Rusutsu Water Cycle Project: Phase 2 Begins

In July 2026, Rusutsu Resort launched Phase 2 of its Water Cycle Project.

In Rusutsu, winter snow and rainfall seep into the ground, becoming groundwater that supports resort facilities, agriculture, and local communities.

To better understand this invisible flow of water, we have been monitoring groundwater levels, rainfall, springs, and rivers.

During Phase 2, we checked the installation and operational status of the infrastructure required for continuous monitoring, including observation wells, rain gauges, water-level sensors, and the LoRaWAN communication network.

Most importantly, groundwater must be understood not through a single well, but by combining data from multiple locations.

By comparing groundwater levels, elevations, and rainfall at each site, we can gain a region-wide understanding of the direction in which groundwater flows and how rainwater and snowmelt infiltrate the ground.

In Phase 2, we confirmed observation sites in the East, Izumikawa, and West areas, laying the groundwork for future data collection.

We also reviewed sensor connectivity and data-collection methods, identifying locations where existing equipment cannot provide adequate communication coverage and where additional infrastructure is needed.

The year 2026 marks an important transition: from simply monitoring conditions to applying the data collected to environmental management and groundwater conservation.

This work has advanced Rusutsu’s observation network to its next stage, enabling us to continuously monitor the region’s water cycle.ました。