The is a Class A river system that flows through Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It flows from Mt. Yahata, through Lake Ogawara into the Pacific Ocean.
The river is very important to the economy of the region. Approximately 80,000 people live in the river's catchment area.
Every July, the annual is held along the banks of the Takase River. The Takase River Office uses the opportunity to exhibit the "creatures that live in Lake Ogawara", which is popular with families. They also raise awareness about flood control, and water quality improvement of the lake.
In Japanese, takase means "shallow river".
Geography The river has a length of and a catchment area of . The basin area contains 2 cities, 4 towns, and 1 village.
Upstream from Lake Ogawara, the slope of the river ranges between 1:50 and 1:2000. Between the river and the Pacific Ocean, the slope is 1:30000 (almost horizontal). The water flows backwards from the sea into Lake Ogawara, causing it to be slightly brackish.
Environment Many species live in the Takase River system, such as river lamprey, killifish, and Japanese smelt. Lake Ogawara, located downstream, contains many brackish and freshwater aquatic plants like Braun's stonewort, and Ruppia maritima. Freshwater clams can also be found in the area.
Lake Ogawara is designated as one of Japan's 500 Important Wetlands by the Ministry of the Environment.
Flooding Since the Shōwa era, eight major floods have been observed. The most recent was in 2007. +YearCause of floodAffected communitiesDamage1958Typhoon IdaTowada, Misawa, Shichinohe, Kamikitachō3 dead or missing, 17 injured, 151 buildings destroyed, 2,801 buildings flooded19651965 Pacific typhoon seasonTowada, Misawa, Kamikitachō, Tōhoku85 buildings partially damaged, 57 buildings flooded1968CycloneTōhoku106 buildings partially damaged, 93 buildings flooded1990CycloneKamikitachō, Rokkasho1 building partially damaged, 239 buildings flooded1994Weather frontMisawa, Kamikitachō88 buildings flooded1998CycloneKamikitachō, Tenmabayashi12 buildings flooded2006CycloneTōhoku9 buildings flooded2007CycloneTōhoku3 buildings flooded
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