Agricultural reservoirs in South Gyeongsang Province are running dry amid a rainless monsoon season and consecutive days of extreme heat. As every-other-day and restricted water supply measures begin in various parts of the province, the Korea Rural Community Corporation has also launched preemptive drought responses, including pumping river water to refill reservoirs.
As of the 28th, two of the 18 cities and counties in South Gyeongsang Province — Miryang and Yangsan — were at the "alert" stage (interest–caution–alert–severe) for agricultural water drought. The agricultural water alert stage, which indicates "severe drought," is issued when the storage rate falls to 50% or less of the average year (for rice paddies) or when the soil available moisture rate is 30% or less (for fields).
According to the Korea Rural Community Corporation, as of the 27th, the national average storage rate of reservoirs managed by the corporation was 59.1%, or 82.9% of the average-year level. By contrast, the average storage rate in South Gyeongsang Province was 45.0%, only 60.2% of the average-year level, indicating a far worse situation than other regions. In response, the corporation is preemptively pursuing drought measures such as pumped storage, in which river water is drawn up to fill reservoirs, and direct water supply through canals.
Although no clear agricultural damage from the drought has yet been reported, the situation in Miryang is serious enough that restricted water supply is being implemented at 39 of its 40 reservoirs. Reservoir water that had been supplied to farms daily through pipelines is now being provided every other day.
The current average storage rate of reservoirs in the province is 44.9%. Miryang stands at 33.3%, only 42.9% of the average-year level. In particular, the Maheul and Baegan reservoirs have bottomed out with storage rates of 0 to 1%, while about nine reservoirs in downtown Miryang remain at around 10%. Miryang said that if rain continues to hold off, large-scale damage is feared, with rice and field crops withering or their growth deteriorating.
Restricted water supply is also being implemented at four reservoirs in the Changnyeong area. Eight cities and counties, including Changnyeong County, Changwon, Jinju, Gimhae and Geoje, along with Uiryeong, Hadong and Sancheong counties, are under the "caution" stage for moderate drought, while four areas including Tongyeong and Haman, Goseong and Hapcheon counties are under the "interest" stage for mild drought.
The Miryang Dam, a multipurpose dam, also remains at a storage rate of 34.6%. The Miryang Dam entered the interest stage on the 1st of last month and was elevated to the caution stage from the 10th of the same month. If the current situation continues, the possibility cannot be ruled out that it will be elevated to the alert stage as of August 1 and to the severe stage around the end of August. At the alert stage, actual agricultural water usage is cut by 30%, while at the severe stage, restricted supply of up to 20% may be considered even for domestic and industrial water.
South Gyeongsang Province held an "emergency countermeasure meeting for heat and drought" at the provincial disaster and safety countermeasure headquarters on the morning of the 28th to share the situation. Governor Park Wan-su instructed officials to "request government drought countermeasure project funds for Miryang and provide support so that the Changnyeong County water development project proceeds without setbacks."
