Gyeongju Drought Severity, Government Implements Alternative Water Supply Measures
As the drought situation in Gangneung City, Gangwon Province, reaches a serious level, the government has begun to prepare emergency measures.
On the 21st, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety held an urgent 'Joint Drought Task Force (TF) Measures Meeting' and decided to pursue a plan to supply alternative water by gradually drawing water from nearby local governments.
Currently, the water storage rate of the main water source in Gangneung City, the Obong Reservoir, is only 20.1% as of the 21st.
The accumulated rainfall in this area over the past six months has been about 50% of the average, and there are no forecasts for significant rainfall that could help alleviate the drought, making the situation even more critical.
Reviewing the utilization of reservoir bottom water as an emergency measure
To respond to this drought, the government is even considering the option of utilizing the 'reservoir bottom water' of the Obong Reservoir. Reservoir bottom water refers to the volume of water from the lowest intake level to the bottom of the reservoir, typically water that is mixed with sediment at the bottom of the dam and is therefore unusable. This indicates how urgent the water shortage situation is in the Gangneung area.
Gangneung City has already implemented water restrictions in most areas and is carrying out various measures such as limiting agricultural water supply, reducing water usage in public institutions, and conducting water conservation campaigns; however, these efforts are insufficient to resolve the drought.
The Obong Reservoir has already been exposed at the bottom, indicating that additional measures are urgently needed.
Government agencies prepare joint response measures
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Gangwon Province, and Gangneung City are actively reviewing alternative water supply plans, including the utilization of water from nearby local governments and reservoir bottom water.
In particular, the South Daechung Water Development Project, supported by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s funding, is planned to supply 10,000 tons of water per day from the South Daechung River to the Obong Reservoir once it is partially completed at the end of this month. Additionally, there are plans to provide bottled water to secure domestic water supply.
Drought response officials stated that they would prepare a comprehensive response plan in anticipation of the prolonged water shortage situation in the Gangneung area and continue efforts to minimize citizen inconvenience.
Image source: On the afternoon of the 12th, the bottom of the Obong Reservoir and the nearby rivers are exposed in Seongsan-myeon, Gangneung City, Gangwon Province. The water storage rate of the Obong Reservoir on this day was 25.4%, leading Gangneung City to decide on the activation of the Disaster Safety Measures Headquarters and whether to implement restricted water supply through a countermeasure meeting that afternoon. 2025.8.12 / News1; On the 15th, the Obong Reservoir near Seongsan-myeon, Gangneung City, Gangwon Province. Despite rainfall the previous day, the reservoir water level remains low, and the streamflow of nearby rivers has not significantly increased. According to the Rural Community Corporation, the water storage rate of the Obong Reservoir that day was 27.1%, which did not increase significantly from the previous day (26.7%). 2025.7.15 / News1
