City unveils plans for dam to ease flooding

City unveils plans for dam to ease flooding

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As part of its flood-fighting efforts, the Jakarta administration
announced on Wednesday it planned to build a dam on the Ciliwung
River on a 100-hectare plot of land in Cibogo hamlet, Ciawi, West
Java.

The project, expected to cost Rp 150 billion (US$16.67
million), will be executed in cooperation with the Bogor
administration and the central government, according to the head
of the City Public Works Agency, Fodly Misbach.

"The Bogor regency administration has approved the project.
The Jakarta administration will acquire the land, while the
central government will be in charge of the construction of the
dam," he said.

Fodly said the dam would reduce the water flow in the Ciliwung
River and its tributaries. Ciliwung is one of 13 major rivers
running through the city.

The administration has for years been attempting to construct
the East Flood Canal to control five rivers in the eastern part
of the city. However, the project has been permanently stalled
because of land acquisition difficulties.

With no East Flood Canal and a West Flood Canal that grows
more narrow each year, at least 78 areas across the capital are
prone to flooding.

Major flooding in February 2002 paralyzed much of the capital.
At least 31 people died in the flooding, which also forced
300,000 residents into temporary shelters.

In addition to helping to prevent flooding, the new dam will
also serve as a water reservoir, Fodly said.

"The dam will be 10 meters deep and will be able to retain
10,000 cubic meters of water," he said.

The new dam, he added, would replace several small lakes,
especially in Depok, which have dried out as the surrounding area
has been converted into residential areas.

The Office of the State Minister for the Environment reported
earlier that of 198 water reservoirs in Greater Jakarta, as many
as 134, or 68 percent, could no longer function properly as water
catchment areas.

Nine ponds have been converted into residential areas or dump
sites, while two ponds in Tangerang have been converted into rice
fields.

Separately, the Jakarta Flood Mitigation Task Force said it
had established five flood command posts in five municipalities
to anticipate flooding in the city with the coming of the rainy
season. Each post at the municipality level will be manned by 20
to 30 personnel.

"The task force has deployed 280 personnel to guard 156
pumping stations across the city and to monitor water levels,
especially at six main sluice gates: Depok, Katulampa, Cipinang,
Sunter Hulu, Pesanggrahan and Sawangan," the task force said in a
statement on Wednesday.