Maizuru City has a history of being developed as the only military port along the Japan Sea after Maizuru Chinjufu (Maizuru Naval District) was established in 1901; however, in order to complete its construction before the establishment of Chinjufu, the construction of the military water system started in 1898, and the Katsura reservoir was completed upstream of Yohoro-gawa River.
1901年(明治34年)に舞鶴鎮守府が創設され、日本海側唯一の軍港として発展した歴史を持つ舞鶴市であるが、鎮守府創設にあわせる形で1898年(明治31年)に軍事水道の建設が開始され、1900年(明治33年)に与保呂川上流に桂貯水池が完成。