Sequential Opening of Four Lower Nakdong River Weirs to Counter Green Algae Spread

The government will begin sequentially opening four weirs—Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir, Dalseong Weir, Hapcheon-Changnyeong Weir, and Changnyeong-Haman Weir—located in the lower reaches of the Nakdong River, starting on July 30, in response to the spread of green algae in the region.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on July 29 that, in connection with the Green Algae Seasonal Management Program (from May 15 to October 15), these four weirs will be opened sequentially—three days or less for each weir—between July 30 and August 5 in order to reduce green algae in the lower reaches of the Nakdong River.

The targeted weirs are Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir, Dalseong Weir, Hapcheon-Changnyeong Weir, and Changnyeong-Haman Weir. Based on scenario analyses by the National Institute of Environmental Research, the water level of each weir will be lowered by 0.54 to 0.9 meters. However, these target levels may be adjusted according to further analysis and on-site conditions.

Environmental organizations including Nakdong River Network, the Korean Society of River Science, and the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements held a press conference on the morning of the 19th at Daedong Dock in Daedong-myeon, Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam, to conduct the "2024 Nakdong River Vigilante Field Survey" and confirmed the green algae in the Nakdong River. Yonhap News Agency

To minimize the impact on fish and shellfish and the aquatic ecosystem from the opening of the weirs, the government has decided to lower the water level gradually, at a rate of 3 centimeters per hour. The government will also continuously monitor any changes in the aquatic ecosystem before and after the openings, as well as any restrictions on the operation of pumping stations and the use of groundwater.

Prior to these measures, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment held a public-private consultative meeting on the restoration of the Nakdong River's natural state on June 25 and has been gathering opinions from local residents, engaging in discussions with the local community.

If green algae blooms become more widespread in the region, the government is also considering sequentially opening all eight weirs along the Nakdong River in the future.

Song Ho-seok, Director of Water Resources Policy at the ministry, stated, "The sequential opening of these four lower Nakdong River weirs is a measure based on current green algae conditions and heatwaves in the area," adding, "We will closely communicate with the local community to minimize any inconvenience in water usage due to the opening of the weirs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.