South Korea’s example of flood prevention: the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project

Thus the country launched in 2009 the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project to mitigate climate change effects. Its purpose is double: to minimise as much as possible flood frequency and severity, while at the same time relieving the shortage of water resources throughout Korea’s four major rivers, the Han, the Nakdong, the Geum and the Yeongsan rivers, that total 1,700 km of length. Detailed plans of the project include building sixteen movable weirs, dredging the river bed, creating artificial wetlands and ecological waterways, and developing local economy and culture along the waterfront.
What makes this project unique in the world is the integration of cutting-edge information communication technology (ICT) in the system, the so-called “Smart River” concept and the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This enables South Korea to manage water resources scientifically not only to control floods, but also to manage the nationwide rivers and its facilities including dams and weirs organically via state-of-the-art ICT systems such as Integrated Hydrological Data Management, Precipitation Forecasting, Flood Analysis, Flood Hazard Map, Satellite-based Flood Forecasting & Warning Equipment, Water Disaster Warning System, etc.
For instance, basin characteristics, hydrological and rainfall data observed from the satellite and the gaging stations along the river and water-related facilities are analyzed through the super computer. When a flood risk is detected, the responsible entity simulates flood routing, builds an accurate decision-making model to minimize damage at both the upper and downstream of the dams, and activates the warning system. On the other hand, during the ordinary and dry period, priority is to ensure a stable and effective water use by deciding the water level of the dams factoring water supply and demand, as well as hydropower generation optimisation.
Flood prevention is a matter of national interest.  Thus the control of the IWRM including the Smart River concept falls solely under the Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and its affiliated organisation Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water). Responsibility includes planning, design, operation and management of water resources. This single command structure proves to be very effective to stabilize IWRM, and also minimizes conflicts that may arise should multiple stakeholders be involved.
The Four Major Rivers Restoration Project will enter into full completion in December 2012. Already it is proving to be very successful: despite the substantially heavier rain fall last year, flood damage was relatively little. The water level of the four rivers was lowered up to a maximum of 3.8 meters, and the cost of flood damage was one-tenth of that of the ordinary years, remaining under 100 million US dollars.
The 21st century is the age of water crisis. As stated by the World Economic Forum, Water security, (whether it be the challenge of too little water over long periods of time, or too much water all at once) is one of the most tangible and fastest-growing social, political and economic challenges faced today, as Thailand witnessed so tragically in the monsoon season of 2011. The Four Major Rivers Restoration Project can serve as a flagship to mitigate climate change and secure water resources, and Korea is most willing to share its hard-learned experience and know-how with the nations suffering from devastating floods and other water-related threats.
Mr Yune Byung-Hoon, Vice-President of Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water), Global Growth Company