수자원공사 웹진 물, 자연 그리고 사람

Full Mobilization of Capabilities for Proactive Response to Torrential Rain

Recently, rainfall patterns have been changing rapidly due to climate change. Both frequency and intensity of heavy rains are increasing globally. In Korea, localized downpours exceeding 100 mm per hour occurred across the Jeolla and Chungcheong regions last July starting from Eocheongdo, Gunsan. In response, Yongdam Dam withstood the heavy rain without discharging through its spillway and Daecheong Dam retained 90% of the inflow flood volume; thus effectively buying time for downstream regions to endure the flooding. K-water has been prioritizing public safety—especially for downstream residents and vacationers—through a proactive flood response system during the flood season.

This year, K-water began intensifying its flood response drills more than a month before the official flood season (June 21 – September 20), reinforcing a real-world flood readiness posture. First, K-water secured flood control capacity of 6.81 billion m³ by pre-releasing water from multi-purpose dams—an increase of 560 billion m³ compared to the previous year. This volume is 3.2 times the design capacity of the dams (2.18 billion m³), equivalent to filling Lotte Tower in Jamsil (1.481 million m³) approximately 4,600 times. In addition, K-water plans to lower the flood season’s restricted water level by an average of 10 meters to improve the flood control capacity of dams in order to ensure that dams over 30 years old on average across the country respond properly to evolving climate conditions.

Moreover, the scenario-based decision-making process that integrates super-gap water technology will be strengthened. With public safety at the core, flood control will be implemented scientifically by considering the impacts of dam discharge on the downstream. Flood zones are forecast and analyzed based on real-time weather forecasts, and digital twin technology—which provides virtual replicas of actual dam basins—is used to calculate discharge volumes that minimize downstream damage.

Lastly, cooperation with the relevant agencies and local communities will be strengthened. K-water will further enhance collaborative networks with municipal governments and other organizations responsible for river embankments and urban drainage. Additionally, multi-channel alert systems including emergency text messages and KakaoTalk notifications are being implemented to ensure timely communication during spillway operations; thus leaving no blind spots.

Company-Wide Emergency Response Training

A company-wide flood response meeting was held on May 15 at Chungju Dam and attended by K-water CEO Yun Seog-dae and 42 administrators from 20 multi-purpose dams across the country. Chaired by Yun, the meeting served as an opportunity to strengthen the emergency response system as the participants discussed dam operation plans for the flood season, updates on special inspection on floodgate facilities, and key strategies for each of the major river basins. The session also included real-world simulation drills based on extreme rainfall scenarios and inspections of key facilities.

Completed in 1985, Chungju Dam as the venue of the meeting celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It is the only multi-purpose dam on Namhangang River with basin area of 6,648 km², one of the largest in the country. It supplies approximately 42% of the domestic and industrial water for people and industrial complexes, respectively, along the Hangang River basin and plays a critical role in ensuring safety through flood control during emergencies. After the meeting, CEO Yun and officials moved to the upper part of the dam to inspect various facilities including the spillway, sluice gates, and emergency discharge systems.

K-water has been conducting operational tests on dam facilities nationwide since April to ensure constant readiness for emergencies. This year, inspections were conducted jointly with the Korea Infrastructure Safety and Technology Corporation to enhance safety and expertise. Following the meeting, the operations departments at 33 dams nationwide—led by the Integrated Water Control Center at K-water’s headquarters—have switched to continuous emergency response mode.

"The traditional approach can no longer cope with extreme weather conditions. By securing maximum dam storage earlier than usual at multi-purpose dams nationwide, leveraging advanced water technologies such as digital twins, and strengthening collaboration with related organizations, we will mobilize all of K-water’s capabilities to prepare for floods proactively and prioritize public safety above all,” CEO Yun Seog-dae said.