16 Designs of Weirs on the Four Major Rivers will Make Public

The Office for the Four Major Rivers Restoration will, on October 27, release the designs of 16 weirs that will be built in four major rivers. The designs were proposed by 11 construction companies including Daerim, Hyundai, SK, Daewoo, Samsung C&T Corporation, POSCO, Doosan, Hyundai Development Corporation, Samsung Heavy Industry and Hanyang, etc., all of whom were selected as constructors and designers for the first detailed design for the Turn-Key project.

The 16 weirs are designed in consideration of landscape, geological, historical and cultural characteristics. For example, Buyeo Weir of GeumRiver will have the shape of General Gyebaek riding horse who fought for the ancient Korean Kingdom of Baekje, Kangjeong Weir of NakdongRiver that will be located at the center of the ancient KoreanKingdom of Gaya is designed as Gayageum (a twelve-stringed Korean harp) and wagon wheel pottery work. Other weirs of Yeongsan, Nakdong and GeumRivers will also reflect local culture and history such as Naju Rice, Hangeul (Korean letters) and Chugu-gi (a rainguage), etc.

Furthermore, bike paths, observation decks as well as swimming pools and ecological parks will be built around weirs to create a pleasant riverside environment and promote local tourism industries.

More importantly, eco-friendliness is the first priority in the construction of the weirs. Fishways will be built to help fishes move freely and preserve ecosystem. Movable weirs will easily remove sediment in upper streams and improve water quality since they can control water speed. Especially, small hydro power plants that will be built at both ends of weirs will produce 278.48 million kWh of clean energy and thus will reduce oil consumption by 470,000 barrels and GHG emission by 150,000 tons.

In addition, the Office for the Four Major Rivers Restoration will hold a Weir Competitive Fair on its webpage (www.4rivers.go.kr) to raise the awareness and interest of people from Oct. 28 to Nov. 6. Webpage visitors can vote for the best design of weir and will be provided various presents through lottery. It also says that the weirs in four major rivers are environmentally friendly as well as excellent in design and functions, and thus they will greatly contribute to improving residents’ living standard and developing local tourism industries.