After Restoring Dam, PRR Task Force Accelerates Pante Lhong Irrigation Network Rehabilitation

The recovery of the Pante Lhong Irrigation Dam in Bireuen Regency has entered an advanced phase. After emergency works successfully restored the dam’s hydraulic functions in early July 2026, the government has shifted focus to rehabilitating the irrigation network to gradually restore water services for approximately 15,000 hectares of paddy fields. Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo stated that work on the main dam is ongoing and is being handled by PT Adhi Karya. “Functionally, the dam is already channelling water again, while the completion of the works is targeted for September 2026,” he said in a message delivered to the Head of the Sumatran Task Force for Accelerated Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR), Tito Karnavian, on Monday, 13 July 2026. According to Dody, the emergency response phase focused on restoring the dam’s function has been completed. The current focus of the Ministry of Public Works, which is part of the PRR Task Force, is to ensure water can be distributed to all agricultural areas that depend on the Pante Lhong irrigation system. This involves dredging sediment and repairing canal structures to optimise water distribution. The government has divided the handling responsibilities based on respective authorities to ensure a faster and more coordinated recovery process. The irrigation network covering approximately 6,500 hectares under central government authority has been included in the 2026 Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme. Meanwhile, the remaining 8,500 hectares under the authority of provincial and district governments are scheduled to be addressed through the Presidential Instruction (Inpres) programme for regional irrigation. “All physical works are targeted to commence this July,” Dody said. The flash floods that struck Bireuen Regency in November 2025 altered the course of the Krueng Peusangan River and buried the Pante Lhong Irrigation Dam under sediment. The shift in the river’s flow cut off the water supply to the dam, disrupting irrigation services for thousands of hectares of paddy fields across several sub-districts. In early 2026, the Ministry of Public Works, through the Sumatra I River Basin Agency, initiated emergency measures. The initial phase focused on normalising the river channel, constructing a temporary embankment (cofferdam), clearing sediment, and restoring the dam structure so that water could once again reach the main building. The results of this work became visible by mid-year. By July 2026, the dam’s hydraulic function had been restored, allowing water to flow back into the reservoir. However, water distribution to the paddy fields remains suboptimal because parts of the downstream irrigation network are still damaged and clogged with flood sediment. Consequently, the recovery has now entered an advanced phase with the goal of fully re-irrigating 15,000 hectares of paddy fields. The acceleration of the Pante Lhong recovery is also a key concern for the Sumatran PRR Task Force. During an inspection on Thursday, 9 July, the Head of the Transport and Transformation Command Post, First Admiral Nouldy Tangka, emphasised that accelerating the rehabilitation of the dam and irrigation network is a crucial step to restore agricultural productivity in Bireuen Regency. This acceleration effort aligns with the commitment of the Head of the Sumatran PRR Task Force, Tito Karnavian, who has placed significant attention on normalising the conditions of affected communities and restoring their productivity. “The recovery of the agricultural sector is one of the main priorities,” he stated in March. “I will personally oversee it.”