Bogor inaugurates reservoir in flood-reduction effort

Bogor inaugurates reservoir in flood-reduction effort

BOGOR (JP): West Java Governor R. Nuriana inaugurated
yesterday an eight-hectare lake located in the center of the
Bogor regency office compound in Tengah village, Cibinong
district.

The lake, one of 123 in the town, will also function as a
rainwater reservoir to help protect Jakarta, north of here, from
being inundated during the rainy season.

Bogor Regent Eddie Yoso Martadipura said Tegar Beriman Lake,
named after the town's tidiness slogan, is also expected to
attract tourists with its water sports and recreation facilities.

"There have already been at least 350 fish, including the
Tawes and Nila freshwater fish, released into the lake," Eddie
said.

The lake's water flows out through canals which run into a
river, he said.

"The canals can also be used for fish farming."

To preserve the lake, 860 plants bearing 40 Indonesian fruits,
have been planted around the shores of the lake.

They include rambutans, pineapples, mangosteen, taro and
nutmeg.

Eddie said most of Bogor's lakes did not function properly.

"Those lakes have gradually been transformed into land."

An agriculture expert, Sjarifuddin Karama, said the lakes were
developed during the Dutch colonial era.

"After a big flood, which hit Jakarta at the end of the 19th
century, the Dutch government developed 221 large lakes in
Cisarua, Ciawi, Bogor, Depok and some in Jakarta to prevent water
overflow in those areas," he said.

Since the massive development of lakes, Jakarta rarely faced
flooding until the lakes started to be misused.

Most of the lakes, which were designed as water enclaves to
prevent flooding and also served as a water reservoir during the
dry season, are no longer functional, he said. (24/emf)