Waga River

A river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan

和賀川 (Japanese)
和華川 (Japanese)

LocationCountryJapanPhysical characteristicsSource • locationMount Waga, Ōu Mountains, Iwate • elevation1,200 m (3,900 ft) MouthKitakami, Iwate

• location

Kitakami River

• coordinates

39°16′15″N 141°07′24″E / 39.27083°N 141.12333°E / 39.27083; 141.12333

• elevation

52 m (171 ft)Length75.3 km (46.8 mi)Basin size952 km² (368 sq mi)

The Waga River (和賀川, Waga-gawa) is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. From its headwaters near Mt. Waga in the Ōu Mountains it flows from north to south through the entire length of Nishiwaga Town before turning east through Kitakami City. The River enters the Kitakami River on the south side of the city opposite Mt. Otoko.

The headwaters of both the Waga River and its major tributary the Geto River (夏油川, Geto-gawa) are located in geologically active areas that provide hot springs for numerous onsen. Located at the head of the Geto River is Geto Onsen and Geto Ski Area, both popular attractions.

History

In prehistoric times the Waga River valley was occupied by the Jōmon people whose artifacts can be found in many places. One of the more famous sites is at Kunenbashi (九年橋, Kunenbashi) where the Waga River meets the Kitakami River. Stone "swords", tablets and tools as well as clay figurines, earrings, potsherds and even a shark's tooth were found from the Final Jōmon Period (1,300 - 300 BC). A number of Pleistocene fossil beds have also been found in the lower terrace of the river.^[1]

In 1945 a small prisoner of war camp was established on the south side of the river in the area now known as Lake Kinshu. In the same year a small aircraft factory was built in some caves on the north side of the river near the Ishibane Dam.

Ishibane Dam was completed in just two years in 1954 on the Waga River in western Kitakami. While this construction was underway in 1953 work started upriver on the Yuda Dam in the town of Nishiwaga. It was completed in 1964 creating a much larger reservoir, Lake Kinshu (錦秋湖, Kinshū-ko). On the Geto River construction of the Irihata Dam lasted from 1974 to 1990.

Ecology

The Waga River is one of the few places where the endemic willow species Salix hukaoana is found.^[2]

Gallery

The Waga River (left) empties into the Kitakami River on the south side of Kitakami City. View from Otoka-yama
Lake Kinshu as seen from near the JR Hottoyuda train station

References

^ Mock, Cary (2013-03-25). Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science. Elsevier Science. p. 207. ISBN 978-0-444-53642-6.
^ Sakio, Hitoshi; Tamura, Toshikazu (2008-12-22). Ecology of Riparian Forests in Japan: Disturbance, Life History, and Regeneration. Springer. p. 283. ISBN 978-4-431-76737-4.

External links

Media related to Waga River at Wikimedia Commons

River systems and rivers of Japan

Rivers of Hokkaido

Sea of Japan	Ishikari River Chitose River Toyohira River Makomanai River Anano River Yūbari River Koetoi River Rumoi River Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu River Shiribetsu River Teshio River Zenibako River
Sea of Okhotsk	Abashiri River Shibetsu River Shokotsu River Tokoro River Yūbetsu River
Pacific Ocean	Akan River Kushiro River Mitsuishi River Mu River Niikappu River Saru River Shizunai River Tokachi River
Rivers of Hokkaido on Commons

Rivers of Honshu

Tōhoku region	Abukuma River Arakawa River Iwaki River Kitakami River Komagome River Koyoshi River Mabechi River Mogami River Natori River Ōhata River Oirase River Omono River Takase River Yoneshiro River
Kantō region	Arakawa River Edo River Fuji River Kanda River Kuji River Naka River Sagami River Sumida River Tama River Tone River Tsurumi River
Chūbu region	Agano River Shinano River Seki River Hime River Kurobe River Jōganji River Jinzū River Shō River Oyabe River Tedori River Kuzuryū River Fuji River Abe River Ōi River Sakawa River Tenryū River Toyo River Yahagi River Shōnai River Kiso Three Rivers Kiso River Nagara River Ibi River Kushida River Miya River Kita River Minami River
Kansai region	Choshi River Ibo River Kako River Kinokawa River Kumano River Kuzuryu River Maruyama River Muko River Yamato River Yodo River Yasu River Katsura River Kamo River Kizu River Dōton River Yura River
Chūgoku region	Asahi River Ashida River Gōnokawa River Hino River Hii River Ōta River Oze River Saba River Sendai River Takahashi River Takatsu River Tenjin River Yoshii River

Rivers of Shikoku

Aibiki River
Shimanto River
Shinmachi River
- Suketō River
- Tamiya River
- Sako River
- Sumiyoshijima River
Yoshino River
- Dōzan River

Rivers of Kyushu

Kyushu	Arie River Chikugo River Kikuchi River Kuma River Mimi River Ōno River Ōyodo River
Yaeyama Islands	Kokuba River Nakama River Urauchi River