"We are preparing flood control measures in the Sario River, Tikala River, and Tondano River areas to continue the previous program," the ministry's director general of rivers and beaches of the directorate general of water resources Bob Arthur Lombogia stated in Manado, Monday.
Lombogia said his side had sought cooperation from Manado Mayor Andrei Angouw and his staff for construction of the embankment.
He drew attention to various flood control structures, ranging from those that hold water to those controlling floods and maximizing the acceleration of water flow.
The construction of this embankment is a step to further optimize the role of the Kuwil Kawangkoan Dam that is quite effective in reducing the impact of flooding in Manado City on Friday, January 27, he remarked.
In comparison with the floods in Manado City in 2014, the number of affected locations in 2023 was less than that during the disaster that occurred nine years ago, Lombogia pointed out.
"The current maximum rainfall intensity is 300 millimeters, far above what had occurred in 2014, but four sub-districts and 19 urban villages were affected. This means that the number of affected areas is half than that during the previous disaster in 2014," he stated.
He assessed that if Kuwil Kawangkoan Dam did not play a role in reducing floods, then around 2.3 million m3 of water overflow from several rivers would inundate Manado City even more.
He noted that in future, the ministry will take a loan from the World Bank to intensify the implementation of the "National Urban Flood Resilience Project (NUFReP)" for five cities in Indonesia, including Manado.
Later, the program will cover three rivers in Manado City -- Sario River, Tikala River, and Tondano River -- with a watershed (DAS), Tondano and its downstream part, Tikala.
"Apart from that, the procurement for Bailang and Mahawu rivers will be proposed later because they are still being studied, and there is no master plan or detailed design yet," he stated.
Lombogia said that the loan through the World Bank will be carried out next March as well as the auction process that will be held for six to seven months.
Manado City is crossed by Tondano River, Tikala River, Mahawu River, Bailang River, Sario River, and Malalayang River.
The Kuwil Kawangkoan Dam is connected and is in the same system as the Tondano River and Lake, with the objective of reducing flooding in Manado City and its surroundings by 25 percent, or 146.6 m3/second.
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Translator: Luthfi Miranda P, Resinta S
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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