Misakubo Dam

The Misakubo Dam (塩郷ダム, Misakubo Damu) is a dam on the Tonaka River, a tributary stream of the Misakubo River, itself a tributary of the Ōi River, located in Tenyrū-ku Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan.

Misakubo Dam
Official name	水窪ダム
Location	Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates	35°11′05″N 137°55′54″E
Construction began	1967
Opening date	1969
Operator(s)	Electric Power Development Company
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Tonaka River
Height	105 meters
Length	258 meters
Reservoir
Creates	Misabuko Reservoir
Total capacity	30,000,000 m³
Catchment area	172.8 km²
Surface area	84 hectares

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 on its various tributary streams. The remote and steep-walled Misakubo valley was uninhabited, and was designated as the site for a new dam in the early 1960s.

Construction

The Misakubo Dam was constructed to provide water for the 50,000 KW Misakubo Hydroelectric Plant. Construction work began in 1967 and was completed by 1969 by the Hazama Corporation at a cost of 11 billion yen. Unlike other dams on the Ōi River, the Misakubo is a rock-fill dam. Water from the dam is also diverted to the Sakuma Dam, where it provides increased flow to the hydroelectric power plant there. The Misakubo Reservoir created by the dam has been stocked with carp and Japanese smelt and is a popular fishing location due to its ease of access via Japan National Route 152.

References

• Japan Commission on Large Dams. Dams in Japan:Past, Present and Future. CRC Press (2009). ISBN 978-0-415-49432-8
• Photo page with data