Challenges
The project is designed to address the significant environmental challenges faced by the Han,
Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan rivers in Korea. Repeated flooding and droughts have caused
human casualties, ecosystem loss and habitat degradation, property damage and forced
displacement of riverine residents. Extreme weather events that lead to flooding and droughts are
expected to worsen in frequency and intensity due to climate change impacts.
because two-thirds of
the annual rainfall occurs during the rainy season from June to September, and almost no rain
occurs in the dry season. In addition, the river reaches in Korea are relatively short and channel slopes are
steep. Therefore, flooding occurs quickly, peak flood discharges are great, and flow variations
are comparatively large.
In the case of the
Yeongsan River, toxic contamination from domestic and industrial waste disposal has resulted in
water quality levels unfit even for agriculture and industrial use. These environmental challenges
have dramatic economic consequences.
In Korea, cases of torrential rainfall over 100 mm in a day have increased by 1.7 times during the
last 10 years. In 2002, Typhoon Rusa brought record-breaking rainfall of 870 mm a day in
Korea. Moreover, torrential rainfall is expected to increase by 2.7 times and droughts are
expected to become 3.4 times more frequent in the near future.
The annual average precipitation of Korea is 40% greater than the world average. However, the
amount of water available per capita in a year is only about 12% greater, because two-thirds of
the annual rainfall occurs during the rainy season from June to September, and almost no rain
occurs in the dry season. As a result, disasters caused by repeated floods and droughts used to be
commonplace. In addition, the river reaches in Korea are relatively short and channel slopes are
steep. Therefore, flooding occurs quickly, peak flood discharges are great, and flow variations
are comparatively large.