Development of coastal groundwater management solution in Jeju Island, South Korea

Abstract

Jeju Island is the region in South Korea that receives the highest amount of rainfall, and most of this precipitation infiltrates into the ground as groundwater, which is utilized as the primary water resource. The major challenge in extracting groundwater in coastal areas is the intrusion of seawater. This study aims to develop management solutions to address the limitations on water resource utilization and water scarcity issues caused by saltwater intrusion in coastal areas. Utilizing observational data from Jeju, precise water circulation analysis and hydrogeological data related to groundwater salinization were collected. The study also involved the construction of a database for hydrological components based on water circulation analysis and the impacts of climate change. Additionally, techniques for predicting coastal groundwater levels and developing a coastal groundwater management system were established. Through the research findings, it is expected that a comprehensive solution for coastal groundwater management in response to climate change, improved accuracy in groundwater level management, and policy recommendations can be achieved.   Acknowledgment : The work was suppored by the KICT Research Program (project no. 20230166-001, Development of Coastal Groundwater Management Solution) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.