Sung Kim
Outcomes and Prospects for
Integrated Han River Basin
Management in Korea
Sustainable Water Resources Research Center, Korea
Korea is small
and water-stress country
- historically
- geographically
(26,266 km2)
- politically (50%)
- economically
(70%)
Han River Basin is
the heart of Korea
Han River is
an international river
Upstream (11%) is in North Korea
Han River Basin is the fastest
growing region
Economical and reliable water supply is a key.
GDP has growen four-fold for the tweny years .
#1 Developments of Han R
Basin was lead by US Army
Corps/USBR with concept of
the Western US.
#2 Nakdong R Basin by Delft
in The Netherlands with
European philosophy.
#3 Geum R Basin by Nippon
Koei in Japan with concept
between #1 and #2 .
Global ideas have been
practiced into Korea
Water Resources have been
developed extensively in HRB
three multi-purpose (5.7 bcm), six hydro,
and one flood-control dams
95.6% of people receives drinking water
through public water supply system.
Water demands have been satisfied,
and is now decreasing.
83.5% of population receives
sewerage service (2005, Korea)
But, rural area receives only 35.8%
Water problems have evolved
11
Simple, fundamentalwater shortage/flood/sewer
Solved by water-related
Ministries independently
Complex and basin-wide
environment/allocation
Challenges
before afterLate 1980’s
Challenges:
Sustainable Water Management
- River Environment
- Floods
- Water Security
- Water Quality
- Governance
River Environment Management
has become an political issue
nationwide since 2002
• In 2002, a candidate for Seoul City Mayor
made a proposal for Cheong Gye Cheon
restoration during election campaign.
• He was elected and realized the proposal.
Cheong Gye Cheon is
a small urban stream flowing
through the downtown of Seoul
After Korean War (1950) Elevated highway
construction (1967-1971)
Citynet 2008
2003 2005
Concrete structures were
demolished/removed and the
stream was restored in two years.
Citynet 2008
Cooling effect
28o 36
o
37o 36
o
Average 32.7oC
Cheong Gye CheonAverage 36.3oC
Nearby street
-3.6oC
Thermal image (27 July 2005)
Source
: CitiNet Seminar on Transportation Strategies
for Sustainable Development, September,
2008, Seoul, Republic of Korea
River Landscape project is
preferred to the restoration project
• As the mayor became current president (Mr.
Lee Myeongbak), all the rivers became targets
for landscape projects.
• For example, Renaissence Project by Seoul
City
Unaffordable Flood Damages
since late 1980’s
58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03
0
500,000,000
1,000,000,000
1,500,000,000
2,000,000,000
2,500,000,000
3,000,000,000
3,500,000,000
4,000,000,000
4,500,000,000
5,000,000,000
5,500,000,000
6,000,000,000
6,500,000,000
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003
mm
Average of 1-hr maximum
rainfall ‘73-’2004 in HRB
Extreme rainfall intensity
increases very rapidly
20
Soyanggang Dam
Because of increased design flood,
twenty-three spillways of major dams
are or will be expanded by 2015
A New Flexible Flood Level policy
has been practiced since 2005
Flood Season (June-Sep.)
Maximum Water Level during the flood season
Dam
Level
In 17th July 2007, a near-PMF flood was
handled without damage by the new
policy at the Chungju Multi-purpose Dam.
PMF/Q
26,000/
23,000 cms
MaxWL / WL
138 / 132 m
5
년
6
년
6
년
7
년
7
년946
In spring of 2009, water shortage occurred
owing to the new policy with below normal
precipitation.
Challenges: Water Quality
• Despite of the heavy
investment (2.88
billion US$ from ‘98-
’05) on water quality
improvement, water
quality management
goal of keeping below
BOD 1.0 hasn’t been
achieved.
2.0
1.6
1.2
0.8
0.4
01989 1995 2000 2005
Year
ppm
BOD Concentration (1989~2007)
* Measured in Paldang Dam
* Source: Water Environment Information System,
http://water.nier.go.kr
‘Water Use Charge’ has been practiced since 1998 by ME
• Chair : Minister (Ministry of Environment)
• Members : Mayors of local governments,
President of K-water, President of Korea Electric
Power
• Mission : Allocation of the Basin Management
Funds to local governments through a
deliberation and consultation
• Water quality of Hangang River Basin
(Paldang Lake point) has been improved from
1.5 ppm BOD in 1997 to 1.2 ppm in 2006.
Challenges: Governance
• There are many ministries and
organizations relating water management,
but none for taking responsibility and
solving complicated water problems
Water Reform
27
Build Sustainable Water Cycle for
Coexistence of Men and Nature
Integrated Water Resources
Management
Proposed “Basic Water
Management Law”
Presidential order (2005)
Failed for Legislation in NA
(May 31, 2008)
Propose again in 2009
Summary and Conclusion
• supply => demand => sustainable management
1 Korean water management has been successful
2 Problems also have been evolved
• Basin-wide, complex, multi-functional problems owing to
poor integration
3 Water reforms are needed
• Legislation for Basic Water Management Law is
indispensible