River Restoration Centered on the Sumida River

Shuichi Nagashima
Manager of Planning Division, River Department
Bureau of Construction, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

The Sumida River - A Representative River in Tokyo

Iwabuchi sluice gate

Upstream edge
Iwabuchi sluice gate
Downstream edge
Around the lower reaches ofthe Tsukiji Market
Overall length

Tsukiji Market

23.5kmThe entire river is a tidal river,which is influenced by tides.

Cultural and Historical Points of Interest
Around the Sumida River

Sensoji Temple

Cultural and Historical Points of Interest
Around the Sumida River

Ryogoku NationalSports Stadium(Kokugikan)

Cultural and Historical Points of Interest
Around the Sumida RiverTsukiji Market

New Place of Interest: “New Tower”
Height: 610(to be the tallest in the world whencompleted)

Planned to be opened in 2011
(Oshiage-Narihira District in the Sumida Ward)Friendship Rivers - The Sumida and the Seine
On October 27, 1989 it was announced that the Sumida River andthe Seine River in Paris became “friendship rivers.”

Commemorative Planting

River City 21 in Ohkawabata
Commemorative Planting of a Marronnier Tree

On a dike in the Ohkawabata district, theGovernor of Tokyo Suzuki and the Mayor of ParisChirac planted young marronnier, a tree
symbolizing Paris .

Friendship Rivers - The Sumida and the Seine

River City 21 in Ohkawabata
Chuo-ohashi Bridge“Le Messager” - sculpted by Ossip
Zadkine in 1937

Messenger
In commemoration of the friendship between
the two rivers, the City Government of Parispresented “Le Messager” to the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government.

Friendship Rivers - The Sumida and the Seine

Paris SquareRiver City 21 in Ohkawabata
Paris Square

The “Paris Square” is situated in the Chuo ward’s
Ishikawajima Park in the Ohkawabata District,being paved with stone in imitation of a square inParis.

The Sumida River Presenting an Exhibition of Bridges
26 bridges of varied types

Designated as important cultural assets(on June 18, 2007)

Kiyosu Bridge(built in 1928)

Eidai Bridge(built in 1926)(the oldest bridge among
those existing on theSumida River)●●

Kachidoki Bridge(built in 1940)●

History of Lowlands Aroundthe Sumida River

The Sumida River When Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa
Acquired the Fiefdom of the Area (Around 1590)
The section of the present
Ara River was meandering.
The downstream section ofthe present Ara River had
not been excavated yet.
Excavation: 1911 (Meiji 44) ~1930 (Showa 5)● Suidobashi● Kinshicho● Sumiyoshi

The section of the present
Sumida River was flowing
through about the same
course as the present one.

● Tokyo● Shinbashi●Yumenoshima
The coastalline almost coincides withthe present Onagi River.

● Odaiba● Ohi Futo

Area Around the Ryogoku Bridge Around 1873 (Meiji 6)

Ryogoku Bridge:Bridged in 1838 (Tenpo 9)

Area Around Mukojima in the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912)

Floods Hit Lowlands Frequently

The Sensoji Temple was inundated by a major flood in 1910 (Meiji 43).

Deterioration of the Water Quality in the Sumida River over a Certain Period
The deterioration was caused by industrial
and domestic wastewater.

251002080

15601040

5200071 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 01 03 05

Enforcement of Water Pollution Control Law(on December 25, 1970)

Ratio of population
connected to public sewerage
下水普及率

Water quality (BOD)
水質（ＢＯＤ）

Ratio of population connected topublic sewerage

Water quality (BOD)

The water quality was improved gradually withthe enforcement of the Water Pollution Control
Law and an increase in the ratio of population
connected to public sewerage.

Lowlands with Accelerated Ground Settlement
Total changes at the major reference points
Conversion of industrial wells (Kōtō District)
Designation of Areas under the Industrial Water Law (Kōtō District)
Outbreak of the Korean War

Great Kanto Earthquake

End of World War II

Meiji

Showa

TaishoAmendment of the Pollution Control
Ordinance
Termination of the mining of natural
gases
Conversion of industrial wells (EdogawaWard)
Conversion of industrial wells (JōhokuDistrict)

Heisei

Hoya (2)Kiyose (2)Total subsidence (m)Ground SettlementMaximum
Ground Settlement: 4.6 m
Ref.
point
numberLocation ofreference points

Minamisuna 2-chome,
Kōtō-ku
Kameido 7-chome, Kōtō-ku
Tachibana 6-chome,
Muko (5) Sumida-ku
Nakakasai 3-chome,
Edogawa-ku
Senjunakacho, Adachi-ku
Shimizucho, Itabashi-ku
Shimokiyoto 2-chome,
Kiyose (2) Kiyose-shi
Sumiyoshicho 3-chome,
Hōya (2) Hōya-shi

Total
subsidence MeasuredSince(m)

Muko (5)1918(Taisho 7)
1892(Meiji 25)
1935(Showa 10)
1918(Taisho 7)
1892(Meiji 25)
1932(Showa 7)
1972(Showa 47)
1971(Showa 46)* For the locations of the reference points, refer to the map of ground height in lowlands

Old well(in Higashi-shinkoiwa 1-chome,Katsushika-ku)

Ground height in lowlands

Area distribution based on the ground height

A.P. ±0 m or less(low tide level)

A.P. 2 m or less(high tide level)

Total area ofthe 23 wards
A.P. 5 m or lessAbove A.P. 5 m

Lowlands are prone to floods caused by storm surge etc.
LegendArea subjected to the threat of storm
surge even though it is above thehigh tide level (A.P.+5.0 m)
Area at the high tide level or below(A.P.+2.0 m)
Area at the low tide level or below(A.P.±0 m)
Major reference point(see the description ofsubsidence in lowlands)

Mechanism of Storm Surge
Typhoon or low
atmospheric pressure[1]

Suctional rise of sea surface
due to a decrease inatmospheric pressure[2] Seawater blown by the wind[3] Rise in sea level caused bywaves

StormSurge

Revetment[1]
Normal tide level

Mechanism of Storm高潮発生のメカニズム
Surge
Source: Keihin Port 参考：京浜港湾「馬堀海岸高潮対策事業」パンフレット
Office’s Leaflet on the “Project for Preventive Measures against Storm Surges at the Mabori Seacoast”

Greatest Storm Surge Disaster in Tokyo
since the End of World War II
Inundated areas caused by Typhoon Kitty in 1949 (Showa 24)

Diagram of changes in tidal level

Tidal level (AP+m)(Typhoon Isewan)(Typhoon in 1917)(Taisho 6))(Typhoon No. 20)(Typhoon No. 15)(Typhoon Kitty)

LegendInundated areas
Watercourses
Where spills occurred
Where levee breaches/failures occurred

Figures in the map show thedepths of inundation (cm)Hours

Storm Surge Disaster caused by Typhoon Kitty

Hirai Station (Around Hirai 5-chome, Edogawa-ku)

River Projects inLowlands

Greatest storm surge disaster in Japan: “Isewan Typhoon”
4,697 Dead, 401 Missing, 38,921 Injured

1959 (Showa 34)

Theoretical routes of typhoons

Ty
phoon

Tidal level at theestuary

Actual route

ModelTyphoon

Closure of sluice gate

RouteKitty

1917(Taisho 6)

Tidal level

Typhoon Kitty

in1917(Taisho6)

Changes in tidal level at the estuary

IsewanHoursstniagaesrusaneeembetv
istonmelvaeer
Pavhegrus.
mdr
etotelscomp

Protection levee against storm surge(on the Sumida River)

Sluice gate/ pumping station(at the Imai sluice gate)

Water gate
Improvement status

Length (km)Ratio of improvement(%)

Overall plan
168.0
Up to the end of 2005
154.7
92
(Heisei 17)
Planned for 2006
0.592
(Heisei 18)
2007 (Heisei 19) and12.8
thereafter*The ratio of improvement shows the accumulated percentage

Super levee

Embankment
Terracedarea
area
Terraced
Designhigh
highwaterwaterlevel
level
DesignAverage high tide level
Averagehighhightidetidelevellevel
AverageRiverzone
zone
River(RiverConservation Area
River zone

SuperLevee
LeveeDevelopment
DevelopmentProject
ProjectArea
Area(River(RiverConservationConservationArea)Area)
SuperSuperleveeleveeSuper

Development of super levees, etc.

Sumida River, Shinkawa/Hakozaki Districts (beforeconstruction)

Sumida River, Shinkawa/Hakozaki Districts (after construction).
Due to the business conversion of a warehouse company, the development of asuper levee was carried out together with the construction of housing and officebuildings.

The waterfront environment
was improved.
The levee is robust against
earthquakes as well.

Hakozaki District (Sumida River)Azumabashi District (Sumida River)Vast Evacuation Site on a Super Leveein the Shirahige West District

Evacuation capacity
120,000 (66% of the population in the Arakawa Ward)

“Gatherings” on the Sumida River

Sumida River
Fireworks Festival

Sou-Kei Regatta (a boat race between Waseda and Keio Universities)

Cherry Blossom Festival

Open Café“Gatherings” on the Sumida River
Sumida River Terrace Gallery

Works by elementary school students
in commemoration of graduation

Ryogoku

Water bus station

On the west side, revetment
was constructed as a measureagainst earthquakes.

Water gate/sluiceway

On the east side, thewater level was lowered.

Pumping station

Around 1974 (Showa 49)

Water level was loweredto AP-1.0 m.

A lock gage was installed
to allow navigation.

Improvement
statusLength (km)Overall plan

50.3

Ratio ofimprovement (%)

Up to the end of
22.5
452005 (Heisei 17)
Planned for 2006
1.047
(Heisei 18)
2007 (Heisei 19)
26.8
and thereafter*The length shows the total length of the rivers on thewest and east sides. The ratio of improvementshows the accumulated percentage.

Redevelopment of Rivers in the Kōtō Wardafter Lowering the Water Levels
The water level was at the same heightas the second floor of the house.

Old Naka River

Restoration of the “Salt Road”(Onagi River)
隅田川

神田川

竪川
横十間川

大横川

日川
橋 亀島
本川

中川

小名木川
Important navigation routein the Edo era

N
東京湾
Map of Edo Revised in the Kōka era (1844 - 1848)

Restoration of the “Salt Road” in the Onagi River

BeforeAfter

“Gatherings” on Rivers in the Kōtō Ward

Boat riding

Walking and fishing along the river

Fukagawa Cherry Blossom Festival

Annual Lantern Floating Ceremony on theFormer Nakagawa RiverOverall Concept to Attract More People toWaterfront Environment in Tokyo

SumidRi agave war

Main Sites of the Tokyo 2016 Olympics GamesMedia Center

The “Media Center” will be on
the lot alongside the Sumida
River to be vacated upon
relocation of the Tsukiji
Market.

Main Stadium

Olympic Athletes’ Village

Kachidoki Bridge