Changwoncheon to Become a National River from October ... Managed by Nakdong River Basin Office

Expectations for Increased Management Efficiency and Local Finance Savings

Changwoncheon, a local river flowing through downtown Changwon in Gyeongnam, will be upgraded to a national river on October 1.

According to Gyeongnam Province, Changwoncheon, together with Namcheon, is a major urban river passing through Changwon. Due to recurring disaster risks, such as the threat of flooding during Typhoon Chaba in October 2016 and Typhoon Khanun in August 2023, there has been a growing need for national-level management that allows for large-scale financial investment.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Environment designated and announced 20 local rivers nationwide, including Changwoncheon, as national rivers, as they meet the requirements for national rivers and require state-level management against heavy rainfall and other disasters.

Location map of Changwoncheon, Gyeongnam. [Provided by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

Gyeongnam Province and the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office completed administrative procedures for the transfer of river facilities and river occupancy permits by the 30th of this month.

Starting in October, the entire 8.5 km section of Changwoncheon, from the lower part of Yongchu Reservoir in Yong-dong, Uichang-gu, Changwon, to Masan Bay, will be managed by the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office.

The province expects that the upgrade of Changwoncheon to a national river will strengthen disaster prevention capabilities, transfer river management authority to the national government, reduce local financial burdens, and improve the efficiency of river management.

Min Kisik, Director of the Environmental and Forestry Bureau, said, "With Changwoncheon being designated and managed as a national river, we expect it to become a safer river, better protected from disasters."