Banda Aceh (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Public Works Ministry is accelerating construction of six sabo dams in the upper Aceh River basin to support regional post-disaster recovery and bolster long-term flood mitigation efforts, officials said Tuesday.
The project forms part of a broader master plan to manage river basins across Aceh province.
“We have six dams planned for this year, with the entire project scheduled for completion by 2028, in line with the master plan for post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction in Sumatra,” Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said during an inspection in Aceh Besar.
Under the expanded initiative, the ministry plans to construct a total of 42 debris-control structures—up from an initial target of 40—across disaster-prone areas, including Gayo Lues, Southeast Aceh, and the Peusangan watershed.
Sabo dams are engineered to retain and regulate sediment, mud, and debris originating from upper river reaches during severe flooding.
“We have added two more sabo dams to the plan, bringing the total to 42,” Hanggodo said. “We are accelerating their construction, particularly in Gayo Lues.”
Alongside upstream containment, the ministry is prioritizing downstream interventions to prevent flash flooding and river overflows.
Works currently underway include dredging river estuaries and reinforcing riverbanks.
“Our initial focus is on the estuary; we’ll carry out dredging and reinforce the estuary area, and once that is complete, we will move further upstream into the river,” Hanggodo added.
Once coastal and estuary works are finalized, recovery crews will begin river normalization and large-scale silt removal along the middle and upper stretches of the affected waterways.
Translator: Rahmat Fajri, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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