10-Year Transformation: How Dalseong-gun’s Giseok Stream Project Prepares for Extreme Weather

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Dalseong County in Daegu has completed a decade-long overhaul of Gisegok Stream. The project is intended to strengthen resilience against extreme rainfall driven by the climate crisis and to create a more resident-friendly waterfront.

The county announced on March 16 that it recently finished the Gisegok Stream River Disaster Prevention Project, which runs from Bansong-ri in Okpo-eup to the Nakdong River confluence at Gangeong-ri. The initiative cost 36.2 billion KRW (approximately 27.15 million USD), funded by national, municipal and county resources.

Detailed design work began in 2016, and the project covered the stream’s full 8.8 km (about 5.5 miles). Dalseong rebuilt or reinforced embankments along a 3.93 km (about 2.4 miles) stretch, replaced or newly constructed five aging bridges, and overhauled river infrastructure—including installing four movable weirs to regulate water flow.

The upgrades are designed so the stream will not overflow even in a “100-year” downpour—defined here as rainfall exceeding 76.3 mm (about 3.0 inches) per hour. County officials say the work should substantially reduce long-standing flood concerns among nearby residents, who have repeatedly worried about typhoons and intense storms.

In addition to flood control, the county prioritized creating public waterfront amenities. Officials built a riverside promenade that links with the popular Songhae Park and installed water-maintenance facilities so the Gisegok Stream area can serve as an everyday space for leisure and relaxation.

County leaders expect that visitors to Songhae Park will extend their visits to the stream, generating positive spillover effects for nearby businesses.

Choi Jae-hoon, head of Dalseong County, thanked residents for enduring the long construction period and said the project’s completion will proactively reduce flood risk. He added that, together with Songhae Park, Gisegok Stream will be transformed into a waterfront attraction and a new source of pride for the county.

He said the county will continue to inspect and upgrade vulnerable local waterways to achieve a disaster-resilient Dalseong where residents can live with greater peace of mind.