Gulpocheon Reopened After 30 Years... Bupyeong-gu to Fully Promote Phase 2 of Ecological Stream Restoration

Covered in concrete for nearly 30 years, Gulpocheon in Incheon has revealed its true form, as Bupyeong-gu in Incheon is organizing the management system for the ecological stream restoration project and is set to actively promote Phase 2 of the restoration.

Bupyeong-gu announced on the 31st that starting next month, it will conduct post-monitoring services for the Phase 1 restoration section of Gulpocheon along with a conceptual service for Phase 2 restoration.

The post-monitoring service will investigate changes in water quality and aquatic ecosystems after the ecological stream restoration to evaluate the achievement of goals, and analyze the effects of the project, including changes in the stream environment and resident satisfaction.

Additionally, the section from the Bupyeong 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center to Baegun Twin Caves, a distance of 1.45 km, is under review for Phase 2 restoration, where the direction and feasibility of the project will be examined. This section is currently covered by a road, but if restored, the stream that flowed beneath the asphalt could be revealed above ground again.

Bupyeong-gu will also concurrently promote the comprehensive plan for the maintenance of Gulpocheon, aiming to establish a comprehensive stream management plan that includes flood level assessment and disaster response measures.

Gulpocheon lost its original form during the urbanization process in the 1990s, but it has transformed into an ecological stream through Incheon's first stream restoration project. The Phase 1 section, completed last month, stretches about 1.5 km from the Bupyeong 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center to Bupyeong-gu Office, and has been developed into a water-friendly space with walking paths and rest areas.

Bupyeong-gu had originally planned to restore Gulpocheon in phases, and with the completion of Phase 1, it has begun the conceptualization of Phase 2 restoration. The conceptual service for Phase 2 is scheduled to be commissioned in February and is expected to commence around April, lasting for about a year.

A Bupyeong-gu official stated, "We plan to systematically manage the three services related to the Gulpocheon ecological stream and accelerate additional restoration projects."