Uiseong County is the lowest rainfall region in Korea, with abundant sunshine and considerable evaporation. The southeast of Uiseong County, surrounding the dormant volcano Mt. Geumseong, is the earliest volcanic region on the Korean Peninsula. Due to the characteristics of the soil, water loss is substantial, and surface water does not flow in most locations. Thus, even a single drop of water had to be conserved for agriculture, necessitating the construction of reservoirs or ponds wherever water was gathered.

For this reason, water storage facilities were constructed in the Uiseong region, and water was divided and kept in the shape of a pond or small reservoir at various locations for agricultural use. As of the end of 2021, a total of 6,227 small reservoirs/ponds have been developed over centuries. Particularly, around 1,000 small reservoirs/ponds provide water to agricultural areas in the Mt. Geumseong region.

The traditional water intake facilities that supply paddy fields with water from small reservoirs/ponds consist of inclined conduits with several intake holes and stoppers and bottom conduits. Residents create a “Water users group”, which is a rural community that constructs, operates, and manages irrigation systems in one village or multiple villages so as to distribute the scarce water in an intelligent manner.

*More details of the structure are available in the attached documents.

The structure represents a milestone / turning points in development of irrigated agriculture and bears an exceptional testimony to development of agriculture and increase in food production along with the improvement of economic condition of farmers;

Small reservoirs/ponds in the county of Uiseong make farming possible by storing and distributing water in the lowest rainfall zone. Until recently, 90 percent of food production was derived from rice farming. In paddy areas where rice cultivation has been completed, the second cropping of garlic cultivation generates agricultural income. In addition, farmers have developed a local community culture centred on irrigation systems and a distinct agricultural culture that announces the beginning of the rice growing by holding rites to ensure a fruitful crop during the “First Watering” event.

The structure was ahead of its times in terms of project formulation, engineering design, construction techniques, dimensions of the structure itself, quantum of water diverted, and size of the command;

Using the water's flow and topography as a basis, the small reservoir irrigation system in Uiseong County possesses distinctive formation and utilization methods. The small reservoirs/ponds in Uiseong were formed or constructed in a variety of methods, depending on the water flow and the topography. The type includes a mountainous reservoir that stores water flowing down the mountain and a flat area reservoir constructed between rice paddies that rely on rainfall or reuse of water from the higher elevated paddy fields. The inclined conduit and bottom conduit, as well as the intake hole and stopper, were used to store and control water in small reservoirs.

The structure made outstanding contribution to enhancing food production, livelihood opportunities, rural prosperity, and poverty alleviation in a region;

By wisely utilizing the water collected in small reservoirs/ponds, the income from rice and garlic crops increased considerably. Small reservoirs/ponds contributed to food production by enabling rice cultivation, which required a great deal of water over the required period. After irrigated rice farming, which uses water for more than six months, garlic cultivation follows as the second crop. Long-time watering of the soil before the cultivation of garlic contributes to the reduction of virus-caused garlic disease and the increase of farmer income.

The structure was innovative in its ideas at the time of its construction;

The development of small reservoirs/ponds in the Uiseong area reflects the water flow and geography. In the case of mountainous water flow, the valley was blocked to store water, and in the case of farmland areas, small reservoirs/ponds were constructed to store rainfall and return flow from higher-elevated paddy fields. In the case of successive reservoirs connected by 'grandfather,' 'father,' and 'grandson' ponds, extra water from the upstream was sent downstream, and the return flow was also increased. In addition, it overcomes the inability to construct bigger reservoirs due to geological conditions by developing many small reservoirs system that stores all the water going down from the valley. This increased the rice farming area by increasing the overall capacity of the reservoir and made water recycling practicable. As a facility detail, an inclined conduit with several intake holes was built on the slopes of the embankment, and a bottom conduit going beneath the embankment was installed at the base of the embankment to facilitate safe water intake in response to fluctuations in the reservoir water level.

The structure contributed to the evolution of efficient and contemporary engineering theories and practices;ucture was innovative in its ideas at the time of its construction;

Surface water with higher temperature taken with intake hole prevents cold damage to rice plant growth and increases production - Water from the reservoir enters the inclined conduit through the intake hole, and depending on the size of the reservoir, five to thirty intake holes are positioned from the bottom to the top of the conduit. Usually, the water intake hole is closed with a stopper, but this is removed to allow water to enter the conduit. This stopper is designed to regulate the limited use of water so that water from the upper portion of the reservoir drains from the top down. Allowing warm water from the upper portion of the reservoir to flow into the rice fields exhibits remarkable intelligence in minimizing cold water damage to crops.

The structure was unique in some positive and constructive way;

Water users group and rural community development - The labour-intensive construction of small reservoirs and the maintenance and operation of the irrigation system developed a sense of community among the residents and farmers. It also fostered the growth of a community and a culture centred on the system. - The "Water users group" is a local community organized by local residents to share scarce water resources carefully. The individual in charge of water management in an organization is referred to as the "Chief manager," while the one in charge of water distribution is known as the "Water manager." - The Chief manager and Water manager control the water in reservoirs systematically and prevent any dispute from using it. They have an annual responsibility to manage reservoirs and waterways, in particular, to have members of the water users group collaborate on the construction of reservoirs and waterways. - In this regard, the traditional "First watering" ceremony, in which the stopper is removed to allow water to flow from the reservoir onto the rice fields for the first time, is still practised today.

The structure bears the stamp of a cultural tradition or a civilization of past;

According to the Goryeosa-Jeolyo, the historical record of the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), states, "In the second year of King-Gongmin, he asked to repair the old reservoirs in Uiseong-Hyeon (present-day Geumseong-myeon) in preparation for the drought”. It can be assumed that the reservoirs were built during or before the Goryeo Dynasty. In addition, the fact that the reservoirs around Mt. Geumseong depicted on a regional map from 1872 still exist today implies that they have a history that spans more than a century. - Jomun-Guk, the ancient state, existed in the Uiseong region, and it may be assumed that paddy agriculture began in this location about B.C. based on the fact that farming tools such as Salpo were unearthed. - (In Korea, "Salpo" is a unique piece of agricultural equipment that was used to open the sluice gate of rice paddies and was employed by the farming supervisor or village chief.)

Present State of Conservation

Good State of conservation - In Uiseoung County, there are a total of 6,227 small reservoirs/ponds, of which around 1,000 are located around Mt. Geumseong. Eighty-three of them maintained traditional irrigation systems with conduit, intake holes, and stoppers. - In addition, they continue to be utilized in agriculture, and a water users group centred on local residents manages and operates the 375 small reservoirs and waterways.

Korea’s Important Agricultural Heritage System (KIAHS), No. 10 - In acknowledgement of the agricultural function and tangible cultural heritage of the small reservoir, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs designated the system as "Korea National Important Agricultural Heritage (KIAHS) No. 10" in 2018. - The maintenance and utilization of Uiseong Traditional Irrigation System Reservoirs were funded by the Korean government for a period of three years with 1.5 billion won. Through this subsidy, it sponsored projects such as the preservation and utilization of agricultural heritage, the establishment of an agricultural heritage residents' council, education to increase residents' capacity building, the construction of a heritage road, and a public information centre. - Since its designation as a KIAHS site, Uiseong has made efforts to preserve and utilize the system in a sustainable way, including "various utilization projects," "medium and long-term conservation and utilization plan," and "creation of display hall," and "plan for eco-museum."