The Byeokgolje was the first and the greatest reservoir in Korea. In Samguksagi,the historical book of the ancient three kingdoms, it is written that the reservoir was built in the 21st year of Shilla King Heulhae~s reign (AD. 330). King Wonseong of Unified Shilla Kingdom rebuilt it in the 6th year of his ruling period (A D. 790). Later King Hye-onjong and King Injong of Goryeo Dynasty reconstructed it. And then it was remodeled by King Taejong of Joseon Dynasty (AD. 1415) in 15th year of his ruling. But it was flooded away in the reign era of the 2nd year (AD. 1420) of King Sejong reign after heavy rain. Afterwards, Dongjin Farmland Reform Association converted the bank into a waterway for framing irrigation in 1925. As a result, the reservoir lost most of its original form and remains up to now. There is the second watergate called Jangsaenggeo in the complex, and the fourth watergate called Gyeongjanggeo appears when you go down to the south for about 2km along the bank. Byeokgolje marks an epoch in the history of Korean Science supposing that it shows us that the ancient kingdom already had such a high-developed engineering skill to build the great reservoir. Byeokgolje and its repairing monument in the Joseon Dynasty has been designated as the 111th Historical Relics of Korea.
Gimje city government has been operating the Byeokgol-je Museum of Agricultural Culture understanding of the historical value of Byeokgol-je as an ancient and the first large scale irrigation dam in Korean. Gimje city founded and is operating the museum to disseminate the importance of historical meaning of Byeokgol-je in this region, one of the largest rice paddy plains in Korea, even though it requires considerable operating funds.