Dam Construction in the Upstream Area of the Bengawan Solo River: A Solution to Downstream Flooding
The acceleration of the construction of several dams in the upstream area of the Bengawan Solo River is a solution to address the flooding in the downstream areas, and to mitigate the long-term impact of the Bengawan Solo River’s overflows. This was conveyed by the Head of the Information and Communication Office of Lamongan Regency, Sugeng Widodo, on Thursday (26/2).
According to him, accelerating the construction of the Karangnongko Dam in Bojonegoro Regency and Blora Regency, Central Java, is part of the long-term solution to retain water flow from upstream. In addition, the overflow from the Gondang Dam in Sugio District also contributes to and increases the water discharge towards the Bengawan Jero River. The silting of the dam has caused the water storage capacity to decrease to around 65 percent. Efforts to deepen the dam and normalise the river are ongoing, in collaboration with the Large River Basin Management Agency (BBWS). Meanwhile, to expedite the completion of flood control on the Bengawan Jero River, the Regency Government will also take strategic steps, including normalising the main irrigation canals in the Bengawan Jero area. “The normalisation of the river in the Bengawan Jero area is also scheduled to take place this year and next year,” he added. As of today, the water level still differs by about 66 centimetres between the Lamongan area and the surface of the Bengawan Solo River, so it cannot flow out optimally. The government hopes that the intensity of rainfall will not increase so that water discharge control can work optimally. This is because the floods that occur in the Bengawan Jero area are an annual phenomenon that is greatly influenced by the intensity of rainfall. (H-2)
To date, the flood has affected five sub-districts in Lamongan Regency, namely Kalitengah, Deket, Turi, Karangbinangun, and Glagah. The Lamongan Regency Government, East Java, together with the Large River Basin Management Agency (BBWS) of the Bengawan Solo River, is monitoring the strengthening of the Kali Plalangan embankment, which was breached last year. The Lamongan Regency Government, East Java, has again distributed aid to victims of the Bengawan Jero River flood in the area. The Bengawan Jero River flood in Lamongan Regency, East Java, continues to increase, on Wednesday (14/1) it increased to inundate inter-subdistrict roads and thousands of hectares of rice fields and fish ponds. At least 1,206 houses were flooded and 2,632 hectares of rice fields and fish ponds in Lamongan were flooded on Tuesday (13/1).