Cirata dam water level drops

BANDUNG: The water level at the Cirata dam in West Java, has dropped by 20 meters within the last two weeks, due to the increasing sedimentation at the deltas of the rivers supplying water to the dam.

"Two weeks ago the water level was 210m, now it is only 190m," the head of the fresh water fishery department at the West Java Fishery Office said here on Sunday.

He blamed rapid erosion as the cause of the increasing sedimentation.

"The recent draught has also worsened the situation. The drop in the water level threatens the fish breeding business at the dam.

"A heavy downpour may cause reverse currents which could kill hundreds if not thousands of fish," he said, adding that more than 980 tons of fish died within three days following a heavy downpour on Dec.2. The total loss incurred was some Rp 6 billion.

There are about 30,000 fish breeding units under the floating net system at the 6,000 hectare dam, which is located in an area bordering Bandung, Purwakarta and Cianjur. (25/sur)