Lampung Water Resources Agency: Development of 13 Embankments to Address Flood Crisis
Bandarlampung — The head of the Lampung Provincial Water Resources Management Agency (PSDA), Budi Darmawan, has stated that the planned construction of 13 embankments or retention ponds represents a key solution to addressing flooding disasters in the region.
“We have coordinated with the Mesuji Sekampung River Basin Authority (BBWS) to conduct urgent repairs in the near future, so that heavy rainfall does not result in repeated flooding,” said Budi Darmawan in Bandarlampung on Tuesday.
He continued that this year, the Bandarlampung Municipal Government and neighbouring areas including Pesawaran and South Lampung districts will coordinate with the Mesuji Sekampung River Basin Authority to complete the flood management masterplan and long-term and short-term flood mitigation strategies.
“In efforts to control and provide flood management solutions, 13 embankment and retention pond sites are planned across several areas. Ideally, all 13 embankments must be constructed,” he stated.
“The newly constructed embankment in Kemiling is part of the 13-embankment development programme, and given its substantial water volume, it effectively retains water flows from various areas, which is then released gradually downstream. As a result, lower areas do not experience flooding because water flow is already contained in the embankment,” he explained.
According to him, recommendations for constructing additional embankments will be implemented in upstream areas, specifically in Kemiling and surrounding regions. Retention ponds will subsequently be developed in the Batu Putu area of Bandarlampung, functioning to slow water flow from upstream to downstream areas.
“If locations are utilised for this development, it will certainly represent a solution to addressing flooding. This will complement the already-completed Kemiling embankment. At minimum, it can slow and reduce the force of water flow from upstream to downstream areas,” he added.