The Crisis Lake Hachiro was Facing Around 2007 and the Long-Term Reforms Taken by Akita Prefecture

The Crisis Lake Hachiro was Facing Around 2007 and the Long-Term Reforms Taken by Akita Prefecture
Around 2007, Lake Hachiro was facing serious deterioration in water quality due to land reclamation projects and changes in the industrial structure of the surrounding area since the 1960s. In the 2000s, the eutrophication of lakes and marshes was once again recognized as a nationwide problem, and the Japanese government took a focused approach to improvement through a system of designated lakes and marshes. In the 2000s, eutrophication of lakes and marshes became a nationwide problem again, and the government began to call for focused improvement measures through the designated lakes system. In response to this trend, Akita Prefecture developed a 30-year long-term water quality improvement plan for Lake Hachiro, with a view to applying to the government for lake designation. This included new effluent regulations for business and agricultural community drainage facilities around the lake, and a draft amendment to the pollution prevention ordinance was prepared for the Septem
ber 2007 regular meeting. In addition, focusing on the purification ability of reeds, the lake's inherent natural resource, a natural regeneration-type purification measure was planned as a two-year pilot project to regenerate reed fields and enhance the lake's self-cleaning function. This policy was in line with the heightened environmental awareness of local governments after the Kyoto Protocol came into effect, and was an important initiative that positioned the restoration of Lake Hachiro as a turning point in the environmental policy of the region and the country.