Water shortages and drought in South Korea

South Korea is experiencing drought conditions affecting water reserves in multiple regions. In Gyeongsangnam-do, the provincial government declared an agricultural-water drought emergency for 11 cities and counties after reservoir levels fell to an average of 37.5%. To combat the shortage, the province secured 47.5 billion KRW to fund emergency measures such as dredging reservoirs, installing pumps, and deploying water trucks.

As the crisis has intensified, agricultural water reservoirs in Gyeongsangnam-do have dropped to an average capacity of approximately 33%, significantly below the typical 70% average. All 18 municipalities in the province are now in various stages of drought, with Miryang, Geoje, Haman, Uiryeong, and Changnyeong reaching a ‘critical’ stage. In response, a national fire mobilization order has deployed between 159 and 200 water tank trucks from 16 different provinces and cities. The military, including the Army 39th Division, Air Force, and Navy, is also providing tankers and personnel. The provincial government is utilizing heavy machinery to extract water directly from rivers, though officials note long-term resolution depends on rainfall.

In Gwangju, the Dongbok Dam reservoir level has dropped to 48.94%, prompting the Gwangju Waterworks Headquarters to raise the drought response level from ‘interest’ to ‘caution’. Cumulative rainfall in the Dongbok Dam basin reached 548.5 mm as of August 11, which is only 42% of the previous year’s level. While domestic water supplies are estimated to be sufficient for approximately 150 days, authorities are adjusting production at the Yongyeon and Deoknam water treatment plants and urging citizens to adopt conservation practices, such as using water-saving showerheads and collecting laundry in larger batches.