0773-Nii Dam

Date of interview: 2005/06/18
Location: Oaza Mikuni, Yuzawa-cho, Minamiuonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture

OKKY Entrance

We arrived at OKKY, the meeting place, to participate in the "4th Dam Web Ring Cassa Dam Off-line Meeting. OKKY is the nickname of the Oku-Kiyotsu Power Plant. This kind of nickname is better than a stiff name for the general public to recognize the plant.

OKKY Museum

As the nickname implies, there is a magnificent exhibition hall called the OKKY Museum. There is also a fountain in front of the building, which can be enjoyed even by those who are not dam enthusiasts.

Inside OKKY Museum

Here you can learn about hydroelectric power generation. There are also facilities for children, which can be enjoyed by both parents and children.

Model of a water mill

This is a model of a generator. It is quite precisely made.

power plant

Here, visitors are also free to tour the inside of the power plant and see a real generator. Note that, of course, the tour may be restricted during inspections.

conduit

Now, we left the OKKY Museum and went for a walk around the Futai Dam area. The ledge seemed large for the size of the embankment.

Oku-Seizu No.2 Power Plant Stone Monument

Now that I think about it, it was around the time the azaleas were in bloom.

View of the levee and switchyard from downstream

Anyway, there are various things to see on the site. Personally, I prefer to see the embankment as Dawn, but I also think it is probably more reasonable this way.

Close-up of the conduction section

It is not a complete slope, but rather a flat area is provided at one point. This may have the effect of attenuating the water flow, although this has not been confirmed.

Looking downstream

Emerald green downstream. The buildings on the left are the OKKY Museum and the second power plant, and beyond them is the tunnel used for filming the movie "Whiteout.

Oku-Seizu Power Station nameplate

Super cool!!! Just looking at the nameplate makes me fall in love with it.

View of the embankment on the lake side of the dam from the left bank

Riprap laid out in an orderly fashion. Before coming to the Futai Dam, I had come north from Gunma, and once more went north to Echigo-Yuzawa, bought a box lunch at a Seven-Eleven along the national highway, and returned to eat it at the top of the dam. It was an ordinary convenience store bento, but it tasted strangely delicious when eaten at the dam. By the way, I recently learned that there is a new Lawson in Sarugakyo, so there is no need to go all the way back to Echigo-Yuzawa....

Erjui Dam Stone Monument

I always think that I want to photograph a stone monument and an embankment or a stone monument and a dam lake together, but I can't seem to get it right as a subject. Well, maybe it's just me.

View of the top edge from the left bank

As you can see, the top end is not accessible to automobiles. But there are no fences or stones on the top edge, either on the lake side or downstream. It is rare to see such a large scale without any fences or stones.

View of the water outlet facility (water intake facility)

This is a water outlet and intake facility for pumped-storage power generation between the upper dam and the Cassa Dam.

View downstream from the top

I feel that the rational aspect of this facility can be seen from above.

View of the dam lake from the top

Unfortunately, it is cloudy, but the dam lake is also emerald green.

hydraulic iron pipe

The Kassa Dam is on top of this... Incidentally, the road to the embankment of the Kassa Dam is blocked by a gate and is closed to the public. However, it can be seen from the gondola (lift?) of the nearby ski resort or ski slopes. I would like to take an aerial view of it once. I would like to take an aerial photograph once.

gate

The flood discharge is equipped with two 7.5 x 14.7 m roller gates manufactured by Tahara Manufacturing Co.

View of the conduction area from the gate

It is wide, high and carved (?). It is a conduit.

Selective water intake system

This is a selective water intake system; IHI, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries.

View of the gate on the dam lake side

The valve has a discharge rate of 40 m3/s, but this flood discharge can discharge a maximum of 1,620 m3/s.

View of the embankment on the lake side from the right bank

Emerald green, more beautiful than Baseline.

View of the downstream gate

A stairway is located beside the flood discharge, which allows the top of the gate to be raised and lowered from downstream. So it is possible to capture the gate from downstream.

Inside the power plant

Inside the generator

dam characteristics

Other facilities/observations

If you are coming from Gunma, just drive north on the Mikuni Kaido road, and after entering Niigata Prefecture for a while, you will see a sign on your right hand side, so you should be able to find it easily. This is a great area for a drive, so please stop by.

Accommodations that may be close to Nii Dam