$18 Bil. Plan Unveiled to Refurbish 4 Rivers
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The Lee Myung-bak administration plans to invest 22.2 trillion won (about $18 billion) into refurbishing four major rivers by 2012 to prevent floods and droughts, improve water quality and make waterside leisure facilities.
The master plan for restoring the rivers, which is the cornerstone of the Lee administration's ``Green New Deal'' package, was unveiled Monday.
``This is a project to reform the nation's water control and supply system,'' a Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs official said.
The plan had initially targeted refurbishing the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan rivers, but it has been expanded to include 14 of their tributaries.
Some 16.9 trillion won will be spent on the project by 2012, with first work starting in October. Another 5.3 trillion won will be invested on improving water flow and sewage systems of tributaries. Refurbishment plans for smaller-sized waterways will also be promoted by stages.
To secure water resources, the government will set up 16 reservoirs that can store 1.3 billion cubic meters of water, as the nation expects a shortage of up to 1 billion cubic meters in 2016 due to climate change. Dredging of river bottoms and strengthening riverbanks will also help prevent flooding. The country spends an average 2.7 trillion won annually to rebuild flood damaged areas.
The plan also includes the establishment of 750 sewage processing facilities and 46 waste water plants in order to upgrade water quality to a level where the biological oxygen demand is less than 3 milligrams per liter.
The riversides will also be developed as leisure and recreation sites, with about 1,700 kilometers of bike lanes and esplanades.
The government said most of the money for the project had already been allocated and it will secure additional funds through reallocation of the state budget.
However, it added that the total cost could reach 30 trillion won if plans for smaller-sized waterways were included, and some projects may be dropped unless a budget is secured.
Environmental groups have criticized the plan, claiming dredging river bottoms will destroy the ecosystem of the rivers and earth and sand from the operation will make the rivers muddy.
They advised the government to study more about environmental impacts before starting the project.
They also raised suspicions that the project is a prior step to the construction of a cross-country canal, which the Lee administration scrapped due to public opposition. Government officials denied the allegation, saying the project does not include facilities needed for a canal, such as lock gates and terminals for cargo ships.