Seokchon Lake is an artificial reservoir created when the city government reclaimed wetlands near the Han River. (image: Teddy Cross/flickr)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – Dropping water levels at Seokchon Lake in Songpa District, Seoul, have been caused by the construction of Lotte World Tower, Korea’s tallest skyscraper, and work on subway Line 9 nearby.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government revealed its research into the lake’s dropping water levels on August 6. According to the city, the reduced water level in the lake was primarily due to the construction sites nearby, including the subway and the skyscraper.
However, the city stressed that the construction work had no direct causal relationship with sinkholes that have been found since last year near the lake.
The Seoul government conducted the investigation together with the Korea Rural Community Corporation starting in August last year.
Seokchon Lake is an artificial reservoir created when the city government reclaimed wetlands near the Han River. For about two years between October 2011 and October 2013, the lake’s water level fell precipitously. The average water level in the lake was 4.68 meters in 2010, but it declined to a low of 4.17 meters in 2013.
Just after the beginning of construction work for the tower in 2011, the water level dropped by 70 centimeters, and the lake lost 150,000 liters of its water coincidently.
A Seoul government official said, “During this period, large-scale construction projects were under way that caused the groundwater to seep out in addition to natural seepage.” During the two-year period, as many as eight construction projects were undertaken near the lake, including the subway line and Lotte tower.
Meanwhile, the city government announced that the water level reduction was not the direct cause of sinkholes in the area.
The city government also said that according to a simulation test, the rate of water loss is likely to slow down, and the nearby groundwater level is expected to recover to the previous level once construction work on the tower and the subway is completed.
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
