I am in charge of the unification and supervision of the embankment work at the dam construction site. After grasping the progress of other types of work such as spillway work and foundation treatment work, I pick up the parts that could be a problem in the next few months, discuss them with the client, and it is my role to keep the construction going smoothly.
My life as a “dam professional” (dam engineer) started when I was assigned to a concrete dam construction site in Ehime Prefecture as a new employee. After working for four years, from foundation excavation to completion of concrete placement, I worked on concrete dams in Mie Prefecture and rockfill dams in Akita Prefecture and before I knew it, I was involved in dam construction for about half of my company life.
Civil engineering work is a rewarding job that "protects the safety and security of citizens' lives". In particular, the dam construction has an important role in protecting human lives from natural disasters related to water. In the past, during the construction of a dam in Akita Prefecture, a combination of melting snow and heavy rains flooded downstream communities. When the dam was completed, they thanked us saying, "Now, we can sleep with peace of mind." I cannot forget the sense of achievement at that time until now. Partly because of the effects of global warming, the sudden downpour has increased, while the necessity of dams is increasing more than ever, as a dam professional, I am proud to have taken part in the construction of Aigawa Dam, one of the purposes of which is flood control. I take responsibility for the early completion of the work.
Dams also have been attracting attention as “infrastructure tourism” which means study tours of infrastructure under construction. At the local event of the Aigawa Festival, a tour of the dam under construction was held, and many people from children to the elderly participated. I hope that the Aigawa Dam will become closer to citizens even after the dam is completed by increasing activities to revitalize the region and understanding of the natural environment, and the connection with the region will be deepened.

〈Outline of The Aigawa Dam Construction work〉