Construction is underway to prepare for an emergency release of water from the Doam Dam at the Namdae Stream in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Friday. (Yonhap)
Construction is underway to prepare for an emergency release of water from the Doam Dam at the Namdae Stream in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Friday. (Yonhap)

The drought-hit city of Gangneung in Gangwon Province is showing the first signs of recovery from one of its worst dry spells in decades, with reservoir levels rising and water set to be released from a nearby dam, city officials said Friday.

According to the city government, the water reserve rate at Obong Reservoir, which supplies 87 percent of Gangneung’s tap and industrial water, was recorded at 28.1 percent as of Friday morning, more than double the 11.8 percent logged on Sept. 11.

Gangneung will also begin receiving emergency water from Doam Dam starting 1 p.m. Saturday, as it recently completed water quality tests with the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Water Resources Corp., according to the Gangneung city government.

During the tests, authorities were able to confirm that the emergency discharge would not compromise drinking water standards after being treated.

The city has been struggling with one of its worst droughts in decades since July, but the situation has improved since it received its first heavy rain in months on Sept. 12.

As reservoir water levels continue to improve, the city government has eased water supply restrictions introduced on Sept. 6.

The city had limited the water supplies at 45,000 households to just one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, but on Saturday, the morning and evening supply periods were increased to three hours each.

The Obong Reservoir in Gangneung, Gangwon Province is seen to filling up with water as total rainfall ranging between 20 to 60 millimeters is projected to fall in the city until Sunday morning. (Yonhap)
The Obong Reservoir in Gangneung, Gangwon Province is seen to filling up with water as total rainfall ranging between 20 to 60 millimeters is projected to fall in the city until Sunday morning. (Yonhap)

With the release of water supplies from the Doam Dam, the Gangneung city government added that around 10,000 tons of water per day will flow into the Namdae Stream before being delivered to the Hongje Water Purification Plant. Water from the Doam Dam will continuously be supplied until drought conditions in Gangneung further improve.

Though the city’s water quality review committee has been overseeing safety checks of the Doam Dam’s water since Monday, the city government added that it will continue to collect daily samples of the water at the release point to make sure it is safe for daily use. All of the city’s findings will also be disclosed to the public.

Gangneung is forecast to receive 10 to 40 millimeters of rain through Sunday morning, but the Korea Meteorological Administration and Environment Ministry said September that rainfall would still be below average. The drought is therefore expected to persist into October and November.


lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com