Approach for International Exchange of River Restoration Technology

  • Kazumasa, Ito (Head of planning office, Research Center for Sustainable Communities, CTI Engineering Co., Ltd)
  • Published : 2006.05.18

Abstract

About 50% of the population and 75% of the properties concentrate on the flood plain in Japan. The rivers have intimate relationship with our lives. Those conditions have been seen after modern river improvement projects that began about a century ago. The technology which was introduced from foreign countries was improved in conformity with geographical features and the climate condition of our nation, and has redeveloped as a Japanese original technology. In 1940's, Japan had serious natural disasters that were caused by large- scale typhoons. Those typhoons wiped out everything completely. Even though the government realized the importance of flood control and management after those natural disasters, civil work still aimed to economic development. Those construction works have become the one of factors for concentrating population and degrading natural environment in urban areas. Deterioration of river environment has become serious issue in urban development and main cause of pollution. The approaches for environmental restorations which were started about 30 years ago aimed to harmonize with nature environment and cities and human lives. There have been going on many projects called 'river environmental improvement projects', the 'nature friendly river works' and 'natural restoration projects.' The society has tried to find a way to live in harmony with nature. As for societies symbiotic with habitats will form the safe country in the history and the spectacle. Such as the symbiotic of the river or the basin where discharge, water quality, nature, the history, landscape, the local society and also for culture were built in is achieved. Examples of working, applied to restoration technologies and the one to describe the mechanism construction are been shown in the paper. Furthermore, write for an international spread of the river technology of Japan to attempt.

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