PU Ensures Readiness of Gajah Mungkur Reservoir to Face Drought

The Ministry of Public Works has ensured the readiness of water supply from the Gajah Mungkur Reservoir in Wonogiri Regency, Central Java, to face the long dry season in 2026. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo stated that the reservoir remains capable of meeting water needs, particularly for the agricultural sector.

“This reservoir must continue to supply water needs, especially for agricultural irrigation. Insya Allah, it will be safe; we are preparing various measures to ensure water needs are met until the dry season ends,” said Dody during his visit to the Gajah Mungkur Reservoir, quoted from a written statement on Tuesday, 7 April 2026.

Referring to the prediction from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), this year’s dry season is expected to arrive earlier and potentially last until the end of the year. This condition, Dody said, prompts the government to prepare various strategic measures to maintain water availability.

Dody explained that currently, the Gajah Mungkur Reservoir supplies irrigation for around 25,000 hectares of agricultural land through the Colo Barat and Colo Timur networks. The available water volume reaches approximately 340 million cubic metres, with an effective storage of about 260 million cubic metres.

To keep the reservoir’s function optimal, the Ministry of Public Works is conducting intensive sedimentation control. One of them is through routine dredging using four dredger ships to reduce deposits at the bottom of the reservoir.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Works is currently building three units of closure dikes to hold sediment from the Keduang River flow before entering the reservoir. According to Dody, this measure is effective in slowing the silting process and extending the dam’s service life.

Conservation efforts are also being carried out in the upstream areas through tree planting by the Bengawan Solo River Basin Organisation (BBWS) together with the community. This step aims to improve the water catchment area’s condition while reducing the rate of sedimentation.

“A damaged upstream area is one of the main causes of sedimentation. Therefore, we invite the community to jointly carry out reforestation so that more water enters the reservoir compared to sediment,” said Dody.