The increase of heaped sediments became the cause factor to increase riverside farming land, and then contaminants from them considerably damaged the Geum River. As the influx of unpurified domestic sewage went increase, the contamination coefficient of the Geum River went serious stage. The average BOD of the Geum River's water system had been improved from 4.1mg/L in 1998 to 2.5mg/L in 2008; however COD is unfortunately increasing across the board. Especially BOD is under rapid deterioration from the midstream starting with inflows from the Gap Stream and the Miho Stream; COD also goes bad year by year as the river flows to the lower stream.
Water shortage is also considerably concerned. Seeing the usage status (as of 2008) of water from the Geum River, total usage amount is 3,700 million square meter per year; and from it, 600 million m3/yr for residential purpose; 200 million m3/yr for industrial purpose; 1,800 million m3/yr for agricultural purpose; 1100 million m3/yr for maintenance purpose. The recent report released from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs says 74 million m3 in 2011 and 78 million m3 in 2016 water shortage would loom to happen our worries.
