According to the Ministry of Environment, the stay time from Andong Dam to its estuary was 168.08 hours, which means that it takes 168.08 hours for floating objects to travel the 334.4km from Andong Dam to reach its estuary. Before the project, it only took 31.42 hours. (image: Wetlands & Birds Korea/flickr)
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) – Almost four years after the controversial Four Major Rivers Restoration Project was completed, the water velocity in Korea’s longest river has slowed to a level five times lower than before the project. Other rivers affected by the project also saw their water speed decrease up to 1.28 times.
According to the Ministry of Environment, the stay time from Andong Dam to its estuary of Nakdong River was 168.08 hours, which means that it takes 168.08 hours for floating objects to travel the 334.4km from Andong Dam to reach its estuary. Before the project, it only took 31.42 hours.
By section, the water speed in the 27.3km between Gumi Weir and Chilgok Weir was 24.45 hours, 38 times slower than the previous 0.63 hour. It was 15.91 hours in the 18.1km section from Nakdan Weir to Gumi Weir, 24 times slower than 0.67 hours before the project.
In the case of the Han River, it took 19.36 hours to cross the 113.9km section from Chungju Dam to Paldang Dam, 1.11 times slower than the previous 17.40 hours, while it took 50.57 hours to run the 130.8km section from Jojeongchi Dam to the Geum River estuary, 1.28 times slower than the previous 39.48 hours.
The ministry said that more severe water bloom is expected this year due to the combination of slower water speeds, high temperatures and draught.
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
