[Report] Yeonggwang Bulgapji Nearing Completion of Dimension Expansion Project... Flood Control Capacity Increased Fourfold

Completion Ceremony for Bulgapji Flood Control Capacity Expansion Project on the 18th of Next Month

"The flood control capacity expansion project of Bulgab Reservoir, which supplies agricultural water to more than half of the farmland in Yeonggwang, Jeollanam-do, managed by Korea Rural Community Corporation, is nearing completion. By adding overflow facilities and installing sluice gates, the flood control capacity will be increased more than fourfold compared to before." (Jung Kyung-hoon, Head of Yeonggwang Branch, Korea Rural Community Corporation)

Aerial view of Bulgap Reservoir captured by drone. (Photo by Korea Rural Community Corporation)

On the 29th, I visited Bulgab Reservoir in Yeonggwang, Jeollanam-do, where the final construction work is in full swing. Completed in 1926, Bulgab Reservoir has been undergoing a flood control capacity expansion project since 2018 to secure safety against overflow and collapse disasters of the existing reservoir, in response to abnormal weather and unusual floods following Typhoon Rusa in 2002. The project, with a total investment of 73.1 billion KRW, is scheduled to hold a completion ceremony on the 18th of next month. The current progress rate is about 98%.

The flood control capacity expansion project aims to enhance safety against disasters (overflow and collapse) and expand flood regulation functions by installing auxiliary spillways and other measures for dams (including reservoirs) with a watershed area of 2,500 hectares and a storage capacity of over 5 million tons, in preparation for abnormal weather and unusual floods.

Bulgab Reservoir is a major reservoir in the Yeonggwang area, supplying irrigation water to an area of 3,218 hectares, which accounts for 52% of the beneficiary area of the Yeonggwang branch. Until now, there was only one overflow facility, but through this flood control capacity expansion project, one additional overflow facility and sluice gates have been installed to increase flood control capacity. As a result, the existing overflow can discharge 438 cubic meters per hour, the additional overflow 212 cubic meters, and the sluice gates 1,056 cubic meters of water. This means the flood control capacity has increased about four times compared to before.

Branch Head Jung explained, "The additional installation of auxiliary spillways (overflow facilities) has improved the ability to prevent flood damage by reducing flood levels upstream during floods and other events. Also, it prevents overflow that exceeds the embankment, securing the stability of the Bulgab Reservoir embankment (reservoir dam)."

An overflow facility additionally installed at Bulgapji through the dimension capacity expansion project. It is characterized by its design resembling piano keys, which increases the discharge area.

Korea Rural Community Corporation applied the 'Piano Key Weir (PK Weir)' for the additional overflow facility for the first time in Korea, which has excellent discharge capacity. The overflow facility is designed like piano keys to widen the discharge area. Compared to conventional linear overflow facilities such as straight lines, this increases discharge capacity by 2 to 3.5 times. This is the latest type of overflow facility installed in France's Goulaud Dam and Laviette Dam, as well as Scotland's Black Esk River.

The corporation plans to create a park below the reservoir with a local market, sports facilities, clusters of Lycoris radiata (red spider lily), lawns, and more to promote convenience for residents. Branch Head Jung said, "We planned landscaping considering harmony with the surrounding scenery, ecology, waterfront, and aesthetics, and designed facilities considering the convenience, safety, and scenic value for users such as tourists and local residents. Once the Bulgab Reservoir flood control capacity expansion project is completed, it is expected not only to supply agricultural water as originally intended but also to minimize flood damage and serve as a regional tourist attraction."