South Korea secures extra water storage to combat extreme floods

The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment in South Korea utilized a combination of integrated water management and advanced technology to minimize flood damage during a season of extreme weather.

The ministry reported that its 2026 Summer Flood Countermeasures successfully mitigated risks despite a period characterized by both localized heavy rainfall and simultaneous droughts in different regions. The ministry collaborated with other agencies to repurpose existing infrastructure for flood control.

Officials utilized agricultural reservoirs, hydropower dams, and sea walls to create an additional 1.04 billion tons of water storage capacity. The ministry says this approach avoided the need to build new dams, saving approximately 4 trillion won in costs and the time required for new construction. By managing these facilities flexibly, the government maintained water supply for droughts while reducing the number of times it had to open dam gates to release water.

South Korea also deployed artificial intelligence to monitor water levels at 223 flood warning points every 10 minutes. This system allowed forecasters to verify water changes against physical models and issue 38 flood alerts. In Seoul, the ministry launched a pilot urban flood warning system for six districts, including Gangnam and Yeongdeungpo. The system sent location-based safety messages to residents to facilitate early evacuation.

To manage risks near the border, the ministry increased satellite monitoring of North Korean dams to four times a day. This allowed authorities to detect unauthorized water releases and evacuate tourists from the Imjin River area. The ministry plans to expand its urban flood warning system to six metropolitan cities by the first half of 2030.