Shiogō Dam

Last updated
Shiogō Dam
Shiogo-s-r1.jpg
Official name 塩郷ダム
Location Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates 35°00′05″N138°05′15″E / 35.00139°N 138.08750°E / 35.00139; 138.08750 Coordinates: 35°00′05″N138°05′15″E / 35.00139°N 138.08750°E / 35.00139; 138.08750
Construction began 1958
Opening date 1961
Operator(s) Chubu Electric Power
Dam and spillways
Impounds Ōi River
Height 3.2 meters
Length 146 meters
Reservoir
Total capacity NA
Catchment area NA
Surface area NA

The Shiogō Dam(塩郷ダム,Shiogō Damu) is a dam on the main stream of the Ōi River, in the town of Kawanehon, Haibara District, Shizuoka Prefecture on the island of Honshū, Japan.

Dam A barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface or underground streams

A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aquaculture, and navigability. Hydropower is often used in conjunction with dams to generate electricity. A dam can also be used to collect water or for storage of water which can be evenly distributed between locations. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. The earliest known dam is the Jawa Dam in Jordan, dating to 3,000 BC.

Ōi River river in Japan

The Ōi River is a river in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Haibara District, Shizuoka district of Japan

Haibara is a rural district located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Contents

History

The potential of the Ōi River valley for hydroelectric power development was realized by the Meiji government at the start of the 20th century. The Ōi River was characterized by a high volume of flow and a fast current. Its mountainous upper reaches and tributaries were areas of steep valleys and abundant rainfall, and were sparsely populated. From the 1930s through the 1960s, numerous concrete gravity dams had been constructed on the main flow of the Ōi River, and to its various tributary streams.

Gravity dam

A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold back water by primarily using the weight of the material alone to resist the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. Gravity dams are designed so that each section of the dam is stable, independent of any other dam section.

Tributary stream or river that flows into a main stem river or lake

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater, leading the water out into an ocean.

The Shiogō Dam and neighboring Sasamagawa Dam were constructed to provide water for the 58,000 KW Kawaguchi Hydroelectric Plant built by the Shimada city government. Construction work began in 1958 and was completed by 1961. Although styled as a "dam", the structure is in fact a weir, as it does not meet the 15-meter height stipulated in Japanese construction regulations to qualify as a "dam".

Sasamagawa Dam

The Sasamagawa Dam is a dam on the Sasama River, a tributary of the Ōi River, located on the border of the city of Shimada and the town of Kawanehon, Shizuoka Prefecture on the island of Honshū, Japan.

Shimada, Shizuoka City in Chūbu, Japan

Shimada is a city located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Weir barrier across a river designed to alter its flow characteristics

A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the horizontal width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. There are many designs of weir, but commonly water flows freely over the top of the weir crest before cascading down to a lower level.

Controversy

The Shiogō Dam was built in an area where the Ōi River made a number of turns over swift rapids. The area was a popular fishery for ayu and Japanese dace, which the dam replaced with an area of stagnant, algae-polluted water with an offensive smell. The dam also reduced the amount of sand and silt reaching the mouth of the Ōi River, thus further contributing to shoreline erosion. Legal efforts by local municipalities and landowners to recover water rights over the Ōi River and force the dismantling of the dam have consistently failed in courts.

The ayu or sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, is a species of fish. It is the only species in the genus Plecoglossus and family Plecoglossidae. It is a relative of the smelts and other fish in the order Osmeriformes.

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References

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