We worked together as water users to remove sediment from the irrigation canal for the Institute of Freshwater Biology!

The Institute of Freshwater Biology takes in river water from the Chikuma River and uses it in outdoor ponds, etc. This irrigation water is taken in at the Ueda Agriculture and Water Headworks under the Nagano Shinkansen Harp Bridge, and is distributed through a tunnel (culvert) in front of Meitetsu to the Rokkamura Land Improvement District, the Ueda Waterworks Management Office, and the Institute of Freshwater Biology. Mud and sand flow in natural rivers, and they naturally accumulate in this tunnel, so sediment must be removed regularly. On October 31, 2022, the Rokkamura Land Improvement District took the lead in removing soil and sand with the help of water users (groups that use irrigation water), and two members of the Institute of Freshwater Biology also participated. A bat living in the tunnel flew out in surprise at the workers!