Doam Dam, closed 24 years, may aid Gangneung drought
Gangwon is considering using Pyeongchang’s Doam Dam, which has been idle for 24 years after protests over its poor water quality, to secure water for drought-stricken Gangneung. The dam has a storage capacity of 30 million tons.
The provincial government held an emergency meeting on Sunday at its second office to discuss using the dam’s water diversion tunnel to supply the city.
Efforts to tap Doam Dam have faced hurdles due to pollution concerns and opposition from residents in nearby Jeongseon County, located downstream of the dam. But with Gangneung facing an escalating water shortage, calls to use the reservoir are growing stronger.
Jeongseon officials recently signaled they could accept temporary water releases until the drought ends, increasing the likelihood of resuming operations.
Doam Dam was built in 1990 in Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang, to generate hydroelectric power. Water collected there was sent through a 15.6-kilometer (9.7-mile) diversion tunnel to the Gangneung Hydro Power Plant before being discharged into Namdae Stream, which runs through Gangneung.
Operations were halted in March 2001 after residents said the water polluted Namdae Stream. At that time, its water quality ranked at grade 4, largely due to livestock waste and fertilizers from highland farms. Grade 4 water is unsuitable as drinking water and can only be used as industrial water after advanced treatment, such as chemical processing.
The tunnel currently holds 150,000 tons of water, but the main line is sealed. Only two 25-millimeter (1-inch) bypass pipes allow up to 10,000 tons a day to flow downstream. Restoring the main line, blocked for 24 years, would require significant repairs.
Officials are considering three ways to use the water. One is to pump it from the Namdaecheon release point near the hydro plant back up to Obong Reservoir, Gangneung’s main water source. Another is to build a new pipeline directly from the stream to Hongje water purification plant. The third is to channel the water via existing agricultural waterways from the Gusan weir on the Namdae Stream to the same plant.
A Gangneung city official said the city is conducting its own water quality tests.
“If results show the water is suitable for drinking, we will seek input from citizens and experts before making a decision. But we will begin preparing facilities immediately in case [Doam Dam] is used.”
Gangwon said it will also review findings from the Ministry of Environment and the Gangwon Institute of Health and Environment. The ministry began examining the dam in late August to determine if the water meets drinking standards.
Ministry officials note water quality has improved since livestock waste laws were enacted in 2006 and the area was designated for nonpoint pollution control in 2007.
A provincial official cautioned that even if releases resume, “additional equipment, new pipelines and maintenance of irrigation channels will be needed. We will mobilize all resources to secure citizens’ basic needs.”
Meanwhile, authorities warn Obong Reservoir could see storage drop to 5 percent within four weeks without rainfall. As of Monday, the rate stood at just 12.4 percent, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous day.