BBWSC3 Says Water Level Drop at Karian Dam Still Safe

The Cidanau Ciujung Cidurian River Basin Authority (BBWSC3) has confirmed that the current decrease in water volume at the Karian Dam in Lebak Regency, Banten, is still within safe limits to meet the irrigation needs of the community. Head of BBWSC3 Dedi Yudha Lesmana stated on Monday that the water supply in the reservoir remains sufficient despite the drop in elevation, guaranteeing that water supply to the surrounding areas will not face any obstacles. “If the downstream area requires more water, it can still be released from Karian,” Dedi said, confirming the reliability of the dam’s water supply. Regarding the details of the shrinkage, Head of General Affairs and Administration Maretha Ayu Kusumawati explained that the current water volume in the reservoir has only decreased by about five per cent. “The current elevation has dropped by around 80 centimetres from the normal water level,” Maretha said. Concerning the structures that are still standing intact without roofs, Maretha explained that this is in accordance with the initial procedures when the reservoir area was submerged. “The entire inundation area, although it has been cleared, did not undergo demolition for all affected buildings. The clearing process carried out by the construction team only involved the vegetation,” she said. Although the village is currently visible on the surface due to the 80-centimetre drop, Maretha assured that the buildings will be submerged again once the dam reaches its highest capacity. At the flood water level, the houses will be submerged again, considering the height difference with the normal water level is around 3.35 metres.