Groundwater level in western Jeju decreased by 1.6m... Promotion of expansion of storage dams and rainwater use facilities

The western groundwater level is 1.6 m ↓ compared to last year... Promotion of storage dams and rainwater use facilities

(Jeju = Yonhap News) Reporter Byeon Ji-cheol = As the amount of precipitation in Jeju this year is less than normal and the groundwater level in some areas is also lowered, Jeju Island is seeking to secure alternative water resources to reduce its dependence on groundwater.

According to Jeju Island on the 6th, the accumulated precipitation in the Jeju area from January to August this year was only 88.3% of the normal level.

In particular, the western region remained at 76.7% of the average, and the northern region remained at 67.3%.

During the same period, the average groundwater level across Jeju was 12.9m, exceeding the standard water level of 10.4m, but the groundwater level in the western region was 7.26m, 1.6m lower than last year.

Jeju Island saw the need to proactively respond to water shortages as heat waves and droughts became more frequent due to climate change, and decided to operate an integrated water management system encompassing groundwater, agricultural water, and water supply on a regular basis.

On the 30th of last month, the first integrated water management-related department meeting was held, chaired by Deputy Governor for Climate and Economy Lee Chang-heum, and attended by eight water-related departments and organizations to review pending issues and response plans in each field.

First, alternative water resources will be expanded to reduce dependence on groundwater.

A detailed investigation is being conducted to introduce groundwater storage dams in two locations, Oedo in Jeju City and Daejeong in Seogwipo City.

We are continuing to support small-scale rainwater use facilities, and are discussing with the Ministry of Climate Change a plan to install medium-scale facilities in various regions with a scale of 3,000 to 4,000 tons, taking into account local conditions and supply efficiency.

Among the 354 reservoirs for flood reduction in the province, facilities that are not functioning properly will be investigated to diagnose the possibility of recovery, and in places where restoration of function is difficult, a plan to convert into agricultural reservoirs will also be considered.

The agricultural water supply base will also be expanded.

We plan to increase the water tank capacity of existing public agricultural tube wells from the current 100 tons to 200 to 500 tons, and expand the Seongeup Reservoir water supply area from 3 villages to 7 villages.

Jeju's agricultural sector is highly dependent on groundwater, with 3,064 wells for agricultural purposes, or 68.1%, out of 4,501 wells in total.

The average monthly use of groundwater for public and private purposes for agriculture also increased from 9.407 million tons in 2024 to 10.35 million tons last year and 11.374 million tons from January to August this year. However, agricultural water use may vary depending on rainfall, drought, crops grown, and growth conditions.

In the water supply sector, Eoseungsaeng 1 Reservoir will be improved and an additional 2,100 tons per day will be secured through new groundwater development. We plan to increase supply capacity by 1,800 tons per day by installing five new water reservoirs and build a new water purification plant with a capacity of 15,000 tons per day.

Deputy Governor for Climate and Economy Lee Chang-heum said, “As Jeju’s water shortage could reach a worrying level due to the climate crisis, relevant departments must now work together to secure alternative water resources and prepare a response system.”