Sabagawa Dam

Overview

The Sabagawa Dam is a gravity concrete dam 54 meters high, built on the upper main stream of the Class-A Saba River in the Tokuji area of Yamaguchi City. Managed by Yamaguchi Prefecture as a subsidized multipurpose dam, it handles flood control on the Saba River and water supply to the industrial zone and coastal farmland downstream. The reservoir it created was named Lake Ohara after the place name of the submerged land, spreading a quiet expanse of water among the mountains.

Highlights

• ●The imposing 54-meter gravity concrete dam
• ●The quiet surface of Lake Ohara among the mountains
• ●Its role as a prefectural multipurpose dam for flood control and water supply
• ●Seasonal scenery of greenery and autumn leaves mirrored on the lake

History

The Sabagawa Dam was built as a subsidized multipurpose dam for flood control and downstream water use, with construction carried out by what was then the Chugoku Regional Construction Bureau of the Ministry of Construction. After completion it became a prefecturally managed dam, supporting the region's water as a 54-meter gravity concrete structure. The artificial lake formed in the dammed valley was named Lake Ohara after the place name of the flooded land. For detailed construction history, please check official information.

Map

34.2769, 131.6553 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head north along the Saba River from central Yamaguchi toward Tokuji
2. 2Visit the dam body and reservoir of Sabagawa Dam
3. 3Enjoy the quiet mountain scenery by Lake Ohara
4. 4Round off the water journey with the Saba River flow downstream

Did you know?

💡 The artificial reservoir Lake Ohara inherited the very place name of the land submerged beneath it. Although it is a prefecturally managed dam, its construction was carried out by the Ministry of Construction of the time.

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