Presentation series (quarterly) 1. Planning process of river
management (today) (Legal framework, Public participation, Sharing
information) 2. Drought conciliation 3. Flood management 4. Dam
issue 5. Others (navigation etc) Presentation of the Japanese
experience in river management by Yoichi Iwami, Senior Advisor on
river management, BDP Slide 2 Purpose : There are differences
between the Mekong River basin and Japanese river basins in scale,
topography, society and environment. However, problems related to
river/water between the two areas are similar. The purpose of this
presentation is to introduce the Japanese river management
experience and to discuss freely in order to try to find the useful
ideas for future activities in the Mekong River Basin. Slide 3
Presentation of the Japanese experience in river management 1st
presentation Planning Process of River Management in Japan Nov.
15th, 2004 by Yoichi Iwami, Senior Advisor on river management, BDP
Slide 4 Comparison between the Mekong River Basin and the Japanese
Rivers basins Slide 5 Large river basins in the world Top 10 Slide
6 The Mekong river basin(795,000km2) is 21st in the world. The
length of the Mekong(4,800km) is 9 th in the world. Large river
basins in the world Top 50 Slide 7 Japan The Mekong Slide 8 The
Mekong River Basin Area: 795,000 km2 Length: 4,800 km Japan island
Area: 378,000 km2 Longest river: 367 km Tokyo Slide 9 Features and
problems of the Japanese Rivers basins Slide 10 Features of the
topography of Japan Island around the sea High mountains in the
center of the island 2000m 3000m Features of the Japanese Rivers A
basin area is small. Short length of rivers Steep slope A person
lives in around the river mouth. ChikugoYoshino Yodo Kiso Tenryu
Tama Ara Tone river Naka Shinano Mogami Kitakami Ishikari Tokachi
Slide 11 Mekong river Tone river Length 4,800 322 (1/15) Elevation
of the highest waterhead 4,968 1,834 (1/3) Contributory area
795,500 16,840 (1/47) Vientiane river width :773m Slope :1/8,100
Tokyo 400 600 800 1,000 0 200 6008001,0001,2001,4001,6001,8002,000
2,200 Mekong river Distance from river mouth.(km) Elevation(m) Tone
river the biggest river in Japan Comparison of the river slope
between the Mekong river and the Tone river Kurihashi River width
:750m Slope :1/3,000 Slide 12 Difference of the change of the river
water level 123456789101112 Tone river Kurihasi Mekong river
Vientiane Month Water level (m) A flood appears many times in a
year in Japanese river. 1998 Slide 13 Change of temperature at the
South Pole during 340,000 years 0.0 2.0 -2.0 -4.0 4.0 Centigrade
130230 20 Now 340 6,000 years ago The Wisconsin Ice Age thousand
years ago Slide 14 Tokyo 6,000 years ago (the SWL was 5m high)
Slide 15 Land use in Japan population area property forest rivers,
lakes hills low land Slide 16 Change of annual rainfall in Japan
Average rainfall is decreasing. Range of rainfall is expanding.
Flood Drought Slide 17 Flood Flood in Nagoya (Sep. 2000, Rainfall:
567mm /2days) Slide 18 Flood time Usual time Flood Slide 19
Municipalities or villages that have suffered flood or sediment
damage 1 time 2 times More than 3 times Flood and sediment damage
during the 10 years (1981 to 1990) Flood Slide 20 Drought Naramata
dam (storage rate 60%) It means controlling the amount of water
taken from rivers. Water supply by the water wagon Slide 21 Annual
frequency of drought in the past 16 years Times 0 1-4 5-8 9-
Drought Slide 22 Border of the two prefectures Transboundary isuues
Impact of river flow The time of water rising is quicker than
before. Abukuma river Rivers works (Embankment) Upstream, Fukushima
prefecture Downstream, Miyagi prefecture Slide 23 Dam is necessary.
Dam is not necessary Development VS Environment For Environment
protection Avoid submerging area For Flood control Supply water for
people Irrigation for agriculture Slide 24 Public hearing Field
survey with the stakeholders Development VS Environment Slide 25 We
need the comprehensive river plan. But, How? Slide 26 Why is it
difficult to agree on river projects ? Preventing disaster River
& water use Environment protection NGOs Residents Fisher-people
Navigation Line Agencies RBOs 2) Each objective clash with one
another. 3) S takeholders interests are different. 1)Project site
and its impacted area is separate. (upstream & downstream
issue) Slide 27 The river law in Japan Slide 28 The river law
(revised in 1997) Basic philosophy Consistent management in a river
system (To make a river management policy every river system, not
every administrative territory) Comprehensive administration in the
three main objectives: to prevent damage (flood control), to
utilize rivers (water use), and to maintain and conserve the
environment Planning process with public participation Slide 29
River Plans by the river law Long term policy for every river
system River administrator (government/local government) has a
responsibility to determine the basic matters in scientific view :
> Design flood flow & design controlled flood flow >
Normal flow (maintenance flow) > Considerations of environment
Output within 20-30 years for every design bloc (sub area) River
administrator will determine details with public participation :
> R iver improvement works > Specifics of river maintenance
etc 1. To make Fundamental River Management Policy 2. To make River
Improvement Plan Slide 30 Flow of making River Plans Fundamental
River Management Policy (by river administrator) River Improvement
Plan Knowledgeable persons Reflection of interested parties
opinions through public hearings Head of local public bodies
Finalization and publication of the River Improvement Plan A draft
of the river improvement plan Initial plans opinions Slide 31 The
case of Tama river Discussion Group for Tama river Basin (1998)
Seminars (8 times) Civic societies, municipalities, river
administrator, private companies, literates, scientists Tama river
Basin Committee(1999) Municipalities, scientists, representatives
of citizens group Tama river Basin Council(1987) 3 local
governments and 30 municipalities Conference of Nature Conservation
societies for Tama river system (1974) Citizens groups Civic
activities Government activities River Improvement Plan Observing
tour Slide 32 Tama river Basin Committee (official) Municipalities,
scientists, representatives of citizens group Slide 33 Seminars by
the Discussion Group for Tama river basin Everybody can join the
free discussion Participants: civic societies, municipalities,
river administrator, private companies, literates, scientists Slide
34 Principles for building a "soft" consensus(1/2) Three
fundamental principles 1)Free statement 2) Thorough discussions 3)
Consensus building Slide 35 Principles for building a "soft"
consensus(2/2) Seven rules 1) The opinions of the participants are
not considered as the official views of the party they belong to.
2) Participants are not allowed to blame organizations and
individuals by referring to their names. 3) Discussions shall be
conducted in a fair way. 4) Discussions shall be conducted by using
reliable data. 5) Consensus shall be reached after clarifying
problems. 6) Problems in dispute shall be treated in an objective
manner. 7) When preparing programs, long-term and short-term ones
shall be classified, and viability shall be taken into
consideration. Slide 36 Existing system Officials meet each
stakeholder separately to explain the project. opinions explanation
Official explanation requests Environment issue Promotion of river
works No communication Stakeholder AStakeholder B Slide 37 New
system Stakeholders meet together to talk over the projects and to
make agreement. Slide 38 Trees make water level much higher. For
preventing disaster Cut off the trees For environment conservation
Leave the trees for birds Hirose Rivers Case Slide 39 Naturalists
and Riparian residents met together. Finally, agreed to cut off
some tall trees Cut or leave the trees? Discussion Several times
Slide 40 Summary of the planning process with stakeholders
participation Discuss river projects among the stakeholders
together Reflect the outcome of discussion to the plan of river
projects Data, information, impacts prepared by the authority Slide
41 What do we need for significant discussion? (1/2) Disclose all
information and data to be able to discuss Select the
representatives of stakeholders objectively Explain alternative
plans with rational evaluation Compare each plan in scientific
propriety impact on environment, social activity mitigation method
project cost Slide 42 Cont. What do we need for significant
discussion? (2/2) 4) Hear specific opinions from experts if
necessary 5) Use computer simulation for easy understandings e.x.)
expected high water level & inundation area Slide 43 How to
disclose the various river information? Government bulletin
Internet Free inspection at public office Seminar How to collect
the stakeholders opinions? Survey / Questionnaire Internet Letters
Seminar / Stakeholders meeting Slide 44 Disclose the environmental
information by CD/ Internet Slide 45 Present capacity of river
against flood flow Present Safety probability of flood ~1/5 Legend
Natural rivers Government controlled Miyagi prefecture Slide 46
Slide 47 Thank you very much for your attention.
