South Kalimantan Forestry Department and BWS Prepare Hydrological Monitoring Posts for Flood Mitigation
The South Kalimantan Forestry Department (Dishut) and the Kalimantan III River Basin Organisation (BKS) are finalising plans to construct water level monitoring posts and rainfall stations to strengthen flood mitigation through accurate hydrological data as an early warning system.
The Head of the Watershed Management and Forest and Land Rehabilitation Division of the South Kalimantan Forestry Department, Alip Winarto, stated in Banjarbaru on Thursday that the construction plan involves representatives from BWS Kalimantan III, the Sultan Adam Forest Park (Tahura), and the South Kalimantan Forestry Department.
He noted that this activity is part of the implementation of the National Urban Flood Resilience Project (NUFReP), which focuses on increasing regional resilience to flood risks by strengthening hydrological monitoring infrastructure and developing more reliable water resource information systems. He emphasised that the South Kalimantan Forestry Department supports efforts to improve water resource monitoring systems, as accurate hydrological data is a vital instrument in supporting environmental management planning and disaster mitigation.
“Through good coordination, it is hoped that the plan to build these hydrological posts can proceed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations while maintaining the function of the forest areas,” he said.
The Commitment Making Officer for Water Resources Management at BWS Kalimantan III, Ulin Nurul Aini, stated that the construction of water level gauges and rainfall stations is intended to support the availability of accurate and sustainable hydrological data as a basis for water resource management and disaster risk reduction.
According to her, the presence of these monitoring facilities will strengthen the Early Warning System, ensuring that information regarding hydrological conditions can be obtained more quickly to support anticipatory measures and the handling of potential floods. In addition to discussing the construction plans, both agencies also reviewed various technical and administrative aspects required for the licensing process, including the suitability of the construction sites with forest area management regulations. Both institutions are committed to strengthening cross-agency coordination to ensure the construction of hydrological monitoring posts is effective, supports flood mitigation, and provides the necessary data for water resource management in South Kalimantan.