Gyeonggi Province Proactively Prepares Agricultural Water Supply for Spring Drought-Affected Areas
수원일보Published 2020.02.24 07:02
Gyeonggi Province implements reservoir water filling, water facility maintenance projects, and special drought damage support projectsTotal annual investment of 26.2 billion won across three initiatives
[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 24th that it is proactively implementing tailored agricultural water supply measures targeting areas of concern for spring drought damage in rural areas of the province.
Key measures include ▲reservoir water filling ▲water facility maintenance projects ▲special drought damage support projects.
First, the province is continuously implementing 'reservoir water filling,' where river water is transferred to reservoirs with low water levels.
Since September of last year, the province invested a total of 1.5 billion won in four reservoirs with low water levels and requiring agricultural water supply, completing repair and maintenance work including emergency water pipe replacement, and has transferred 32,000 tons of river water daily, filling a total of 2.3 million tons into reservoirs to date.
The 'water facility maintenance project' is an initiative that prevents water loss by repairing and reinforcing aging channels such as earth-lined waterways, thereby promoting smooth agricultural water supply and water management. This year, with a total investment of 15.1 billion won, the province will maintain 53 kilometers of irrigation and drainage channels across 120 districts in 19 cities and counties including Gwangju, Icheon, and Yangju.
The 'special drought damage support project' is designed to prepare for drought that can occur suddenly due to recent climate change. This year, investing a total of 9.6 billion won, the province plans to install and maintain 17 wells, 13 pumping stations, 5 weirs, and 3 reservoirs in 12 cities and counties including Anseong.
Meanwhile, as of February, the average water level of 337 agricultural reservoirs in the province stands at 91.3%, which is higher than the average water level of 84.5%, though some reservoirs fall below the average water level.
A provincial official stated, "We plan to establish an organic cooperative system with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, cities and counties, and the Korea Rural Community Corporation to proactively respond to drought in the province in preparation for drought occurrence," and added, "Since water development alone has limitations in coping with drought, we request the cooperation of many farmers in conserving agricultural water during the farming season."
© Suwon Ilbo. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited.