With the Gosan Dam now having a bit of breathing room, the situation at one of the other multi-purpose dams, the Chungju Dam, is a concern. Due to the ongoing heavy rains, the inflow of the Chungju Dam has increased significantly and is exceeding the flood limit, which is why Chungbuk Province and others are becoming increasingly nervous.
Ending the whitewater phenomenon at Gosan Dam
On July 15, Gosan-gun announced that the torrential rains that have continued since the Seonbok Festival have finally stopped at the Gosan Dam in Saeun-ri, Chilsung-myeon, Gosan-gun. In anticipation of flooding downstream of the dam, about 1,200 residents of Chilsung-myeon, Jangyeon, Gammul, and Buljeong-myeon were evacuated to higher ground, including surrounding village halls and schools.
At 8:30 a.m. that day, the water level at the Gosan Dam reached 138.18 meters and gradually decreased, reaching 136.35 meters at 12:30 p.m. The planned flood level of the Gosan Dam is 136.92 meters, and the normal high water level is 135.65 meters, but it was well above that level at dawn.
What’s next for Gosan Dam?
Currently, the Gosan Dam is discharging 2277 tons of water per second, but the inflow is 2077 tons per second, which is less than the discharge. As a result, the dam level is likely to drop a little further in the future.
However, one of the residents of Chilsung-myeon, Gosan, said, “Restaurants near the Gogang Bridge in Gosan are now flooded, and the bridge is almost full of water. The highlands are still fine, but most of the lowland residents have been evacuated,” he said, pointing out that it’s not over yet.
What are the safety measures?
According to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, which manages the Gosan Dam, the dam is not in danger of collapse and is currently responding to downstream areas with caution. However, the government is still planning to keep evacuated residents in safe places for the time being.
The Goesan Dam is the first hydropower dam built with domestic technology in 1957, and as recently as 2017, the dam was overflowing with floodwaters, causing flood damage to low-lying homes and agricultural fields.
Chungju Dam situation also tense
Against this backdrop, the situation with the dam in Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do is now also attracting attention. As of 12:50 p.m. that day, the water level at Chungju Dam had already surpassed the flood limit of 138 meters and was releasing 2,900 tons of water per second. With inflows reaching about 14,278 tons per second, we expect the water level to continue to rise slightly. Chungju Dam has a flood limit of 138 meters and a high water mark of 141 meters.
Fortunately, at the same time, the water level at Daecheong Dam stood at 74.6 meters, below the flood limit of 76.5 meters, making it tentatively safe.
What’s the outlook?
Progress can change at any time, depending on many variables. The situation may improve if the epicenter of the downpour shifts, or if the intensity of the downpour decreases. Conversely, if other variables are added to the ongoing downpour, the situation could be even worse. This is where constant monitoring and proactive planning by experts comes in. For information on how to prepare for heavy rain, see the article below.
