The Shinano/Chikuma River has been known as one of the best areas in Japan for salmon since the Heian period, and there are records showing they once travelled as far as 300km upstream to upland areas such as Matsumoto and Ueda. However, since the start of hydro power generation in the 1930s, the creation of dams and power plants have left some sections of the river waterless except during floods (about 7.4km around Sasadaira Dam) or with extremely low water levels (63.5km downstream from Nishiotaki Dam to JR East Shinanogawa Power Station), blocking the upstream and downstream routes used by salmon, and leading to the demise of salmon sites in the Chikuma River and Niigata Prefecture from the 1940s. Furthermore, the regenerative functions of the river have been reduced, leading to the destruction of many aquatic plant and animal habitats and the deterioration of river ecosystems. This project plans to improve the flow of water through the Shinano River in the near future, and to release juvenile salmon into the river in Nagano and safely lead them downstream, while also establishing channels for them to swim upstream from Niigata back to Nagano once they have matured. Through this activity, it hopes to restore the natural ecological cycles of the Shinano River, returning it to its original form after a 70 year gap. Specific activities will include creating partnerships and working with organizations active in the Shinano/Chikuma River area, such as environmental conservation groups, citizen organizations, and fishery associations, building an environment for releasing salmon into the river through research and citizen participation, as well as holding symposiums.