Peace Dam
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| Peace Dam | |
| Impounds | Bukhan River |
|---|---|
| Locale | Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea |
| Length | 1970 ft (601 m) |
| Height | 410 ft (125 m) |
| Construction began | 1987 |
| Opening date | 2005 |
| Geographical Data | |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
The Peace Dam is a South Korean dam on the Bukhan River. It was built to stave off possible catastrophic flooding should the upstream Imnam Dam in North Korea collapse, either intentionally or by accident. The dam was completed in 2005.[1] As it stands, the dam has no reservoir, and is merely preventive. Filling up a reservoir could cause floods in North Korea.[2]
Construction began in 1987, in reaction to a perceived threat following the construction of the Imnam Dam by North Korea. The Bukhan River is a tributary of the Han River, and catastrophic scenarios foresaw a flood engulfing the South Korean capital of Seoul in case of an attack by North Korea. Construction was halted before completion, among allegations that the threat had been grossly exaggerated. Construction resumed after satellite photographs in 2002 revealed the existence of cracks in the Imnam Dam, triggering fears that it could collapse in case of heavy rains.[3]
In September 2005, North Korea released massive quantities of water without warning, causing serious flooding in South Korea.[1]
The Peace Dam is 601 meters wide, 125 meters tall, and capable of holding 2.61 billion tons of water. Its construction cost $429 million.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "S. Korea completes 'Peace Dam' to block flood attack from North", World Tribune, October 27, 2005.
- ^ a b Choe Sang-Hun. "Peace Dam Still Waits for the Flood That Never Came", New York Times, August 28, 2007.
- ^ "Fears over North Korean dam", BBC News, May 3, 2002.
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