City 'can't go it alone' on flood control master plan

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It is now one of the most frequently put questions: "Does the Jakarta administration have a drainage and flood mitigation master plan?"

The answer is, yes.

"But it's been difficult to materialize ... We expected the central government to take it over," city secretary Ritola Tasmaya said Thursday during a meeting with the Regional Representatives Council.

The master plan -- consisting of a land-structuring control system; drainage system repair; sluice gate and artificial lake construction; river dredging and the relocation of riverside residential areas -- was drafted in 2002, after a huge flood hit the city.

Besides the difficulties of putting the plan into practice without the full support of the administrations of the upland cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi, the plan was delayed due to the change of government in 2004, Ritola said.

He said the project, which required a total investment of Rp 18.2 trillion, should be taken over by the central government to spare it from the same fate as the East Flood Canal project, which was initially scheduled for completion this year, but was delayed until 2010 due to unforeseen problems, including budget cuts and the complicated process of land acquisition.

The drainage plan was drafted more than 20 years ago, but it focuses only on releasing floodwater as fast as possible into the sea.

The plan, made available to The Jakarta Post, shows the 13 rivers that run through the river blocked by huge canals that stop them from reaching low-lying areas.

The drainage system includes the Dutch-built West Flood Canal, the East Flood Canal and Cengkareng Drain.

"The canals would intercept floodwater from all rivers before it reached low-lying areas," said I Gede Nyoman Soewandi, the head of the Jakarta Public Works Agency's water resources development division.

The reconstruction of the more than 60-year-old canals will increase their capacity, he added.

The master plan, reworked by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, shows the only way to utilize rainwater for the purposes of effective urban water control is to protect lakes in southern Jakarta.

Asked whether the administration would revise the master plan due to the sharp decrease in water catchment areas both in Jakarta and its supporting regions, I Gede Nyoman acknowledged the administration was facing difficulties in realizing it.

"Even if we landscaped a one-kilometer stretch of the river, there would be a five-km section that had been damaged by human activity. That's why we've set no deadline for realizing the plan.

"The riverbanks are getting more crowded, forcing land prices up. The rivers have lost their ability to reestablish their natural functions"

The total length of rivers in the city is about 500 km.

The administration has conceded being late to establish drainage strategies to accommodate the volume of water entering the city from upland areas.

Only 2.9 percent of Jakarta has been utilized for its drainage system, lower than the recommended 8 percent.

Environmentalists say the lack of green space in the city has increased the flood risk.

Green areas account for 5,911 hectares or 9 percent of city land.

The administration plans to make 9,544 hectares, or 13.94 percent of city land, open and green space by 2010.

Governor Sutiyoso said the diminishing catchment areas in Bogor, Puncak and Depok had also contributed to the recent flood, which left 70 percent of the capital under water.