Drought is at ‘alert/severe’ level… National Power Kim Seon-kyo "Measures are needed to secure agricultural water"

One out of five agricultural reservoirs managed by the Korea Rural Community Corporation across the country was found to be in a 'warning' to 'severe' level of drought, with the water storage rate falling to less than half compared to the average year.

According to data submitted by the Korea Rural Community Corporation and released on the 5th by People Power Party lawmaker Kim Seon-kyo, a member of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, among the 1,914 reservoirs managed by the Corporation as of the 28th of last month, 748 reservoirs (39.1%) are subject to drought management with a water storage rate of 70% or less compared to the average year.

Among these, there were 130 reservoirs at the 'alert' (40-50% of normal) level drought and 243 at 'severe' (less than 40%) level drought, and a total of 373 reservoirs (19.5%) had water storage rates of less than half of the normal level.

In particular, there were 19 reservoirs where the water storage rate was less than 10% compared to the average year, and in the case of Osang Reservoir in Shinan-gun, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, the water storage rate was the lowest at 3.27% compared to the average year.

The average water retention rate of agricultural reservoirs nationwide was 47.1%, and by region, Jeonbuk had the lowest at 34.3%, followed by Jeonnam (39.6%), Gyeongbuk (46.1%), and Gyeongnam (48.7%).

The Korea Rural Community Corporation cited this year's nationwide cumulative rainfall of only 871.2 mm, or 73.8% of the average, as the main cause of the decline in water storage rate.

Rep. Kim emphasized, "As the number of reservoirs at the 'warning/severe' level of drought reaches 19.5%, the Korea Rural Community Corporation and the government must mobilize all available means to ensure that fall farming is not disrupted."

He added, “To prepare for recurring droughts due to climate change, it is important not only to take immediate water supply measures but also to preemptively secure water,” adding, “The water supply management system must be improved.”