[In-Depth Planning] Climate Crisis, Water is Disappearing in the Gangwon Yeongdong Region

The Yeongdong region is located east of the Taebaek Mountains, experiencing frequent summer monsoons, typhoons, and heavy snowfall in winter. Gangneung's average annual precipitation is 1,300 to 1,450mm, which is higher than the national average, and Sokcho and Donghae are similar. However, rain and snow fall intensively over a short period, quickly flowing down rivers to the sea. Due to the terrain that makes it difficult to secure large-scale reservoirs, there is not enough water that can actually be used for daily life. The paradox of 'water that comes a lot but soon disappears' is a daily reality in this region.

According to statistics from the Korea Meteorological Administration over the past 30 years, the variability of total precipitation is increasing rather than the total amount. In summer, localized heavy rains increase, exacerbating flood damage, while in autumn and winter, droughts occur with almost no rain for months. Climate change projections indicate that while the total precipitation in the Yeongdong region may not significantly decrease by the 2050s, the frequency of extreme weather events will increase. This means that a situation is approaching where 'it is not that there is no water, but that there is more water that cannot be used.'

Each city's response methods vary slightly. Gangneung discusses measures such as expanding the metropolitan water supply, desalination, and dam expansion during droughts, but these come with large budgets, long construction periods, and carbon emission burdens. Thanks to the completion of the Ssangcheon underground dam in Sokcho in 2021, it now extracts more than 7,000 tons per day, securing short-term stability. Although it is evaluated that "even if it does not rain for three months, the supply of water for daily use is possible," the burden of construction and operational costs and the impact on the groundwater ecosystem remain verification tasks. Donghae faces significant supply pressure as the demand for industrial complexes such as steel and chemicals overlaps with the demand for daily water. While it relies on the metropolitan water supply to overcome the crisis, this soon leads to a burden on citizen fees.

Experts emphasize that a 'storage-distribution-conservation' strategy is necessary to solve the water crisis in the Yeongdong region. This includes expanding rainwater storage facilities at public facilities and residential units, managing decentralized reservoirs and groundwater rather than focusing on large-scale dams, replacing aging water pipes, and distributing water-saving devices. This is not just a technical issue but an adaptation strategy for regions to survive in the era of climate crisis.

The water issues in the Yeongdong region, spanning Gangneung, Sokcho, and Donghae, are not just the challenges of one city. As climate change and geographical limitations overlap, merely expanding supply can no longer be a solution. A region that seems to have abundant water but is actually unusable, Gangwon Yeongdong. Now is the time for climate-adaptive management and citizen participation, rather than competition for facilities. The water culture that future generations will enjoy depends on our choices today.

〈References〉

- Korea Meteorological Administration, Regional Climate Statistics (Gangneung, Sokcho, Donghae, 1991-2020)

- National Drought Information Portal, Drought Status One Map Service

- Korea Water Resources Corporation, Metropolitan Water Supply Rate Calculation and Unit Price

- IPCC AR6, Northeast Asia Climate Change Projections Summary