Gangjin County is located in the southernmost region of Korea. It is known for its vast fields and four distinct seasons, which gives the region advantageous natural conditions for cultivating crops. The earliest records of rice farming in the Gangjin area go as far back as the 2^nd century BC, and agriculture utilizing Yeonbangjuk (lotus small reservoirs) was practised mainly in the northern Gangjin area, where the stream was not developed. The Byeongyeong region of northern Gangjin County has been home to vast fields but was not a place with abundant water. Faced with limited water resources, the Byeongyeong region overcame the challenge of securing water resources for irrigation and Byeongyeong fortress moat, as well as household use, through the connection of five small reservoirs in series. The lotus reservoirs are at the centre of this water storage system. The people of the Byeongyeong region built numerous lotus reservoirs in an all-out effort to store stream water and rainwater.

Bangjuk refers to a dammed pond. The ones in Gangjin County are called yeonbangjuk because lotus (Yeon - continuous) grows wild in the reservoir and five reservoirs are connected through canals. For five lotus reservoirs, a single lotus reservoir is responsible for the irrigation of 150 to 310 ha of farmland and provides water for irrigation purposes to a total area of 1,136 ha.

Bangjuk (small reservoir), as an irrigation system, has been built and utilized in agriculture throughout Korea. However, many Bangjuk have disappeared due to the development of large reservoirs in modern times. These lotus reservoirs have survived because of their essential role in sustaining the cultivation of rice crops. The reservoirs in the Gangjin region have been an invaluable irrigation structure that has made rice cultivation and double cropping possible and has been the driving force behind achieving necessary food production as well as making a living. After each farming season, farmers in Gangjin celebrate the harvest through “garae- chigi” (traditional fishing with fish traps) held at local lotus reservoirs, and this contributes to the development of local community culture.

In an all-out effort by the local farmers to secure water, reservoirs have been built in large numbers and a network of canals was introduced to provide irrigation to the rice fields with the water stored in lotus reservoirs. This is evidence of authenticity in irrigated agriculture practised by our ancestors.  The use of lotus reservoirs in Gangjin agriculture has played a crucial role in the livelihood of local farmers and food production for the region.

The Gangjin lotus reservoirs are of a “low-water, high-rice paddy” type. In this design, roads surface slightly above the centre of the flat fields and function as embankments as well. The reservoirs are constructed at places where the water paths gather. The reservoirs are 0.5-3 m deep in water level and 3 to 6 ha in size. The entry point in contact with the farmland is made of a low slope of earth and soil, and there are embankments of consistent heights at the exit. In modern times, this eco-friendly construction method is contributing greatly to the diversity of species. In times of water shortage, the Ganjin lotus reservoirs are able to transfer water to nearby lotus reservoirs through canals to participate in irrigation outside of their normal irrigation zone.

Korea’s Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (KIAHS) refers to the agricultural heritage acknowledged by the national government to be worthy of preservation. In this system, the government designates traditional agricultural activities, agricultural landscapes, biodiversity, and usage for conservation and passing on to future generations. The Gangjin Yeonbangjuk (Five Small Lotus Reservoirs) was registered as No. 16 KIAHS by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs of the Korean Government in 2021.