MIKE SHE Public Data Catalog
South Korea
Version: 0.1 test template
Purpose: Country-specific public dataset catalog for building simple to advanced MIKE SHE models
Region: Republic of Korea (mainland peninsula south of the DMZ, Jeju and other islands)
Quick Start
Minimum Public Datasets for Recharge Modelling with MIKE SHE (South Korea)
If your objective is to calculate distributed groundwater recharge (without simulating groundwater flow or rivers), only five dataset categories are required.
The datasets below are free and cover the whole country. Most national portals are in Korean, and some require registration with Korean identity verification, which can be difficult for foreign users.
| MIKE SHE Input |
Dataset Type |
Recommended Dataset |
Spatial Availability |
Why recommended |
| Topography (DEM) |
Gridded |
NGII DEM (National Geographic Information Institute) |
South Korea |
Official national DEM at 5 m, derived from national topographic mapping. Much more detailed than global 30 m DEMs in steep, forested terrain. |
| Land Cover |
Vector / gridded |
EGIS land cover map (Ministry of Environment) |
South Korea |
National land-cover maps at three levels of detail (large, medium and fine classification), including paddy fields, upland crops, forest types and urban areas. |
| Soil Hydraulic Properties |
Vector |
Korean Soil Information System (RDA) |
South Korea |
Detailed soil maps (1:25,000) with soil series and properties such as texture, depth and drainage class. Van Genuchten parameters must be derived with pedotransfer functions. |
| Precipitation |
Time Series |
KMA Open MET Data Portal (ASOS and AWS stations) |
Nationwide (~600 stations) |
Dense network of synoptic (ASOS) and automatic (AWS) stations with minute to daily data. Interpolate for gridded forcing. |
|
Gridded |
KMA radar composite (via KMA Open MET Data Portal)
ERA5-Land |
South Korea / global |
Radar provides sub-daily, high-resolution rainfall for flood events. ERA5-Land is a coarse but complete fallback. |
| Meteorological Forcing / Potential ET |
Time Series |
KMA Open MET Data Portal (ASOS) |
Nationwide |
Temperature, humidity, wind, sunshine and radiation for FAO-56 reference ET. |
|
Gridded |
ERA5-Land |
Global |
Hourly climate variables where station coverage is insufficient. |
Optional Improvements
Recommended Workflow
- Download NGII 5 m DEM for the model domain.
- Delineate the model domain and prepare the terrain model.
- Download EGIS land cover and assign MIKE SHE vegetation classes.
- Download the RDA soil map and derive van Genuchten parameters using pedotransfer functions.
- Choose your meteorological forcing:
- Option A (recommended): Interpolate KMA ASOS/AWS rainfall and use ASOS climate variables.
- Option B: Use ERA5-Land, bias-corrected against KMA stations.
- Let MIKE SHE calculate evapotranspiration internally using the selected vegetation and soil parameters.
- Represent flooded paddy fields during the irrigation season (May–September).
- Check simulated actual ET against MODIS MOD16.
- Export the distributed groundwater recharge for use in MODFLOW, FEFLOW, or other groundwater models.
1. Introduction for advanced data sources
1.1 Purpose
This document summarizes public datasets that can be used to construct a physically based MIKE SHE model for South Korea.
The catalog is organized according to the typical MIKE SHE model-building workflow. It covers terrain, land cover, meteorological forcing, ET, rivers, soils, hydrogeology, groundwater, water management, and calibration.
1.2 Intended Use
This catalog is intended for:
- rapid screening models
- river basin water-balance models
- flood studies for extreme summer rainfall
- groundwater recharge and agricultural groundwater use
- Jeju Island groundwater studies
- applied MIKE SHE model setup
1.3 General Notes for South Korea
- Most portals are in Korean; some require Korean identity verification for download.
- Since 2018 water quantity and quality management is unified under the Ministry of Environment.
- The national datum is Korea 2000 (GRS80). Common projections are Korea 2000 / Central Belt 2010 (EPSG:5186) and UTM-K (EPSG:5179).
- Jeju Special Self-Governing Province manages its groundwater separately from the mainland.
2. Hydrological Characteristics of South Korea
2.1 Climate
- temperate monsoon climate with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers
- around 1,200–1,500 mm annual rainfall on the mainland, higher on Jeju and the south coast
- roughly two-thirds of rainfall in the summer monsoon (Jangma, June–July) and typhoon season (August–September)
- extreme short-duration rainfall causing urban flash floods (e.g. Seoul, 2022)
- recurring spring droughts
2.2 Topography
- around 70% mountainous terrain, with the Taebaek range along the east coast
- major rivers flowing west and south (Han, Geum, Yeongsan, Nakdong)
- alluvial plains and paddy areas in the west and south
- volcanic Jeju Island with basaltic terrain and almost no perennial rivers
- tidal flats and reclaimed land on the west coast
2.3 Major Hydrological Challenges
- strong seasonality, with most runoff in a few summer weeks
- urban flooding
- drought and reservoir operation
- agricultural groundwater over-abstraction from many small wells
- seawater intrusion on the west and south coasts and islands
- Jeju groundwater sustainability (almost all water supply from groundwater)
- effects of large weirs and dams on river–aquifer exchange
2.4 Major Aquifer Systems
Important aquifer settings include:
- alluvial aquifers along major rivers and coastal plains
- fractured crystalline bedrock (granite, gneiss) aquifers underlying most of the country
- volcanic basalt aquifers of Jeju, with basal and perched groundwater
- coastal aquifers on reclaimed land
3. Recommended Dataset Stack
4. Terrain Model
4.1 Purpose in MIKE SHE
Terrain data are required for model surface elevation, overland-flow gradients, surface storage, catchment delineation, river network verification, and floodplain connectivity.
4.2 Dataset Comparison
4.3 Typical Preprocessing
- reproject to Korea 2000 / Central Belt 2010 or UTM-K
- clip to model domain plus buffer
- condition drainage and check against the river network
- resample to model grid
- smooth only where needed for numerical stability
4.4 Quality Checks
- check paddy terraces and levees
- check reclaimed coastal land
- compare derived basins with WAMIS basin boundaries
5. Surface Water
5.1 Rivers
| Dataset |
Coverage |
MIKE SHE / MIKE 1D Use |
Advantages |
Limitations |
Recommendation |
| WAMIS |
South Korea |
River network, basins, gauges |
Official, linked to gauges |
Korean only |
★★★★★ |
| MERIT Hydro |
Global |
Flow directions |
Consistent |
90 m |
★★★☆☆ |
5.2 Lakes, Reservoirs and Wetlands
5.3 Typical Preprocessing
- simplify river network
- align river network with DEM
- define channel geometry from surveys or estimated widths
- represent floodplains and wetlands as overland-flow storage
- assign river, reservoir and tidal boundary conditions
- include large weirs on the four major rivers and multipurpose dams
6. Land Cover and Vegetation
6.1 Purpose in MIKE SHE
Land cover and vegetation define interception, ET parameters, root depth, crop coefficients, Manning roughness, irrigation zones, and impervious areas.
6.2 Dataset Comparison
6.3 Vegetation Datasets
| Parameter |
Dataset |
Use |
Recommendation |
| LAI |
MODIS MCD15A3H |
Seasonal LAI |
★★★★☆ |
| NDVI |
Sentinel-2 / Landsat |
Crop calendars and phenology |
★★★★☆ |
| Crop coefficient |
FAO-56 |
Rice, vegetables, orchards |
★★★★☆ |
6.4 Typical Preprocessing
- separate paddy fields, upland crops, greenhouses, coniferous, deciduous and mixed forest, and urban areas
- define paddy ponding periods and irrigation schedules
- assign seasonal LAI to deciduous forest
7. Meteorological Forcing
7.1 Precipitation
| Dataset |
Coverage |
Resolution |
Temporal Resolution |
MIKE SHE Use |
Advantages |
Limitations |
Recommendation |
| KMA Open MET Data Portal ASOS/AWS |
South Korea |
Point (~600 stations) |
1 min to daily |
Station forcing |
Dense, official |
Point data |
★★★★★ |
| KMA radar composite |
South Korea |
~0.5–1 km |
5–10 min |
Event forcing |
High resolution |
Processing effort |
★★★★☆ |
| APHRODITE |
Monsoon Asia |
0.25° |
Daily |
Historical context |
Long record |
Ends 2015 |
★★☆☆☆ |
| ERA5-Land |
Global |
~9 km |
Hourly |
Fallback |
Complete |
Coarse |
★★★☆☆ |
7.2 Climate Variables
7.3 Notes
- interpolate stations with elevation dependence in mountain catchments
- use sub-daily radar forcing for urban flood studies
- snow is relevant mainly in the north-east mountains
8. Soil Data
8.1 Dataset Comparison
| Dataset |
Coverage |
Resolution |
MIKE SHE Use |
Advantages |
Limitations |
Recommendation |
| Korean Soil Information System (RDA) |
South Korea |
1:25,000 (1:5,000 on farmland) |
Primary UZ zonation |
Soil series with properties |
Korean only |
★★★★★ |
| SoilGrids |
Global |
250 m |
Backup |
Gridded |
Less detailed |
★★☆☆☆ |
8.2 Typical Preprocessing
- derive hydraulic parameters from texture with pedotransfer functions
- represent the paddy plough pan
- treat thin mountain soils over weathered granite separately
- use volcanic-soil parameters on Jeju
9. Hydrogeology
9.1 Dataset Comparison
| Dataset |
Coverage |
Use |
Advantages |
Limitations |
Recommendation |
| KIGAM geoscience data |
South Korea |
Geological maps (1:50,000) |
Official |
Interpretation required |
★★★★☆ |
| Basin hydrogeological maps (K-water) |
Major basins |
Aquifer productivity |
Hydrogeology-specific |
Selected basins |
★★★★☆ |
| GIMS – National Groundwater Information Center |
South Korea |
Well logs and aquifer data |
National database |
Korean only |
★★★★★ |
9.2 Conceptual Model Recommendations
- thin alluvial aquifers connected to rivers
- weathered zone and fractured bedrock
- Jeju basal groundwater with seawater interface and perched water
- seasonal paddy recharge
10. Groundwater Data
| Dataset |
Coverage |
Use |
Recommendation |
| GIMS – National Groundwater Information Center |
South Korea |
National groundwater monitoring and well registry |
★★★★★ |
| Jeju Province groundwater monitoring |
Jeju |
Heads, salinity |
★★★★★ |
| Agricultural groundwater monitoring (Korea Rural Community Corporation) |
Rural areas |
Heads and pumping |
★★★★☆ |
11. Water Management
11.1 Relevant Processes
- paddy irrigation from reservoirs and wells
- multipurpose dams and river weirs
- agricultural groundwater pumping
- inter-basin transfers
- urban drainage and flood control
11.2 Regulatory Framework
- Framework Act on Water Management (2018) sets integrated water management
- Groundwater Act requires permits or reports for abstraction
- River Act governs river management
- Jeju has a special groundwater management regime
11.3 Key Institutions
12. Remote Sensing Products
13. Calibration Datasets
Recommended strategy: calibrate against discharge and groundwater heads together, including both flood and drought years.
14. Typical MIKE SHE Workflow
- Define modelling objective and domain.
- Prepare the DEM from the NGII DEM.
- Build the river network from WAMIS.
- Prepare land cover from EGIS land cover.
- Assign vegetation parameters, rooting depths and crop calendars.
- Prepare precipitation from KMA stations and radar.
- Prepare climate forcing and reference ET from KMA ASOS.
- Prepare soil properties from the RDA soil map.
- Build hydrogeological layers from KIGAM maps and GIMS well logs.
- Add pumping and irrigation from GIMS well registry.
- Couple rivers and groundwater.
- Calibrate against WAMIS discharge and GIMS heads.
- Validate with MODIS ET and remote sensing.
- Document assumptions and uncertainties.
15. Minimum Dataset Package
16. Recommended Dataset Package
| Model Element |
Dataset |
| DEM |
NGII 5 m DEM |
| Precipitation |
KMA AWS + radar |
| Land cover |
EGIS fine classification |
| Soils |
RDA 1:25,000 |
| Hydrogeology |
KIGAM + GIMS well logs |
| Groundwater heads |
GIMS |
| Discharge |
WAMIS |
17. Premium Dataset Package
| Dataset Type |
Possible Source |
Purpose |
| LiDAR |
Local government projects |
Urban and floodplain terrain |
| Pumping records |
Municipalities, K-water |
Pumping stress |
| Pumping tests |
Local studies |
Aquifer parameters |
| Isotope data |
Research institutes |
Recharge sources (e.g. Jeju) |
18. Dataset Comparison Table Template
| Dataset |
Coverage |
Spatial Resolution |
Temporal Resolution |
Time Period |
Format |
API / Access |
License |
MIKE SHE Use |
Advantages |
Limitations |
Recommendation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
★☆☆☆☆ |
19. Data Preparation Checklist
Terrain
- [ ] DEM downloaded (or requested) and licence checked
- [ ] DEM projected and clipped
- [ ] drainage checked against river network
Surface Water
- [ ] river network prepared
- [ ] reservoirs, wetlands and floodplains identified
- [ ] boundary conditions assigned
Land Cover and Vegetation
- [ ] land cover reclassified
- [ ] irrigated areas and crop calendars defined
- [ ] LAI and rooting depths assigned
Weather
- [ ] precipitation prepared and compared with station data
- [ ] climate forcing prepared
- [ ] reference ET calculated
Soil
- [ ] soil data downloaded or requested
- [ ] hydraulic parameters derived
Groundwater
- [ ] geology and hydrogeology collected
- [ ] heads and pumping data requested
- [ ] boundary conditions defined
Calibration and Validation
- [ ] discharge data obtained
- [ ] ET and remote-sensing validation data prepared
- [ ] calibration and validation periods defined
South Korea-specific
- [ ] portal registration arranged (may need Korean identity verification)
- [ ] paddy schedules defined
- [ ] dam and weir operations obtained
20. References and Official Data Portals
National and regional sources
Global sources
21. Notes on Uncertainty
- short, intense summer rainfall
- paddy irrigation and return flows
- unregistered agricultural wells
- fractured bedrock properties
- dam and weir operations
- seawater intrusion on coasts and Jeju
A defensible model should document dataset choices, preprocessing assumptions, calibration strategy, validation results, and known limitations.