Levee system transformation in coevolution between humans and water systems along the Kiso River, Japan

Abstract

Floodplain societies decide whether to protect themselves against floods (fight), live with floods (adapt), or adopt an approach that represents some combination of the two. The formation of a levee system is an important factor in determining whether a society fights or adapts to floods; however, these factors have been considered fixed boundaries in previous studies in human–flood interactions. We analyze a levee system transformation process covering the past century, from the indigenous ring-type levee system with floods to modern continuous levees against floods in the Kiso River basin in Japan by applying a historical sociohydrological approach. The results show degradation processes of the indigenous levee system and traditional communities alongside the installation of modern continuous levees, and a trade-off relationship was observed between the lengths of both. There are interactions between the levee systems and the human–water system through various water uses and different-scale components, and the dynamics within the region are connected to external socioeconomic trends through the installed modern levees and institutions.