Environment

Preface
A large river in Japan, Omaru River is flowing from west to east in the central part of Miyazaki Prefecture. Its catchment area is 474km2 and 75 km in length.
Located in the middle class region of Omaru River, the project point of Omarugawa Hydraulic Plant is of mountain climate with an annual precipitation that exceeds 3,000mm.The normal temperature is as warm as 170C and hardly snows.
The rich geographic and climatic characteristics of the river basin’s natural environment reflects, that part of it is specified as Osuzu Natural Park.
For Omarugawa Hydraulic Power Plant Construction Office to maintain the rich natural environment of the catchment area in Omaru River, the "Environmental Plan" was enacted during the construction of Omarugawa Plant and various measures were carried out.
The Environmental Plan is constituted by the following basic idea and statement of principles :

Basic idea

The Omarugawa Hydraulic Power Plant Construction Office of Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. promotes environmental preservation activity that aims of symbiosis with nature and the community while recognizing the importance of the global environmental preservation based on "Kyushu Electric Power Environmental Charter."

Statement of principles
① It strives for rich natural preservation of Omaru River valley.
② The environmental purpose and a target are set up to strive for a continued improvement of environmental management system.
③ An agreement, a regulation system and etc. about an area and environmental preservation are observed to strive for cooperation with the community.
④ It strives for the creation of an environment gentle to the natural recovery and the living things until completion of construction.
⑤ It strives for proper processing of waste, effective use and recycling.
1. Protection of precious animals and plants
In order to protect precious animals and plants checked around the construction zone, various measures against preservation are performed.

①Environmental preservation measures of individual Japanese umbrella pine
In the past, there was a continuous felling of Japanese umbrella pine that its species is now precious. This portion of Miyazaki is located in the southern part of Japan.
Considering the individual effect, a structural change with a lessened felling and possible transplanting of trees and guarding it as well are taken as a conservation measure and transplanting plan after the completion  of construction.
 

②Measure against preservation of mountain hawk-eagle
Mountain hawk eagles are carnivores which are at the top of the ecosystem’s food cycle which shows importance of protection of all living things existing in the area.
Due to environmental alteration and pollution, mountain hawk eagle which is originally few in number had been continuously decreasing. Its existence was found around the construction zones. Thus, to avoid the bad effects during construction, needed measures against noise and vision as well as short intervals during construction had been implemented.

2.   Preservation of River Water Quality
In order to avoid the bad effect on the river water quality by construction, "cloudy water processing equipment" is installed in every construction zone where the cloudy water generated in each zone is purified.
Furthermore, the water quality in a down-stream river is measured and checked periodically if in normal condition. Moreover, river water is detouring the construction zone through the temporary drainage canal.

3.   Recycling of construction by-product
The rock dug from the underground power plant or a waterway tunnel are reformed into a uniformed particle diameter size, and mostly are used as concrete aggregate.
Moreover, after drying the discharge from the cloudy water processing equipment (drying cake) solidification agent was added to the concentrated slurry and was used as landfill material for the land that was developed for housing lots in construction zones.
In addition, wooden and concrete wastes generated from the construction zones are also recycled as much as possible.
4.   Tree Planting
To harmonize with the circumferential environment, the alteration  and digging of surfaces and disposal sites were done in minimum necessity.
Tree planting is considered a method to recover and protect the original nature of the environment which had been affected by cut-offs and landfills.
The temperature around the upper reservoir is low that makes it better to plant the seeds at the lower dam where the temperature is high, through the spraying method.
Moreover, at the alteration zone around the upper reservoir and its surrounding areas, planting of local seeds taken from the original resources is considered for the purpose of restoring the original natural environment. Planting of about 40 kinds of 100,000 local saplings is now being planned.
Sapling

5.   Acquisition of ISO 14001 Authentication
In order to perform environmental activity more systematically, attestation of ISO 14001 was acquired in August, 2001. Annual investigation is obtained and both the internal and external examination is properly and accurately undertaken.