Nowadays, the pollution of rivers is mentioned frequently on TV and in newspapers. Illegally discharged water from chemical factories generates algal blooms, which kill a great number of organisms in rivers. In addition, many plants and animals indigenous to Korea have gone extinct, and foreign species have increased dramatically. The pollution of rivers shows up in diverse ways.
Pungam Reservoir in Gwangju and Yeongsan River are suffering from green tide. In 2014, the police exposed 35 dyeing and jewelry making businesses for discharging waste water. When waste water gets discharged without purification, substances such as nitrogen proliferate and algae multiply. The algae consume oxygen, and oxygen in the water decreases. Due to green tide, 2.8 million fish died in Geum River and the damage reached 25 billion won. However, measures to improve the situation are inadequate.
Another problem is that introduced species are increasing rapidly in Korean rivers. Pectinatella magnifica, which is similar to a sea anemone, was spotted in the Nakdong River, the Yeongsan River, and the Geum River. This creature requires some material to grow on and to reproduce. Rivers in the past mostly consisted of sand or gravel with low water. The conditions didn’t provide a place for pectinatella magnifica to grow. However, due to the 4 Rivers Project, the velocity of the water has slowed down and wood pieces have increased due to taking out vast quantities of sand and gravel and planting trees along the riverside. The problem is that when pectinatella magnifica decomposes, it emits ammonia, negatively affecting living organisms in rivers. Besides pectinatella magnifica, introduced species like bluegill and bass prefer slow rivers. These introduced fish eat native baby fish, destroying the environment.
There are some solutions already to purify rivers. For a long time, people used red clay to decrease green tide as red clay adsorbs the nutrients that cause algae to flourish. Another way to suppress it is by using chemicals. According to research released by the Korean Society of Water Environment and the Korean Society of Water and Wastewater, 149 types of phytoplankton were found in Yeongsan River. 84 types were green algae and 13 types were blue green algae that cause green tide. To remove these, there should be further research to find the characteristics of various types of algae. Some specialists say that to stop the inflow of foreign species, opening water gates and removing dammed pools for irrigation are necessary to accelerate water velocity.
Rivers are very close to our lives. They provide water for living, water for agricultural use, and water for industrial use. If we leave rivers as they are, we might pay a dreadful price later. We have the responsibility to protect rivers from pollution. We should use fewer household chemicals, and the government should find a solution to improve the quality of water.
