Dredging The Reservoirs to Control Floods (Jakarta)

To anticipate flood in Jelambar, Grogolpetamburan, West Jakarta plans to build a five-hectare reservoir in Jelambar in 2011. The reservoir is projected to overcome flood in Jelambar area, such as Jelambarbaru and Wijayakusuma Urban Villages, two densely populated areas vulnerable to being submerged.

“We have budgeted the project of reservoir in Jelambar,” said Heryanto, Head of West Jakarta Sub-dept. of Public Works Water System to The reservoir will be built there because Jelambar is surrounded by wide rivers like Grogol River, Angke River, Banjir Kanal River and Sekretaris River. Those two areas were submerged by water from Angke and Grogol Rivers in the last flood. It is hoped the reservoir could prevent flood in Jelambar. “The reservoir will help reducing flood,” said Heryanto.

The reservoir will immediately be built if the budget of Rp 10 billion in APBD 2011 is agreed by City Council. It will be located across Grogol reservoir. So far, the sub-dept. has owned 1.7 hectares of land there.

“We need to acquire the land which is occupied by residential houses for the reservoir project,” explained Heryanto.

There are six reservoirs in West Jakarta functioning to control flood in West Jakarta. Those reservoirs are in Grogol, Tomangbarat, Cengkareng Film Complex, Rawabuaya, and in Jatipulo. Unfortunately, most of the reservoirs do not optimally control the flood in West Jakarta because of sedimentation. The reservoirs accommodate water from rainfalls. “To anticipate high intensity of rainfalls, the reservoirs should be dredged,” said Heryanto.

The institution which is responsible for the dredging would be City dept. of Public Works. The sub-dept. has only responsibility for cleaning the surface. The reservoirs are functioned by pumps and they are in good condition. Only one reservoir is not in good condition; Rawabuaya reservoir does not have optimal pump. “The pump has less capacity. But we cannot intervene because the reservoir is owned by third party,” he stated.

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Source: beritajakarta, June 1, 2010;