Indonesia's Public Works Ministry Deploys 290 Personnel, 58 Heavy Equipment Units to Prepare for El Niño Impact

JAKARTA — Indonesia's Ministry of Public Works has deployed 290 personnel and 58 units of equipment to anticipate potential drought caused by the 2026 El Niño phenomenon in West Java.

The measure aims to ensure a stable water supply for agricultural irrigation, drinking water services, and the operation of water resources infrastructure throughout the dry season.

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said the government has established an El Niño Response Task Force to strengthen coordination among organizational units within the ministry.

According to Dody, the effects of El Niño extend beyond agriculture and could also disrupt Drinking Water Supply Systems (SPAM) and dam operations.

"To anticipate El Niño, we have established a task force because the impact will not be limited to irrigation and drought-stricken rice fields. In several areas, drinking water supply systems and dams may also experience water shortages," Dody said in a written statement released Monday.

As part of its preparedness efforts, the Cimanuk Cisanggarung River Basin Agency (BBWS Cimanuk Cisanggarung) has optimized its mitigation system through the Flood and Drought Control Infrastructure Management Unit (UP3BK).

The integrated system combines real-time monitoring of dams, weirs, drought-prone areas, water operation management, call center services, rapid response teams, and interagency coordination to ensure swift responses to any disruption affecting water services.

A total of 290 personnel have been assigned throughout the dry season to ensure that all water resources infrastructure remains fully operational.

Daily monitoring covers nine dams, 33 small reservoirs, 23 lakes, 25 diversion weirs, and irrigation networks across the agency's operational area.

As of June 30, 2026, the nine monitored dams—Jatigede, Cipanas, Darma, Kuningan, Malahayu, Setupatok, Sedong, Bolang, and Rancabeureum—held a combined water storage volume of approximately 1.10 billion cubic meters.

The ministry said the available reserves remain sufficient to support irrigation for around 136,254 hectares of agricultural land during the dry season.

Water releases from the dams are being carefully regulated based on reservoir conditions and field demand.

The controlled operation is intended to secure irrigation supplies, provide raw water for public use, support hydroelectric power generation, and preserve water reserves throughout the dry season.

Reservoir elevation, storage volume, and discharge rates are monitored daily to support operational decision-making.

In addition to safeguarding water availability, the ministry continues to strengthen irrigation infrastructure.

During the 2025 fiscal year, rehabilitation of primary irrigation networks was carried out at 69 locations, while tertiary irrigation improvements under the Acceleration Program for Irrigation Water Management (P3TGAI) covered 441 locations.

The government also implemented the Presidential Instruction on Accelerating Irrigation Development at 69 locations and constructed groundwater irrigation systems (JIAT) at 45 locations.

As part of its climate adaptation strategy, the Cimanuk Cisanggarung River Basin Agency is also promoting Water-Efficient Rice Irrigation (IPHA), which uses an intermittent irrigation system to reduce water consumption without compromising crop productivity.

The ministry expects the technology to improve water-use efficiency while helping farmers increase agricultural yields.

To prepare for possible drought conditions, the Ministry of Public Works has also readied 58 units of equipment, including 16 excavators, dump trucks, trailers, mobile pumps, water tank trucks, water pumps, solar-powered pumps, drilling machines, and geoelectrical survey equipment.

The equipment will be used to distribute clean water, irrigate farmland, maximize water pumping, identify groundwater resources through geoelectrical surveys, and construct deep wells in areas experiencing water shortages.

Through these measures, the ministry said it is implementing early mitigation efforts against El Niño by integrating water resources management, strengthening dam and irrigation operations, and ensuring the readiness of personnel and equipment to maintain water security and support Indonesia's national food security.