Water use in Kanto may be restricted due to dry August, says ministry
TOKYO —
Water levels in dams in the Tonegawa River drainage system, which serves as a major source of water for the Tokyo metropolitan area, have fallen due to unusually low rainfall and high temperatures this August, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism says.
The Kanto Regional Development Bureau of the ministry said Friday that water storage rate in eight dams in the Tonegawa river system has fallen to 40%, the third lowest rate ever recorded for the period, TBS reported. The ministry added that the storage rate was now equivalent to that of 2001 when water usage restrictions were imposed
As a result of the shortages, the bureau held an emergency meeting this week at which it drew up a plan to require residents and businesses in the region to cut their water usage by 10% from Sept 11 at 9 a.m. If the restrictions are imposed, it will mark the first time such a step has been taken since until 2001.
According to the bureau, the largest dam in the system, the Yagisawa Dam in Gunma Prefecture, requires a water level of 816.8 meters above sea level in order to supply tap water. It added that the dam’s current water level is 818.93 meters above sea level, having fallen 56 centimeters from the previous day.
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0
Virtuoso
That's been known to happen before. One big typhoon and the reservoirs will be brimming over.
0
It"S ME
Lets hope we get such a Typhoon soon, as the farmers already predict a vegetable and fruit shortage for their harvest. Which means produce will go to even higher prices again like they did in 2001.
-1
GW
depends on where the rain hits!
0
smithinjapan
Surely there's a way that the places that keep getting flooded can help out if need be. I know where I am we've had more freak storms in a month than I've seen in nearly all my time here, with areas of the town I live in being flooded at least twice this month alone, and a couple of times last month. If not, hope people can hang in there as I'm sure they'll get the needed water soon enough.
-1
Star-viking
Reservoirs are low in parts of Tohoku too.
-1
AU_user_since_1998
The good thing is that there are still clouds in the entire Kanto region, specially in the mountainous regions. Parts of Tokyo from Tachikawa to Oku-Tama seems to have clouds even though the metropolitan areas have clear skies.
So cloud seeding maybe used.
China seemed to be successful in using this cloud-seeding technique for two decades now.
http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/2987
1
Lunchbox
Cloud seeding? Yeah, like that's really efficient. It would cost a billion yen for some light rain in isolated villages and fields that wouldn't even make it to the Tone river. What this article is talking about is tens of mm of rain over a large catchment area.
The jury is still out on Cloud seeding, there is no doubt it works, but to what extent we still don't have enough reliable scientific data (ie. not including anything that China claims), and without scientific data it's just pseudo-science. Much more effective to just ask people to save 10% each. Would cost much less and has guaranteed success.
1
zichi
The country should have built a water grid system so that water can be moved around the country to where its most needed. A system of rivers, canals and underground pipes.
0
GW
If it rains too far down stream so to speak most ends up back in the ocean in short order, the rains need to come up towards the head waters rather than the mouths of the river systems
-2
basroil
VirtuosoSep. 08, 2012 - 04:28PM JST
It"S MESep. 08, 2012 - 04:35PM JST
Unfortunately, like 2001 we are likely in a weak la nina year, so typhoons will likely hit well west of where they are needed. You can't hope for much in terms of typhoon rains.
Also, due to geography, cloud seeding, canals, larger dams, etc are all useless. Too many weak mountains and elevation issues that reduce seeding efficiency, increase large dam collapses, etc.
Lets also not forget that a very large reason for the lack of water isn't the dry weather, as there have been far drier times, rather the fact that hydro electric dams are a far larger regulator of water than non-hydro ones (which generally feed into hydro). TEPCO has been using too much water to produce electricity, since it can't meet power demands otherwise. Hydro generation capacity has gone down 30% or more, and some non-hydro stations on tributaries are as low as 4% capacity.
-1
Star-viking
I love the fact I've gotten the thumbs down for stating facts on the ground here in Tohoku. Some reality-haters here?
4
Disillusioned
Oh, here is a novel idea, put a plug in the bloody kitchen sink, fools!
-5
basroil
DisillusionedSep. 09, 2012 - 01:30PM JST
Most fresh water in Japan is used for electricity and farming, has nothing to do with washing your hands or taking a shower.
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