Nukui Dam
Construction of the Nukui Dam began in 1977 and was completed in 2002. Situated on the Takiyama River, a tributary of the Ota River, the dam performs multiple functions including flood control for the city of Hiroshima, and provides a stable supply of tap water to the cities of Hiroshima and Kure, and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea off the coast. The dam sustains fish and other river life during droughts and other times when the water level drops.
The massive, arch-shaped structure is open for tours and has become a popular destination for school field trips and dam enthusiasts. Through pictures and models, the dam’s resource center presents the history and science behind dams. To tour the structure, visitors take an elevator underground and walk through a frigid tunnel, which enables up-close viewing of the dam. Scheduled releases of water take place in spring to early summer; 30 tons of water per second is allowed to flow into the river in preparation for the typhoon and rainy seasons. Visitors can watch from above, or secure a spot underneath where the spray from the release communicates an immediate sense of the water’s power.