Playback ’94] The “Drought of the Heisei Era” that Dried Up Kagawa Prefecture with “0% Water Reservoir”: The Looming Crisis in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area

What did “FRIDAY” report 10, 20, or 30 years ago? In “Playback Friday,” we take a look back at the topics that were hot at the time. This time, we will look back at the article “Shikoku’s Hell,” which even the Japan Meteorological Agency had resigned itself to, in the August 5, 1994 issue, which was published 30 years ago !What Will Happen to Japan in the Summer of Water Famine?

In 1994, in addition to the light rainfall since spring, the amount of precipitation during the rainy season was less than half that of a normal year in many parts of Japan. In addition, record high temperatures continued day after day in July and August, causing a “drought of the Heisei era” mainly in western Japan. The water shortage in Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku was particularly critical (descriptions in parentheses below are taken from past articles).

Half of the city’s water supply is cut off for 24 hours a day.

We usually use about 5 tons of water a day. When we wash udon noodles, we have to use tap water. The owner of a Sanuki Udon store in Takamatsu City sighs bitterly.

The water shortage in Kagawa Prefecture is critical. The storage capacity of the Hayamaura Dam on the Yoshino River system, which supplies 65% of the drinking water for Takamatsu City, is 13.21 million tons as of July 20, 2012, with a storage rate of 7.6%. At this rate, the reservoir will be completely dry by July 23 or 24.

Finally, Takamatsu City implemented a “five-hour-a-day water supply” from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m., starting on the 15th. Citizens are said to be saving water by running out to buy polyethylene containers, wrapping dishes in plastic wrap for use, and stocking up on retort pouch foods. Some hotels, barbershops, and factories, including the famous udon noodle stores, which use large amounts of water, have closed their doors. Well digging has also been revived to secure water for agriculture.

The well-digging business peaked around 1955 and had almost disappeared by then, and a craftsman who dug a well for the first time in 10 years received as many as 10 requests in one week.

Kagawa Prefecture has always had little rainfall. That is why the Kagawa Irrigation Canal was built 19 years ago to draw water from the Yoshino River. However, there is no water in the upstream dam that carries water to this Kagawa Irrigation Canal. Even though the governor of Kagawa Prefecture asked the governor of Tokushima Prefecture to turn the water over to him, Tokushima Prefecture is also short of water. According to the prefecture’s drought task force, “If water from the Kagawa water supply were to be completely cut off, half of the city would be without water for 24 hours a day.

Meanwhile, the Tokyo metropolitan area, where the heat wave continued, was also facing a critical situation.