April 2023. 

When President Yoon Seok-yeol visited Juam Control Dam in Suncheon on March 31, 2023, he requested to develop "permanent drought solutions as we face a climate crisis like the unprecedented extreme drought." Since then, the Ministry of Environment has been developing mid- and long-term plans to solve the drought in the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do regions first, where a severe drought has persisted since 2022.

Mid- and long-term measures to solve the drought have been developed based on the reassessment of the estimated future water demand and the water supply capacity of major dams, considering droughts in the past and extreme droughts caused by climate change. In this way, the expected amount of domestic and industrial water shortage was estimated, and two-stage measures-Stage 1 "Basic Measures" and Stage 2 "Emergency Measures"-were established. In addition, the Ministry will establish measures tailored to islands in Jeollanam-do, considering the local conditions and characteristics.

Stage 1, "Basic Measures," aims to secure an additional 450,000 tons of water daily to provide a stable domestic and industrial water supply based on the assumption that the most severe droughts in the past would simultaneously occur at the dams in the Yeongsangang and Seomjingang river basins (Juam Dam, Sueo Dam, Seomjingang Dam, Pyeongnim Dam, Jangheung Dam, Dongbok Dam).

Stage 2, "Emergency Measures," aims to secure more than 160,000 tons of water per day in addition to the amount of water secured through Stage 1, "Basic Measures." The stage 2 measure will provide at least the minimum domestic and industrial water supply based on the assumption that the severe drought surpassed the worst drought recorded to date would occur due to climate change. 

Once the mid-and long-term measures are finalized, the Ministry of Environment will award contracts within the first half of 2023 to develop a basic plan for some projects that involve budget, such as adjusting the water supply system. In the future, the Ministry plans to determine the project's specific size and construction timing through preliminary feasibility studies.

< Stage 1. Basic Measures >

Stage 1, "Basic Measures," consists of adjusting the water supply system, securing new water resources, and reinforcing demand management and system improvement. The details are as follows. 

△ Adjusting the water supply system

(① Jangheung Dam-Juam Dam linkage) The Ministry of Environment will install a water conveyance pipeline linking Jangheung Dam to Juam Dam. By doing so, 100,000 tons of water per day, which is part of the 480,000 tons of water supplied to six cities and counties in the Yeongsan River basin from the Juam Dam, can be supplied instead of from Jangheung Dam, where there is sufficient storage.

(② Gwangyang Stage Ⅳ Industrial Water Development) A 45.7-㎞ water conveyance pipeline will be installed between the Isacheon water intake station and the Yeosu Industrial Complex so that the surplus volume in Juam Dam secured through the Jangheung Dam-Juam Dam linkage can be supplied as industrial water to the industrial complex.

(③ Emergency water supply to the Gwangyang Industrial Complex) The Ministry will consider installing an emergency water supply facility, which can supply water from the Juam Control Dam directly to the Gwangyang Industrial Complex in case of a water shortage in the Sueo Dam from which water is supplied to the industrial complex.

△ Securing new water resources

(Reuse of sewage) A reused water production facility will be installed at the public sewage treatment facility in Yeosu to supply industrial water to customers in the Yeosu Industrial Complex.

(Seawater desalination) The Ministry plans to supply industrial water at a pure or higher water level to customers in the Yeosu Industrial Complex by constructing a seawater desalination facility that uses hot wastewater produced in the power generation process.

(Groundwater reservoir dams) To obtain additional water supply resources for four cities and counties (Goheung, Gwangyang, Boseong, Suncheon) in Jeollanam-do, the development of 2 groundwater reservoir dams will be reviewed.

(Groundwater wells) The Ministry of Environment will develop new public groundwater wells and improve old public groundwater wells in eight cities and counties (Naju, Mokpo, Suncheon, Yeonggwang, Jangseong, Jindo, Hampyeong, Hwasun) in Jeollanam-do. These initiatives will help provide the foundation for a stable water supply for areas vulnerable to drought.

△ Reinforcing demand management and system improvement

(Modernization of local waterworks) The Ministry will continue the projects of replacing and improving water pipe networks by 2035. The project aims to prevent the annual leakage of 42 million tons of tap water, nearly as much as the annual water consumption by all residents in Yeosu (44 million tons in 2021).

(River Basin Act) The Ministry will proceed to revise the Act on Water Management and Resident Support in the Yeongsan and Seomjin River Basins so the water basin fund can be used to support drought prevention and damage repair.

< Stage 2. Emergency Measures >

Stage 2, "Emergency Measures," consist of the utilization of emergency dam capacity, the additional water intake of the Seomjingang River, and the Yeongsangang River-agricultural reservoir-tap water linkage. The details are as follows.

(Utilization of emergency dam capacity) The Ministry will establish a plan to supply domestic and industrial water by utilizing emergency and dead water in the case of extreme drought with the water below the low-water level.

(Additional water intake of the Seomjingang River) In consultation with the local community, the Ministry of Environment is considering a plan to take additional water from the Seomjingang River when the river has abundant water to the extent that no damage to fishermen would occur to supply water to the Yeosu and Gwangyang Industrial Complexes.

(Yeongsangang River-agricultural reservoir-tap water linkage) In consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Korea Rural Community Corporation, and local farmers, the Ministry of Environment will replace the reservoir water supply with a river water supply for agriculture and provide the upper stream reservoir water, which is currently used for agriculture, of domestic and industrial uses.

< Measures tailored for islands>

The mid-and long-term measures to solve drought at the islands are as follows.

(Groundwater reservoir dams) The Ministry of Environment plans to install more groundwater reservoirs on islands in Jeollanam-do, where residents regularly suffer water shortages, to prevent seawater infiltration and secure domestic water.

(Mobile seawater desalination facility) The Ministry will use A container-type mobile seawater desalination facility to supply water in islands where it is difficult to bring a desalination ship alongside the pier for emergency water supply.

The Ministry of Environment also plans to use 16 weirs located along the main streams of the four major rivers (Hangang, Nakdonggang, Geumgang, Yeongsangang) in South Korea as water bowls to the fullest extent to solve the drought. Water will be supplied during a drought by ensuring the water level is above a specific value along the main streams and tributaries based on higher water levels in the weirs. In this way, a stable water supply for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses will be ensured for 70 water intake and pumping stations along the sections affected by the weirs in the four major rivers and 71 areas where people use underground water.

Minister of Environment Han Wha-jin said, "The main purpose of the mid-and long-term measures to solve severe drought is to provide a stable supply of domestic and industrial water so no damage will occur to residents' life and the national economy even if a severe drought occurs again in the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do region." She added, "For the Hangang, Nakdonggang, and Geumgang river basins, mid-and long-term measures will be prepared by the end of this year to ensure a stable water supply during an extreme drought and to be thoroughly prepared for climate crises."

Contact: Park Sang-chul, Senior Deputy Director

Water Resources Policy Division / +82-(0)44-201-7159

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr