Abstract
A framework for evaluating alternative management strategies for the Nakdong River Basin in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) was developed and applied jointly by Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Illinois, USA, and the Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology in Pohang, South Korea. Water from this basin, the second largest in South Korea, supports a total population of more than 13 million people. Rapid industrial expansion, urbanization, and population growth have dramatically increased the demand for water and have severely degraded water quality, particularly near large industrial complexes and in the lower portion of the basin. Management strategies for the entire basin through to the year {dy2011} were evaluated with a computer model for basin-wide predictions of water flow and quality (HSPF). This continuous-event model was developed and calibrated using site-specific data for the basin over a two-year period (1994-1995) that included periods of both high (monsoonal) and low (drought) flows. Water quality impacts for different wastewater treatment strategies were assessed in terms of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) levels. The results of the study indicate that BOD levels in the main stem of the Nakdong River below the Kumhogang (a major tributary with low flow and heavy pollution loads) cannot be significantly improved by reducing direct BOD loads from point sources along the river. To reduce main stem BOD levels, the nutrient loading to the river must be reduced. In order to reduce these loads, additional advanced treatment methods (i.e., tertiary treatment) must be incorporated in the treatment facilities to remove N and P. The discharge inventory data further suggest that a large portion of N and P loads are derived from non-point agricultural practices. Reduction of these loads is difficult to accomplish and may require extensive modifications in agricultural and land-use practices. The modeling frame-work developed provides a means to evaluate these and other basin management strategies.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Aramaki T, Matsuo T (1998) Evaluation model of policy scenarios for basin-wide water resources and quality management in the Tone river, Japan. Water Sci Technol 11: 59–67
Bicknell BR, Imhoff JC,. Little JL, Donigan AS, Johanson RC, Barnwell TO (1996) Hydrological simulation program - FORTRAN user’s manual for release 11. Office of Surface Water, Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va., and Environmental Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Ga.
Brigham Young University (1996) Watershed modeling system WMS 4.1 reference manual. Engineering Computer Graphics Laboratory, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Flynn KM, Hummel PR, Lumb AM, Kittle JL (1995) User’s manual for ANNIE, version 2, a computer program for inter-active hydrologic data management. Water resources investigations report 95-4085. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
Garbrecht J, Martz LW (1997) An automated digital landscape analysis tool for topographic evaluation, drainage identification, watershed segmentation and subcatchment parameterization. Report 97-2. Grazinglands Research Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, El Reno, Okla.
Ministry of Construction and Korea Water Resources Corporation (1977) The investigation of Nakdong Basin for the Nakdong Estuary Barrage. tiMinistry of Construction and Korea Water Resources Corporation, Kwachon, Republic of Korea
Ministry of Construction and Transportation (1996) Long-term comprehensive water resources plan (1997–2011). Ministry of Construction and Transportation, Kwachon, Republic of Korea
Ministry of Construction and Transportation (1998) Aninvestigation on the status of Nakdong River water utilization. Ministry of Construction and Transportation, Kwachon, Republic of Korea143
Ministry of Environment (1998) Environmental statistics year-book no. 11. Ministry of Environment, Kwachon, Republic of Korea
Nakdong River Environmental Management Office (1998) Water quality conservation strategies for the greater Nakdong River region, ’93–97 implementation status and evaluation. Nakdong River Environmental Management Office, Changwon, Republic of Korea
RIST (1999) Current status of pollution in the Nakdong River Basin and short- and long-term development plans. Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea
Viessman W, Knapp JW, Lewis GL, Harbaugh TE (1972) Introduction to hydrology, 2nd edn. Harper and Row, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chun, K.C., Chang, R.W., Williams, G.P. et al. Water quality issues in the Nakdong River Basin in the Republic of Korea. Environmental Engineering and Policy 2, 131–143 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100220000024
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100220000024