"Directing Water into Cracked Rice Fields"… Yeonggwang County on High Alert to Secure Emergency Agricultural Water

Partial Supply from Reservoir Surplus Planned
Emergency Measures Including Riverbed Excavation at 36 Sites

Yeonggwang County has been put on high alert for securing agricultural water amid a continued lack of rainfall and is rolling out emergency measures such as utilizing the remaining capacity of reservoirs and riverbed excavation to minimize drought damage.

According to Yeonggwang County on August 3, rainfall during the monsoon season was below average this year, and early signs of drought damage have emerged, including rice paddies cracking and seedlings drying up in several farming areas. As a result, the county has conducted on-site inspections in areas particularly vulnerable to agricultural water shortages.

The inspections revealed that Gusu Village in Baeksu-eup, one of the hardest-hit areas, can utilize the surplus water from Gusu Reservoir. Accordingly, the county decided to partially supply reservoir water for agricultural use, as long as it does not impact the supply of water for daily living or water quality management.

Yeonggwang County is making an all-out effort to secure agricultural water amid the heatwave. Photo by Yeonggwang County

In addition, to respond to falling river levels, the county is carrying out emergency riverbed excavation at 36 locations identified as vulnerable for agricultural water within its jurisdiction. The plan is to maximize the collection of remaining river water and safely supply it to farmland.

Going forward, the county will continue to monitor reservoir and river water levels as well as crop growth conditions, while also providing support, such as securing alternative water sources and pumping equipment, tailored to the circumstances of each region in order to respond to the drought.

Jang Saeil, the governor of Yeonggwang County, said, "With rainfall falling short of expectations and concerns growing over agricultural water shortages, the timely supply of all available water sources is of utmost importance. For regions requiring riverbed excavation, we will promptly conduct on-site inspections and take action if requests are submitted to the town or township offices, or to the county's Construction and Transport Division."

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