Changes in reservoirs and the attitudes of residents toward them in Izumi City, Osaka Prefecture

Abstract

The author examined the attitudes towards reservoirs among farmers and non-farmers living in five different settlements, in order to elucidate factors affecting their varied degrees of involvement. The study area was Izumi City, in southern Osaka Prefecture, where agriculture depends on irrigation from reservoirs. Since the 1970s, both large-scale and housing developments have encroached on farmers and farmlands, reservoirs have been abandoned, and the number of non-farmer residents has increased. The author conducted interviews in five agricultural settlements at different stages of urbanization and administered questionnaire surveys to three of the five settlements and reached the following four conclusions. First, the varied circumstances of farming, urbanization and settlement size differentially affected resident involvement with and attitudes about reservoirs. Second, most residents believe that the water supply function of reservoirs is important. Third, the biggest concern for farmers is maintaining the reservoirs and irrigation practices. On the other hand, even though non-farmers recognize the natural value of the reservoirs, they have much less interest in them. Differences among residents emerged, based on their daily involvement and knowledge of the reservoirs. Finally, the discrepancies among the settlements were caused by not only resident-collaboration projects concerning the reservoirs but also the management styles and the composition of the local residents.