Korea Rural Community Corporation
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Korea Rural Community Corporation is installing an 'underground dam' in Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, which stores groundwater and draws it when needed to overcome drought.
According to the corporation, groundwater has less loss due to evaporation and maintains a relatively constant quantity even during droughts. Recently, with climate change causing frequent droughts, there have been many criticisms that simply increasing the storage capacity of existing reservoirs is insufficient, and groundwater has emerged as an alternative. An underground dam is a facility that secures a large volume of water resources by constructing a water-blocking wall underground and raising the groundwater level. The groundwater secured by the underground dam is used directly through large collection wells or filled into nearby reservoirs.
The corporation is installing the Sokcho Ssangcheon 2nd underground dam. After completion, it will be able to supply more than 12,000 tons of water per day additionally to the Sokcho area. Ssangcheon, the main water source of Sokcho, has the disadvantage of a short river length and steep slope, making it difficult to store water for a long time. The corporation expects that the installation of the underground dam will resolve the chronic drinking water shortage in this area.
Kim Insik, president of the corporation, said, "As the risk of disasters such as droughts due to climate change increases, diversifying water sources considering quantity and quality is becoming increasingly important," adding, "We will strive to secure stable water sources to safely and abundantly supply domestic water in Sokcho and enable farmers to cultivate without worrying about water."
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