About Reservoirs Management

Reservoirs are civil structures that hold water supply from a certain catchment. These prepare for floods and droughts and supply water to beneficiary areas. Reservoirs are one of the most important topics in the field of water resources and agricultural water resources cause these play a major role in the supply of agricultural water.

Approximately 18,000 agricultural reservoirs in Korea have been built in rice cultivation areas since 1900, for the purpose of securing reliable local water supplies while conserving the environment. Agricultural reservoirs are the main water sources, although others, including pumping stations and head works, supply water for approximately 449 thousand ha (approximately 58%) of the 772 thousand ha of the total irrigated paddy field area through irrigation facilities.

Reservoir Operation

Reservoirs that supply irrigation water to paddy fields play an important role in water resource management, as they have the capability to store excess water to dispense during periods of water deficits. A water shortage can occur at any period during crop growth, which may stress crops and decrease yield. It is important to be able to estimate the condition of a reservoir supply for the ongoing operation of agricultural reservoirs. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the overall growth stages of the water supply. In reservoir irrigation districts, the severity of agricultural water vulnerability must also be analyzed with respect to the relationship between the available reservoir storage conditions and the water requirements of paddy fields.