Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2023

Presentation information

[J] Online Poster

H (Human Geosciences ) » H-GG Geography

[H-GG01] Dialogues on natural resources and environment between earth and social sciences

Mon. May 22, 2023 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM Online Poster Zoom Room (3) (Online Poster)

convener:Yoshinori OTSUKI(Institute of Geography, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University), Gen Ueda(Graduate School of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University), Takahisa Furuichi(Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute), Toru Sasaki(HOSEI University)

On-site poster schedule(2023/5/22 17:15-18:45)

1:45 PM - 3:15 PM

[HGG01-P04] Formation of awareness structure for groundwater conservation among local residents
- A case of Ono City, Fukui Prefecture -

*Kota Ojima1, Kiyomi Hayashi2, Tatsuto Aoki2 (1.School of Regional Development Studies Kanazawa University, 2.School of Regional Development Studies, Kanazawa Univ.)

Keywords:groundwater, awareness for conservation , Ono City, regional bond, dry wells

1. Purpose
Groundwater conservation is an important regional issue. In order to effectively promote groundwater conservation measures, it is important to consider the awareness and attributes of local residents, as well as their relationship with the conservation system, without being bound only by the perspective of the government. As a first step, it is necessary to investigate the relationship between local residents' actual awareness, behavior, and system for groundwater. Therefore, in this study, we conduct a survey on awareness and behavior for groundwater conservation among local residents, and extract attributes that are statistically correlated with local residents who are highly oriented toward groundwater conservation. Based on the results, we will structure the residents' awareness of groundwater resources in the whole area and examine the issues.

2. Study area
Citizens in Ono city, Fukui Pref. use groundwater as their main domestic water supply. In addition, since the 1960s, "dry wells'' due to lower groundwater levels have occurred. When large-scale well drying occurred in the past, the groundwater conservation system that continues today was constructed under the initiative of local residents. In order to conserve groundwater in this area, cooperation with local residents is essential.

3. Method
A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted for local residents. Responses were obtained from 142 people in the three areas with different risks of dry wells. In addition, we defined local residents who have a clear awareness of groundwater conservation and comply with groundwater conservation ordinances or are working to conserve water as "highly oriented toward groundwater conservation".

4. Findings and considerations
As a result of simple aggregation, the area of higher the risk of dry wells, the higher the rate of experience of dry wells, the rate of additional construction of wells and waterworks as countermeasures against dry wells, and the recognition rate of damage caused by dry wells.
On the other hand, there was no regional difference due to the risk of well drying in such as the "implementation rate of groundwater snow melting prohibited by ordinance" and the "implementation rate of daily water-saving behavior." Participation in groundwater conservation activities was very low across all regions. Considering the history of resident participation in groundwater conservation after the large-scale well drying in the 1960s, the number of local residents who are involved in groundwater conservation as actors can be seen to be decreasing. In addition, the frequency of conversation with neighboring about groundwater, it was confirmed at a certain rate mainly in areas where the risk of well drying was high. Furthermore, from the free descriptions, there were many opinions that they felt that the opportunities for interaction and conversation between neighbors had decreased.
From these results, it can be inferred that the regional bond is declining at the resident in Ono City as well, and it is presumed that the conservation awareness that has been fostered through conservation activities and information exchange among residents is declining.
Based on the results of simple aggregation, we reaggregate the local residents who can be judged to be highly oriented to groundwater conservation within each item, and perform the χ2 test to extract attributes that have a significant correlation with the local residents who are highly oriented to groundwater conservation. As a result, it was found that "awareness of well drying damage'' is an attribute that has a significant correlation with local residents who are highly oriented toward groundwater conservation. Furthermore, it was shown that the residents who had a high level of "recognition of well dry-up damage'' regularly had "conversations about groundwater''. In addition, it was confirmed that "regional bond'' and "participation in groundwater conservation activities'' had a positive correlation with the degree of "cognition'' and "conversation'' mentioned above. Based on these facts, it was determined that the weakening of the relationship between the current groundwater conservation system and local residents due to the decline of regional relationships is a comprehensive issue surrounding Ono City's groundwater resources.