(1) Shinano River

CountryJapan LocationNagano and Niigata Prefectures Length367km Basin area11,900km²

COMMENTARYThe Shinano River is a Class A river in Japan flowing through the Nagano and Niigata Prefectures into the Sea of Japan at Niigata City. The Shinano River is known as the longest river and the third largest basin area in Japan. The river system supports significant agriculture and electricity generation by a number of major dams built on its tributaries. The Lower Shinano River Basin is also known as a habitual flood and inundation area with severe destruction. Facilities such as the Ohkouzu Diversion Channel and the Sekiya Diversion Channel were completed to reduce the flooding risk in Niigata, however, they made the river delta more vulnerable to the sea by the decreased amount of transported sediments.

(2) Heihe River

CountryChina LocationGansu Province Length821km Basin area14,290km²

COMMENTARYThe Heihe River is the second largest inland river in the arid region of northwestern China. The Heihe River is characterized by its various natural landscapes with glaciers in the upstream, Danxia landform in the middle stream and deserts in the downstream areas. The over exploitation of water resources caused by the development of agricultural irrigation in middle-stream lead to a serious ecological problem at downstream, resulting in rivers and lakes drying up, groundwater level declining, grassland degradation which threaten the safety of ecosystem within the downstream areas and the whole basin.

(3) Chao Phraya River

CountryThailand LocationWestern Thailand Length1,352km Basin area178,000km²

COMMENTARYThe Chao Phraya River is the largest river in Thailand. It is formed from four main rivers (the Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan rivers) in the northern part of Thailand and flows through Bangkok with its low alluvial plain forming the center of the country. The Chao Phraya River has been fully used for drinking water, industries, agriculture, fisheries and transportation for hundreds of years. However, the problems of flooding disasters risk, water quality and water shortage became more serious with the recent urban population growth and industrial development.

(4) Watarase Pond

CountryJapan LocationTochigi, Gunma, Saitama, and Ibaraki Prefectures Area33km² Water storage capacity200million m³

COMMENTARYThe Watarase Pond which is located on the prefectural borders between Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, and Ibaraki Prefectures is the largest retention pond in Japan. It was built as the control basin for settling mineral poison from 1912. Nowadays it is used for regulating floods and as reservoir to supply water during drought periods. It was registered in the Ramsar Convention on July 3, 2012 because of many wild birds, insects, fish and scarce plants in the Watarase Pond which is isolated from human activities. However, the mineral poison situation in soil still keeps unclear.

(5) Kabukuri Pond and the surrounding rice paddies

CountryJapan LocationMiyagi Prefecture Area1.5km² (Kabukuri Pond)

COMMENTARYThe Kabukuri Pond is lowland wetlands located in the northern part of Miyagi Prefecture. The Kabukuri Pond and the surrounding rice paddies were registered under the Ramsar Convention in 2015 for the large number of bird species (about 200) particularly for the migrated Greater White-fronted Goose. The Kubukuri Pond and three surrounding rice paddies were maintained as a flood regulating area to protect surrounding houses and paddy fields from flooding. Every year this area is used by approximately 70,000 migrated Greater White-fronted Geese which occupy almost half of the total in Japan for wintering.

(6) Lower Maruyama River and the surrounding rice paddies

CountryJapan LocationHyogo Prefecture Length12km Area560ha

COMMENTARYThe Lower Maruyama River and the surrounding rice paddies were registered under the Ramsar Convention in 2102 to promote the wild reversion of the Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) which was once extinct from 1971 in Japan. This area is consisted of river, estuary area, river nakasu, paddies and artificial wetlands which were naturally regenerated as the habitat for the Oriental White Stork. This wetland is characterized by the regeneration and creation with active collaboration of residents, organizations, industries and government to live together with the Oriental White Stork. In this area, the land rights it the key word and hint for the study of river basin environmental management.

(7) Tega Pond

CountryJapan LocationChiba Prefecture Area6.5km² Average depth0.86m

COMMENTARYThe Tega Pond is a lake of the Tone River water system and located in the northwest of Chiba Prefecture of Japan. The Tega Pond was originally a large lake with 80% of the waters disappeared recently due to the reclamation, and was separated into the north and the south. With the urbanization and development of residential areas, domestic wastewater flew into the lake, resulting in severe water quality deterioration. The Tega Pond was the worst lake in terms of COD for 27 consecutive years from 1974 to 2001 in Japan. Currently it became the second worst lake in COD by various efforts on water quality improvement. The Tega Pond is designated under the Law Concerning Special Measures for Conservation of Lake Water Quality.

(8) Tama River

CountryJapan LocationYamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures Length138km Basin area1,240km²

COMMENTARYThe Tama River is a Class A river flowing through Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures in Japan. It flows through the residential areas of the capital region with higher urbanization rate in the downstream than the middle-stream. It is a typical urban river with top class of population and population density within the river basin. The Tama River has a long history for various uses of drinking water, agriculture and industrial water and leisure. Although it flows through the urban areas, most of the river banks are not revetted, making it a rich natural river with many wildflowers and birds well seen near its side.

(9) Sakata

CountryJapan LocationNiigata Prefecture Area43.6ha Average depth1m

COMMENTARYSakata is known as the largest dune lake (fresh water lake) in Japan. It is composed of two lagoons located in the southwestern part of Niigata which has the most migrated swan numbers nationwide. It is fed by surrounding spring water and rainwater but with no inflowing rivers. Sakata is relatively rich in birds with 208 species have been confirmed so far. Particularly, Sakata is characterized by wintering place for migratory birds with 2,000 to 3,000 swans wintering every year. In 1996, Sakata was registered under the Ramsar Convention.