Daegu prepares Geumho River emergency water supply as Unmun Dam drought drags on
In short
Daegu said on Oct 5 it will keep drawing extra water from the Nakdong River and prepare emergency supply from the Geumho River because of a prolonged drought at Unmun Dam, the city’s main water source. Yonhap reported the dam’s storage rate at 22.9% as of 9 a.m. that day, against 56.8% a year earlier, while Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun put it at 23.6% on Oct 1, versus 57.7% a year before. If the rate falls below 17.1%, the city could mix in Geumho River water, with combined supply expected in early November.
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Daegu said on Oct 5 that it will strengthen its response to the prolonged drought at Unmun Dam, its main water source, by continuing extra supply from the Nakdong River and preparing emergency supply facilities on the Geumho River. The city’s announcement was reported by Kukmin Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun. Yonhap said the dam’s storage rate stood at 22.9% as of 9 a.m. that day, against 56.8% on the same day a year earlier; Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported 23.6% as of Oct 1, against 57.7% a year earlier. The documents cite different dates and do not reconcile the figures. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
According to Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun, the dam entered the “caution” drought stage on March 2 and was raised to “severe” on July 15; Yonhap said the dam entered caution in March and has stayed at severe since July. Rainfall around the dam has totaled 634mm since January, 57% of the average year, the city said. To cover the shortfall, Daegu has been taking additional water from the Nakdong River, starting at 50,000 tons a day in March and now at about 70,000 tons a day. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported separately that supply from Unmun Dam was cut from about 200,000 tons a day to 150,000 tons in March and now to 130,000 tons, with the Nakdong making up the difference. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the city would bring in Geumho River water if the storage rate falls below 17.1%, and the city expects to supply Nakdong and Geumho water together in early November if the drought continues, according to all three reports. Before any mixed supply, the city and the Korea Water Resources Corporation plan to check during October that the emergency facilities work, inspect the water pipelines, and review water quality changes from Geumho River raw water and the stability of treatment when the two sources are blended. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Choi Mi-kyung, head of the Daegu Waterworks Office, said the Geumho River emergency supply is “an unavoidable contingency” to prevent public inconvenience from restricted supply or water cutoffs caused by a longer drought, and asked residents to save water and to be understanding if emergency measures cause inconvenience. The city said it aims to secure usable water sources in advance and to keep a step-by-step response system so that supply is not interrupted. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that the drought is not confined to Daegu, saying it has affected 34 cities and counties nationwide, including the Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions, adding to concern about water shortages. Kyunghyang Shinmun noted that a village submerged roughly 41 years ago when Unmun Dam was built was exposed upstream in Unmun-myeon on July 30, which it described as an extremely rare sight. [ 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
Unmun Dam supplies tap water to parts of Daegu and to Cheongdo and Yeongcheon in North Gyeongsang Province, so the drawdown is a direct supply risk for households there. Daegu is presenting the Geumho River option as a contingency to avoid restricted supply or outages rather than an immediate switch. Hankook Ilbo reported similar drought conditions in 34 cities and counties nationwide, which it said is raising concern about water shortages beyond Daegu.
Key facts
- Daegu said on Oct 5 that it will maintain extra supply from the Nakdong River and prepare emergency supply facilities on the Geumho River as the Unmun Dam drought continues. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Unmun Dam’s storage rate was 22.9% at 9 a.m. on Oct 5, compared with 56.8% on the same day a year earlier, according to Yonhap; Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported 23.6% as of Oct 1, against 57.7% a year earlier. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Rainfall around the dam since January totaled 634mm, 57% of the average year, the documents said. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The city has raised additional Nakdong River supply from 50,000 tons a day in March to about 70,000 tons a day, according to the reports. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Daegu and the Korea Water Resources Corporation plan inspections in October of emergency facilities, pipelines, water quality changes from Geumho River raw water and treatment stability under mixed supply. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the city would draw on the Geumho River if the storage rate falls below 17.1%, and that combined Nakdong and Geumho supply is expected in early November. [ 5 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reported that drought is affecting 34 cities and counties nationwide, including the Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions. [ 3 ]
- Choi Mi-kyung, head of the Daegu Waterworks Office, called the Geumho River plan a necessary contingency to prevent public inconvenience from restricted supply or water cutoffs. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Daegu announced on Oct 5 that it will strengthen its response to the Unmun Dam drought by continuing alternative supply from the Nakdong River and preparing Geumho River emergency supply facilities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Unmun Dam’s storage rate is far below last year’s level, at roughly 23% in early October. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Rainfall since January in the Unmun Dam area was 634mm, 57% of the average year, the city said. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Nakdong River supply was raised from 50,000 tons a day in March to about 70,000 tons a day. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Daegu and the Korea Water Resources Corporation will check emergency facility operation, pipelines, water quality changes from Geumho River raw water and treatment stability during October, before any mixed supply. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Choi Mi-kyung, head of the Daegu Waterworks Office, said the Geumho River emergency supply is an unavoidable contingency against restricted supply or cutoffs and asked residents to save water. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The dam entered a drought stage in March and the “severe” stage in July, according to the city and the two newspapers. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The dam’s exact storage rate and comparison figure vary between outlets. Yonhap cited 22.9% at 9 a.m. on Oct 5 against 56.8% a year earlier, while Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun cited 23.6% as of Oct 1 against 57.7%; the documents cite different dates and do not reconcile the figures.
- How much water Daegu still takes from Unmun Dam each day. Only Kyunghyang Shinmun gave the volumes, saying supply was cut from about 200,000 tons to 150,000 tons a day in March and now to 130,000 tons; no other document states these numbers.
- Whether the Geumho River emergency supply will actually start, and when. Daegu said it expects combined Nakdong and Geumho supply in early November if the drought continues, which is a projection rather than a decision.
- The city’s claim that the Geumho River step would be a first. Kyunghyang Shinmun’s headline described it as the first-ever “Geumho River card,” but the claim is not stated or explained in the article text and appears in no other document.
- The scale of the nationwide drought. Hankook Ilbo reported drought in 34 cities and counties in the Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions; no other document gives numbers or details.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Unmun Dam enters the “caution” drought stage, according to Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun; Yonhap says the dam entered the caution stage in March. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The dam is upgraded to the “severe” drought stage, according to Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 3 , 5 ]
- A village submerged about 41 years earlier when Unmun Dam was built is exposed in Unmun-myeon upstream of the dam in Cheongdo, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. [ 5 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo reports that Daegu is preparing emergency Geumho River supply as the Unmun Dam drought continues. [ 1 ]
- Unmun Dam’s storage rate stands at 22.9%, against 56.8% a year earlier, according to the city. [ 2 ]
- Daegu city announces it will maintain alternative Nakdong River supply and prepare Geumho River emergency supply facilities. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the city’s plan and says drought has hit 34 cities and counties nationwide. [ 3 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that the city could draw Geumho River water if the storage rate falls below 17.1%, with combined supply expected in early November. [ 5 ]