GEOJE — A dam will be built on the Gohyeon Stream in Geoje, a southeastern city where extreme rainfall has repeatedly flooded the downtown area. The Geoje city government said on the 27th that the Gohyeon Stream dam had been selected as a site for new dam construction by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. It is one of five dam projects confirmed for development out of 14 candidate sites announced nationwide in July 2024.
The Gohyeon Stream dam was first proposed as an option for downtown flood defense in a river basin flood control plan in December 2020, and has since been reviewed as a candidate site for a new dam. The ministry announced the 14 candidate sites in July 2024 and held public discussions with residents while reviewing alternatives. Seven sites advanced to in-depth review, including two in Gyeongsang Province: the Gohyeon Stream in Geoje and the Garye Stream in Uiryeong.
The case for the dam grew stronger as recent extreme rainfall caused the Gohyeon Stream to overflow and flood the downtown area. Geoje Mayor Byun Kwang-yong met with the climate minister in person to argue that building the dam was essential to securing safety in the city center.
For the five confirmed dam projects, the ministry plans to carry out legally required procedures in sequence — a preliminary feasibility study, a feasibility study and a strategic environmental impact assessment — before drawing up a basic plan for dam construction.
"We expect this dam to secure safety in the Gohyeon-dong area, which has suffered chronic flooding damage whenever heavy rain hits," the mayor said. "We will prepare thorough and fair compensation measures for households relocating from the area to be submerged, and we will do our utmost to ensure the site becomes not only a disaster prevention facility but a pleasant waterfront space that residents of Gohyeon-dong and Sangmun-dong can enjoy in their daily lives."
