Mania is impressed! ? Enjoy nature while learning about infrastructure at Kamafusa Dam!

From central Sendai, take National Route 286 towards Akiu Kawasaki.
Lake Kamabusa is a beautiful lake that spreads out near the border between Sendai City and Kawasaki Town.
The Kamafusa Dam that we will be introducing this time is a concrete dam that plays the role of supplying water from Lake Kamafusa to Sendai and other cities.
In recent years, Kamafusa Dam has started to attract attention as a tourist spot.
I will introduce the highlights.

What kind of dam is Kamafusa Dam?

Kamafusa Dam is a dam that collects water from the Taro River, Kitagawa River, and Mae River upstream of Lake Kamafusa, and provides a stable supply of water to Sendai and other downstream areas.
The water supplied is used for a wide variety of purposes, including tap water, agricultural water, and industrial water, and hydroelectric power generation using the water released from the dam serves as electricity for the surrounding area.

It also plays the role of flood control, and on July 11, 2002, the inflow of up to 917.6 kiloliters of water per second was controlled by opening and closing the gate.
It protects downstream areas from flooding.

Kamafusa Dam, which is also used as tap water, is also putting effort into preserving water quality.
The mechanism is an aeration type aeration circulation device.
This is a device that releases air bubbles from the bottom of the lake, blowing up cold water deep inside the lake and making it difficult for the temperature near the water surface to rise.
Plankton forms near the water surface when the temperature rises, so aeration lowers the water temperature.

Dam as a learning facility

There is also a museum on the premises of Kamafusa Dam for learning about disaster prevention.
There are exhibits here that explain the outline and role of dams, and local elementary school students can participate in hands-on learning here.
Junior high school students participate in hands-on learning at the management center as part of their work experience.
Adults can also enjoy the history of Kamafusa Dam, aerial photographs of the surrounding area, and an introduction to the flora, fauna, and aquatic animals that live in the area.

Recently, it has become part of a tour called infrastructure tourism, which tours various types of infrastructure, and it is also possible to tour while receiving explanations about the dam.

Highlights of Kamafusa Dam

・Beautiful nature

One of the charms of Kamafusa Dam is the beautiful surrounding scenery.
The view from the observation deck of the museum is a spectacular sight that you will want to capture with your camera.
The lake's sparkling surface is indescribable, as they are very particular about water quality conservation.
If you look through the free telescope installed, you can observe the sparkling surface of the lake.

・Bubbles blowing out on the lake surface

The aeration circulation system mentioned earlier is actually a device that is not often seen in dams.
A commonly seen circulation system is one that spews out water for a fountain.
On the other hand, in the case of the aeration circulation system at Kamafusa Dam, what you can see when the system is running is bubbles blowing out onto the water surface.
This circulation system is rare even in the Tohoku region, and can only be seen at Kamafusa Dam, a state-run dam in Miyagi Prefecture.
You're lucky if the device is running, so please take a look!

・Visit the audit gallery once a year

At Kamafusa Dam, an event is held once a year where you can tour the inspection gallery.
Kamafusa Dam is not developed as a tourist dam, so it is an extremely valuable opportunity to experience the real atmosphere of the site.
At this event held every July, you can ride a patrol boat around the lake, so if you have the chance, please come and visit.

・Dam card, Dum curry

Do you know about the dam cards distributed at dams across the country?
The Dam Card is a card distributed at an event called ``A Season to Get Closer to Forests and Lakes'' held in 2007.
There are only three cards in Miyagi Prefecture that have a uniform design nationwide: Kamafusa Dam, Shichikashuku Dam, and Naruko Dam.
As of October 2017, there are still some left, so be sure to ask the museum staff!

In addition, surrounding restaurants serve dam curry inspired by Kamafusa Dam.

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Among them, the Kamafusa Dam Curry at Kamoshika Chaya has an elaborate structure with condiments and roux stored in a dam-shaped pottery, so why not stop by on your way back from Kamafusa Dam?

INFORMATION