Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has officiated the Tugu Dam in Trenggalek District and Gongseng Dam in Bojonegoro District in East Java Province.

"Thank God, we have two additional large dams in East Java Province, i.e., Gongseng Dam in Bojonegoro and also Tugu Dam in Trenggalek District," Jokowi stated in Trenggalek, East Java, on Tuesday.

The president noted that the two dams were ready to be operated to boost food security in the area.

"Tugu Dam was built at a cost of Rp1.69 trillion (around US$117 million), with a capacity of 12 million cubic meters, and provides irrigation benefits covering 1,250 hectares," he emphasized.

Gongseng Dam has a capacity of 22 million cubic meters and can irrigate 6,200 hectares.

"We expect that with these two dams, community agricultural activities will increase, and farmers will become more productive and plant and harvest more often, so that their income would increase," the president remarked.

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Tugu Dam was built on an area spanning 104 hectares in Nglinggis Village, Tugu Sub-district, Trenggalek, East Java. Tugu Dam has a foundation depth of 27.85 meters and a height of 81 meters from the riverbed. The Tugu Dam project was completed by PT. Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk.

The dam is also targeted to produce 400 liters of water per second to support around eight thousand people in three villages.

On the other hand, the Gongseng dam was built with a height of 34 meters and can provide raw water at 300 liters per second. It was said to offer five potential benefits in the form of irrigating 6,191 hectares, ensuring raw water supply, supporting tourism conservation, reducing floods by up to 133.27 cubic meters per second, and micro hydro power plant potential of 0.7 megawatts.

The dam can also irrigate six sub-districts, comprising Sumberejo, Kanor, Balen, Kepohbaru, and Baureno.

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Translator: Desca L N, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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