Minister of Climate, Environment and Energy Kim Sung-hwan (second from right) and South Jeolla-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City Mayor Min Hyeong-bae (third from right) visit Dongbok Dam in Hwasun-gun, South Jeolla Province, on Wednesday to discuss ways to use the dam for water supply. [Yonhap]
Minister of Climate, Environment and Energy Kim Sung-hwan (second from right) and South Jeolla-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City Mayor Min Hyeong-bae (third from right) visit Dongbok Dam in Hwasun-gun, South Jeolla Province, on Wednesday to discuss ways to use the dam for water supply. [Yonhap]

The South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special Metropolitan City Council has called for support measures for communities downstream of dams affected by water supply plans for the Honam semiconductor industrial complex.

According to the council, 37 lawmakers led by Oh Haeng-suk introduced a resolution urging enactment of a special law to support dam downstream areas. The resolution is expected to be taken up at an extraordinary session opening Wednesday.

The resolution calls for guaranteeing existing residential, industrial and agricultural water supplies, as well as ecological flow in the lower Seomjin River, given that water demand from dams including Juam Dam is expected to rise with the arrival of the semiconductor industry. It also calls for a separate support framework for residents living downstream.

Under the semiconductor water supply plan, the initial daily requirement of 150,000 tons — needed by the end of 2028 — is to be secured by drawing 50,000 tons from Juam Dam and 100,000 tons from Boseonggang Dam. The long-term target is a daily supply of 1.06 million tons.

An earlier plan to raise Dongbok Dam by 15 meters to secure water for the semiconductor complex has been revised. The new approach calls for building a separate dam downstream of the existing structure rather than heightening it.

The new dam would stand about 15 meters higher than the existing one to expand storage capacity. Relocation and support measures for residents in areas that would be submerged around Hwasun and Damyang remain outstanding issues.

On top of support for submerged and dam-adjacent areas, the council said authorities "must examine the impact of expanded water use stretching from Juam Dam and the Boseong River all the way to the lower Seomjin River."

Lawmakers said changes in water flow caused by the operation of Juam Dam and its intake facilities would ripple through the Boseong River to the lower Seomjin River, raising concerns about residents' livelihoods and the local ecosystem — including insufficient minimum flow during dry seasons, rising salinity from seawater intrusion, and changes to the habitat of freshwater clams.

They also said existing residential, industrial and agricultural water supplies and downstream ecological flow must be guaranteed before any new industrial water is delivered, and that the downstream impact of expanded water supply should be verified in advance.


sij@heraldcorp.com