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Watershed Erosion Control Lab
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A lab that clarifies how water and sediment move in order to reduce sediment-related disasters.
AboutAbout the lab
Preparing for sediment-related disasters through the movement of water and sediment.
The Watershed Erosion Control Lab conducts research to conserve land and to prevent and reduce sediment-related disasters.
The lab clarifies how water and sediment move, predicts where and when sediment-related disasters will occur, and links this to effective disaster prevention measures.
Hokkaido has many active volcanoes and faults and widespread fragile geology, which offers numerous research fields.
The lab continues field observations in rivers, mountain slopes, and landslide areas in the Tokachi region.
Key terms
- Sabo (erosion and sediment control)
- Technologies and measures to prevent sediment from collapsing or flowing out in mountains and rivers, and thereby reduce sediment-related disasters.
- Shallow landslide
- A phenomenon in which the surface soil layer covering a mountain slope collapses due to heavy rain or other causes.
- Landslide (jisuberi)
- A phenomenon in which soil or rock on a slope begins to move slowly over a wide area, due to factors such as groundwater.
NewsLab news
Forest evapotranspiration decreased in areas of dense slope failures caused by the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake
A master's student won the Young Presenter Excellence Award at the research presentation meeting of the Japan Society of Erosion Control Engineering
Prof. Kasai was selected for the Reiwa 7 (2025) River Fund Outstanding Achievement Award (Researchers and Research Institutions category)
An undergraduate student received the Reiwa 6 (2024) Clark Agriculture Award
The lab developed a method for estimating snowmelt water volume on mountain slopes across Japan
ResearchResearch themes
Taking into account heavy rain, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, snowmelt, and other factors, the lab clarifies how water and sediment move within watersheds. It also works on assessing risk in places prone to sediment-related disasters and on developing methods for estimating when they will occur.
*Illustrative imageHow rivers in soft rock erode (Totsutabetsu River)
In the Totsutabetsu River in Tokachi, easily eroded soft rock is widespread, and the lowering of the riverbed can be captured on a yearly scale. Using drone observation and airborne laser bathymetry conducted with the cooperation of a company, the lab tracks changes in riverbed topography every year and investigates the role played by the movement and deposition of sand and gravel.
*Illustrative imageSpring water from bedrock and shallow landslides (Karikachi)
In a steep mountain watershed at Karikachi Pass, the lab observes water seeping out of bedrock fractures and investigates its effect on shallow landslides. The aim is to develop a model that can accurately predict the occurrence of shallow landslides.
*Illustrative imageGroundwater in a landslide area (Nokanan)
At a landslide area in Ashibetsu, the lab continuously monitors groundwater levels. Its research is useful for designing countermeasure works and for warning and evacuation, and includes proposing a groundwater-level analysis method that accounts for snowmelt.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Watershed Erosion Control Lab consist of faculty, researchers, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorMio Kasai
- Associate ProfessorShinya Katsura
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Shiraiwa Sabo Dam Shiraiwa Sabo Dam Oct 15, 2015 (1)” Hiroshi Nakai / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- How rivers in soft rock erode (Totsutabetsu River): “Totsutabetsu Riv” Highten31 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Spring water from bedrock and shallow landslides (Karikachi): “Slope failure site in Atsuma after the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake” 北海道開発局 / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Groundwater in a landslide area (Nokanan): “Kamenose drain tunnel” 切干大根 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Forest Product Manufacturing Lab): “Shiitakegrowing” frankenstoen from Portland, Oregon / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Ecosystem Management Lab): “Kushirositsugen Hosooka Tenboudai01” 欅 (Keyaki) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Forest Policy Lab): “Nopporo forest park” モン / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Ecosystem Function Lab (Nomura)): “Snow forest in Hakodate Nanae Snowpark” 掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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