Low-carbon, eco-friendly agricultural technologies to be developed and deployed to reduce non-point source pollution near dams

Biochar to be distributed upstream of Soyang River Dam to demonstrate water quality improvement and greenhouse gas reduction

Jang Byeong-hun (left), head of the water resources and environment division at Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Seong Je-hun, director of the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony held Wednesday at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Wanju-gun, North Jeolla Province. [Korea Water Resources Corporation]
Jang Byeong-hun (left), head of the water resources and environment division at Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Seong Je-hun, director of the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony held Wednesday at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Wanju-gun, North Jeolla Province. [Korea Water Resources Corporation]

Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences on Wednesday at the institute's campus in Wanju-gun, North Jeolla Province, to cooperate on improving water quality in agricultural and rural areas and expanding low-carbon farming practices.

The agreement aims to reduce non-point source pollutants from farmland upstream of dams, improve the surrounding water environment and foster a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem.

Under the MOU, K-water will combine its dam watershed management expertise with the institute's agricultural and environmental research capabilities. The two organizations plan to identify low-carbon, eco-friendly farming technologies that can improve both soil and water conditions, and jointly verify their effectiveness at dam upstream sites.

As a first step, the two sides will distribute biochar — a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolyzing biomass such as wood at temperatures above 350 degrees Celsius in a near-oxygen-free environment, which strongly adsorbs pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus in farmland — in areas upstream of the Soyang River multipurpose dam. The pilot will verify the extent to which biochar reduces nutrient runoff under actual upstream conditions, confirm its effects on water quality and greenhouse gas reduction, and establish site-specific guidelines for appropriate application rates.

The two organizations also plan to form a working-level consultative body by October and hold regular meetings once every six months to share field application results.

"This agreement will serve as an opportunity to enhance water environment outcomes in dam upstream watersheds by combining K-water's field execution capabilities with the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences' research expertise," said Jang Byeong-hun, head of K-water's water resources and environment division. "We will continue to expand the on-site application of low-carbon, eco-friendly agricultural technologies to protect clean water and build a sustainable agricultural foundation."


thlee@heraldcorp.com