• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.50 no.9
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• pp.617-625
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• 2017

In this study, it was examined that a methodology for evaluating the design flood level reasonably at Imjin River estuary affected by the tide periodically. First of all, the change of the flood level was observed by performing unsteady simulation which can take into account the characteristics of the tidal rivers. And the variations of the flood level was analyzed by change of the Manning's roughness coefficient which is sensitive to the water level calculation. The results were compared with the design flood level at Imjin River estuary announced in the 2011 Imjin River Basic Plan Report. For reference, the design flood level reported in 2011 has been calculated by using a section of a huge riverbed dredging section as input data. From the simulation results, it was found that the flood level evaluated by this study was able to satisfy the freeboard of the levee without the riverbed dredging when the roughness coefficient was assigned to the same value as that of the Han river estuary in the calculation of the flood level, and the unsteady flow simulation was carried out to reflect on the tidal river.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.31-38
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• 2014

The fish community and upstream of glass eels (Anguilla japonica) in the Imjin River estuary Gyeonggi-do, Korea was investigated from 2008 to 2012. During the surveyed period 43 species belonging to 18 families were collected. Korean endemic species was Microphysogobio jeoni which showed a ration of 0.04% in collected species. Exotic fishes were Carassius cuvieri and Ctenophayngodon idellus, and comprised 0.06% of the total individual number. Among the fish species observed, 17 species of the freshwater fish (40.5%), 6 species of migration fish (14.2%), 8 species of the brackish water fish (19.1%) and 11 species of sea water fish (26.1%). In terms of composition ration, Anguilla japonica (glass eels, 49.8%), Coilia ectens (23.3%), Saurogobio dabryi (8.1%), Repomucenus olidus (3.3%), Lateolabrax maculata (2.9%) and Chelon haematocheilus (2.8%) were found to display high individual number. On the other hand, C. ectens (33.6%), C. haematocheilus (14.2%), Cyprinus carpio (10.5%), Mugil cephalus (9.1%) and S. dabryi (7.6%) were dominated of biomass. The dominant species of individual was A. japonica (glass eels), and subdomint species included C. ectens. The fish biomass catched of fisherman in the Imjin River (Paju-si) were 83.6~240.3 t by each year. The year 2011 and 2012 were decreased rapidly. Among these, M. cephalus (48.0~80.0%), C. carpio (6.7%), Carassius auratus (4.9%), Silurus asotus (3.9%), Takifugu obscurus (2.5%), Anguilla japonica (adult, 2.2%) and Pseudobagrus fulvidraco (2.1%) dominated of biomass. Body weight of glass eels at each year were 0.03~ 1.13 t, average 212.0 kg and 1,325,000 individual by 0.16 g each one individual.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 1991

For the purpose of examining the depositional sedimentary environments in the Han River estuary and around the Kyunggi Bay posterior to the Han river's developments, a hydrological and sedimen-tological survey was carried out. According to the hydrological and sedimentological conditions, the studied area can be divided into 3 depositional sedimentary environments: Fluvial, Estuarine and coastal-Bay. Posterior to the Han river's developments, however, the alterations of hydrodynamic condition in the Han river have caused a substantial change of the sedimentary environments in the lower Han river and its estuary. That is, the contents of total suspended sediment anterior to the Developments decreased from 37mg/l (in the lower Han River) and 500-1750 mg/l (at the Kanghwa Bridge) to 18 mg/l and 208-1142 mg/l posterior to the developments. these changes seem to have caused the siltation near the sin-gok Underwater Dam. Thus the characters of the boundary condition between the fluvial and the estuarine environments have rapidly changed. It is considered that these changes result mainly from the construction of the two underwater dams for the maintenance of the water level of the Han river. As the estuary is a transition zone between land and sea, these changes in the Han River estuary might affect the sedimentary environments around the Kyunggi Bay. In order to verify the effects of these changes, it is necessary that a detailed survey be carried out around the Han River estuary including the Imjin and Yesong River estuaries.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.154-162
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• 2021

The naturally opened Han river estuary is a place where the flows of the Han river, Imjin river, Yaesung river meet with West Sea of Korea, so the hydrodynamic mechanism(Impact-Response) structure of Han river estuary is complex. Continuous observation and measurement due to the morphological characteristics at the estuary are required to maintain the estuary environment and river management facilities. However, the Sannam wetland(the study area) is in the military operation area. Therefore, Sannam wetland has the limited access under the control from military office. In 2020, there had a natural disaster due to flooding in August and COVID-19, and it made a survey hard. The noncontact survey technique, the analysis of LANDSAT images at Sannam wetland, was applied to analyze riverbed fluctuation and morphological transformation around Sannam wetland. LANDSAT images obtained from EarthExplorer, USGS and analyzed by QGIS. The analysis was performed based on the area and the distance near Sannam wetland. As a result, an erosion was happened on the downstream of the study area, and the upstream of the study area did not have any serious sediment transport. Considering the resolution of LANDSAT images, this noncontect survey technique is applicable to manage the study area. From the analysis of LANDSAT images, it is assumed that the tidal effect is greater than the inflow from the upstream. The pattern change of tidal response causes the damage of the river facilities near the Hangang river estuary.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.3 s.120
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• pp.344-354
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• 2007

Estuarine wetlands for 33 watersheds in the Han River estuary were delineated on topographic maps from the 1910s, 1970s, and 2000s. Then, these data were used to address the issue of spatial distribution and temporal variation. Watershed characteristics such as drainage density, location, watershed size, slope, and elevation were identified for each watershed to determine the relationship between watershed characteristics and spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands. The analysis of estuarine wetlands indicated that wetlands in the estuary had declined gradually between the 1910s and the 1970s, although most wetlands were lost since the 1970s mainly caused by the large development projects related to urban expansion in metropolitan Seoul. The sediment composition and formation processes of the wetlands differed with watershed location; mud flats dominate in the lower part of the estuary, and relatively more sandy and emergent-plant wetlands occur near the main channel and tributaries of the Han River. Relatively more estuary wetlands occur in large watersheds, which have high slopes and low elevations. Estuarine wetlands have been lost dramatically in the densely populated watershed regions (i.e., Han River Seoul, Han River Goyang, West Han River), while relatively more wetlands have remained in undeveloped regions, including the Lower Imjin River and Lower Han River. In particular, anthropogenic disturbance has played an important role in the loss of wetland through the conversion of wetland into agricultural and developed land.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.274-294
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• 2007

The most reasonable method of counting the number of the estuaries in Korea may be counting the number of streams flowing into the sea. The number counting of the streams should be carried out based on the river classes (National River, Regional 1st Class River and Regional 2nd Class River) given by the River Act. The National River scale estuaries are totaled to thirteen, i.e. Han River(including Imjin River), Anseongcheon, Sapgyocheon, Geum River, Mankyeong River, Dongjin River, Yeoungsan River, Tamjin River, Seomjin River, Gawhacheon, Nakdong River(including West Nakdong River), Taewha River, and Hyeongsan River estuaries. The Regional 1st Class River scale estuaries are counted as four, i.e. Yeoungdeok Osipcheon, Samcheok Osipcheon, Gangneung Namdaecheon, and Yangyang Namdaecheon. While, the Regional 2nd Class River estuaries are arranged as the Province and counted as total 444; Jeonnam, Gyeongnam, Chungnam, Jeju Province have the 108, 94, 52, and 35 estuaries, respectively. The counted estuary numbers, however, can be slightly increased/decreased on what references are applied, e.g. whether or not including the streams lost estuary functions by the sea-dike construction or integrated nearby streams, and so on.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.257-268
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• 2012

The EFDC model with find grid resolution system connecting the Gyeong-Gi bay and Han River estuary was constructed to study on spring-neap variability of net volume transport at each channel of the Han River estuary. The simulation time of numerical model is 124 days from May to August, 2009 with freshwater discharge at Han, Imjin and Yeseong River. The calibration and verification of model results was confirmed using harmonic components of water level and tidal current. The net volume transport was calculated during 30 days with normal freshwater conditions at Seokmo channel and Yeomha channel around Ganghwado. The ebbing net volume transport of 44% and 56% is drained into Gyeong-Gi bay through Yeomha and Seokmo channel, respectively. The ebbing net volume transport nearby Seodo at Yeomha channel convergence flooding net volume transport at Incheon harbor, and drain (westward direction) through channel of tidal flat between Ganghwado and Yeongjongdo to the Gyeong-Gi bay. The averaged net volume transport during 4 tidal cycles was compared to variation of spring-neap periods of the Yeomha channel. The convergence position is moved up- and down-ward according to spring-neap variability. The movement of the convergence zone is appeared because 1) increasing of discharged rate tidal flat channel between Ganghwado and Yeongjongdo at the spring period, 2) The growth of barotropic forcing with downward direction at the spring tide, and 3) The strength of the baroclinic pressure gradient is greater than spring with mixing processes.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.272-287
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• 2019

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established in 1953 by the Korean War Armistice Agreement. It extends from the estuary of the Imjin River, in the west, to the coast of the East Sea. It is 4 km in width and 148 km in length. However, the ecosystems of the civilian control zone (CCZ) located between the southern border of the DMZ and the civilian control line (CCL) and the CCZ in the estuary of the Han River and the Yellow Sea are similar to those in the DMZ, and, therefore, the ecosystems of the DMZ and the CCZ are collectively known as the "ecosystems of the DMZ and its vicinities." The flora in the DMZ and its vicinities is composed of 1,864 species, which accounts for about 42% of all the vascular plant species on the Korean Peninsula and its affiliated islands. Conducting a detailed survey on the vegetation, flora, and fauna in the DMZ is almost impossible due to the presence of landmines and limitations on the time allowed to be spent in the DMZ. However, to assess the environmental impact of the Munsan-Gaesong railroad reconstruction project, it was possible to undertake a limited vegetation survey within the DMZ in 2001. The vegetation in Jangdan-myeon, in Paju City within the DMZ, was very simple. It was mostly secondary forests dominated by oaks such as Quercus mongolica, Q. acutissima, and Q. variabilis. The other half of the DMZ in Jangdan-myeon was occupied by grassland composed of tall grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis, M. sacchariflorus, and Phragmites japonica. Contrary to the expectation that the DMZ may be covered with pristine mature forests due to more than 60 years of no human interference, the vegetation in the DMZ was composed of simple secondary forests and grasslands formed on former rice paddies and agricultural fields. At present, the only legal protection system planned for the DMZ is the Natural Environment Conservation Act, which ensures that the DMZ would be managed as a nature reserve for only two years following Korean reunification. Therefore, firstly, the DMZ should be designated as a site of domestic legally protected areas such as nature reserve (natural monument), scenic site, national park, etc. In addition, we need to try to designate the DMZ as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or as a World Heritage site, or as a Ramsar international wetland for international cooperation. For nomination as a world heritage site, we can emphasize the ecological and landscape value of the wetlands converted from the former rice paddies and the secondary forests maintained by frequent fires initiated by military activities. If the two Koreas unexpectedly reunite without any measures in place for the protection of nature in the DMZ, the conditions prior to the Korean War, such as rice paddies and villages, will return. In order to maintain the current condition of the ecosystems in the DMZ, we have to discuss and prepare for measures including the retention of mines and barbed-wire fences, the construction of roads and railroads in the form of tunnels or bridges, and the maintenance of the current fire regime in the DMZ.