Far East District and K water continue technical exchanges

Far East District
Published March 12, 2019
Dr. Jay Pak, Far East District’s Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering Branch chief, discusses using geographical information systems to Filipino engineers during a K water research workshop March 8 in Daejeon, Korea (Photo by K water).

Dr. Jay Pak, Far East District’s Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering Branch chief, discusses using geographical information systems to Filipino engineers during a K water research workshop March 8 in Daejeon, Korea.

In 2015 at the world water forum in Daejeon, Korea, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Korea Water Resources Development Corporation or K water, signed a memorandum of understanding to work together annually in the area of water resources.

Last year the two organizations decided to assist developing nations in south Asia with water resources management. That mission continued in March 2019, following a high-level meeting in February after both countries agreed to collaborate further with water-related exchanges with other nations. This led to the current joint engagement, “enhancement of water resources management using geographical information systems workshop” in Daejeon, Korea, with engineers from the Philippines.

Dr. Jay Pak, Ph.D., P.E., Far East District’s Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering Branch chief, held a presentation with the Filipino engineers discussing applications used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that alleviate and prevent flooding. These geographic information systems and software, developed and utilized by USACE in the U.S. can be applied by these Filipino engineers in their country.

“It’s excellent in content and delivery,” said Paulina A. Lingan, senior engineer at the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources of the Philippines. “I find challenge in my role as senior engineer to do more in geographical information systems. I thank God I got a chance to learn through you (Far East District).”

K water and the Far East District’s joint exchanges will continue later in the month of March as Pak and his geotechnical team will visit K water’s resource center, material and environmental testing labs as they look to improve technical capacity.