Professor Pierre Julien from Colorado State University, U.S.A
Professor Julien talking to the Minister Myung Pil Shim about the Ipo Weir
“It is as if a new paradigm is being suggested to the river restoration.”
Professor Pierre Julien, a water resources specialist from Colorado State University of USA assessed the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project with this saying.
Professor Julien is an expert of rivers and water resources in the States, and he has been recognized to be an erudite scholar especially in the subjects of sediment travel in weirs and dams of the river. With near completion of the Ipo Weir in sight, Professor Julien was asked to give a comment after visiting sites of the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project for the second time. “Multiple functions to prevent flood, manage water resources, create ecofriendly eco system, and secure water-friendly facilities and leisure spaces are all fused together to grant an access to the most favorable solution and an artwork,” he said.
Next questions were related to his specialty, the possibility of sediments accumulation in the upper region of the weir. Professor Julien explained, “Generally the dams installed in reservoirs limit water discharge of the gates from upper stream to lower stream causing problems of sedimentation in the upper region of the dam.
However, the Ipo Weir was not constructed to block the water flow between the upper region and the lower region, and height of the weir which plays a critical role holding water is relatively low compared to the dams. Therefore, the regional sedimentation, even if it occurs, will be naturally taken care of with small and large floods over the summer.”
About the matters that require attention after the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project, Professor Julien added, “The monitoring task is a must to continuously observe the way of rivers respond and adapt to the new environment. It is an optimum solution to maintain multiple achievements of the river restoration project in functionality and efficiency even long after the completion of the construction.”
Professor Julien described the Ipo Weir as ‘the optimum solution and a masterpiece.’
