Dutch-Style Sand Dike Deemed Effective in Preventing Tidal Flooding on Jakarta's Shoreline

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has recommended that the construction of a dike to prevent tidal flooding in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, use Dutch-style techniques. The Jakarta Provincial Government’s plan to build the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) to protect this area from tidal flooding is considered effective, as it has been prepared for a long time. ‘I think that if NCICD or activities whose planning has long been underway, in my view it’s also good,’ said Yus Budiyono, a researcher at BRIN’s Center for Limnology and Water Resources Research, when contacted by Kompas.com on Thursday (21 May 2026). However, to implement NCICD, the government must pay attention to the phenomenon of land subsidence in the coastal area of Jakarta. Moreover, subsidence rates differ in speed across points. He cites Muara Angke, where the annual subsidence rate is up to 20 centimetres per year. If the NCICD dike is built from hard concrete, it could eventually subside as a whole. But subsidence speeds at various points do not occur uniformly, which could cause the dike to crack or fail. If the dike cracks or fails, it will not optimally prevent seawater from flooding onto the land. Yus said that to understand non-uniform subsidence, it is necessary to use a Nature Based or Building With Nature approach. ‘Building with Nature is a term from the Netherlands, while Nature-based Solution is a term from the European Union that is then used internationally by institutions such as ADB and World Bank,’ Yus explained. Nature Based is an approach that utilises natural processes and ecosystems to sustainably address environmental, social, and economic challenges. If land subsidence continues, then the dike development can apply the Nature Based Solution approach.