Imnam Dam
Encyclopedia
Imnam Dam is a North Korea
n dam
on the Bukhan River
, completed in 2003.
Construction began in 1986. The dam was immediately seen as a threat by the South Korean government. The Bukhan River is a tributary
of the Han River
, and war scenarios foresaw North Korea releasing flood waters that could engulf the South Korean capital of Seoul
. Though fears of a "water attack" have diminished, 2002 satellite photos of cracks in the North Korean dam caused fears it could collapse following heavy rains. In September 2005, without warning, North Korea released a massive amount of water from the dam, causing large floods in South Korea.
To protect itself against the perceived threat, South Korea built the Peace Dam
across the border, 22 miles to the south.
Since Imnam Dam was built, water inflow to the Han River has decreased by 12 percent. This has caused environmental problems and water shortages in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Imnam Dam is 710 meters wide, 121.5 meters high, and has a claimed capacity of 2.62 billion tons of water.
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the Bukhan River
Bukhan River
The Bukhan River is a tributary of the Han River that flows through both North and South Korea. It traverses Kangwon province in North Korea and Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces in South Korea....
, completed in 2003.
Construction began in 1986. The dam was immediately seen as a threat by the South Korean government. The Bukhan River is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
, and war scenarios foresaw North Korea releasing flood waters that could engulf the South Korean capital of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Though fears of a "water attack" have diminished, 2002 satellite photos of cracks in the North Korean dam caused fears it could collapse following heavy rains. In September 2005, without warning, North Korea released a massive amount of water from the dam, causing large floods in South Korea.
To protect itself against the perceived threat, South Korea built the Peace Dam
Peace Dam
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. As it stands, the dam has no reservoir, and is merely...
across the border, 22 miles to the south.
Since Imnam Dam was built, water inflow to the Han River has decreased by 12 percent. This has caused environmental problems and water shortages in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Imnam Dam is 710 meters wide, 121.5 meters high, and has a claimed capacity of 2.62 billion tons of water.