Cipanas Dam Will Supply Irrigation And Baku Water Supply In The Tambourine Area

Cipanas Dam (Photo: Ministry of PUPR)

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) said that one of the National Strategic Projects (PSN), namely the Cipanas Dam in Sumedang, West Java, was able to supply water for irrigation 9,273 hectares (ha) of agricultural land while supplying raw water for the Cirebon-Patimban-Kertajati (Rebana) economic area.

"The construction of the dam will contribute to water, food, energy and provide space for economic growth," said PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono in a written statement, quoted Thursday, January 11.

Basuki said, apart from being an irrigation water source to increase planting intensity, supplying raw water needs and flood and energy control (PLTA), dams can also become regional icons or landmarks.

"So, it is able to generate new tourist destinations and trigger local economic growth," he said.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of PUPR Endra S Atmawidjaja said the construction of the Cipanas Dam had started since November 2016 until it was completed in December 2023.

This dam has a capacity of 251 million cubic meters or about 10 times larger than the Kuningan Dam.

"Currently, dam occupancy has reached 10 percent and the volume of storage continues to increase in the rainy season. The status is ready to be inaugurated," he said.

Endra said the Cipanas Dam has irrigation supply benefits covering an area of 9,273 hectares for agricultural areas in Sumedang and Indramayu Regencies, especially in the Cipanas, Cikawung and Cibunut Irrigation (DI) areas.

This dam is also able to meet the raw water needs of 850 liters per second in the Cirebon-Patimban-Kertajati (Rebana) triangle area in Indramayu and Sumedang Regencies.

Meanwhile, Head of the Cimanuk-Cisanggarung River Basin Center (BBWS) Dwi Agus Kuncoro said that irrigation water support from the Cipanas Dam is expected to increase the planting intensity of farmers in Sumedang and Indramayu Regencies from using the rainshed method which only produces one harvest a year to two or three harvests.

Meanwhile, for raw water fulfillment, it has been designed for industrial estates in Sumedang Regency of 650 liters per second and the need for drinking water for people in Terisi District, Indramayu Regency, of 200 liters per second.

In addition, Dwi Agus added that this dam also functions as a hydro-powered power plant (PLTMH) of 3 MW and for flood control, which can reduce 84 percent of flood discharge or about 243 cubic meters per second or a series by reducing 700 ha areas that are flooded.

"It is hoped that this dam can really support the development of the Tambourine area, both from irrigation supplies and other non-irrigation benefits. So, it can have an impact on local economic developments, especially for the development of industrial estates in the northern Sumedang area," he said.

The Cipanas Dam is an upright core embankment type dam that is built as high as 71 meters (m) with a length of 361 m and an inundation area of 1,316 ha.

The construction of the Cipanas Dam was carried out by the implementing contractor PT Wijaya Karya-PT Jaya Konstruksi (KSO) for the construction of dams and PT Brantas Abipraya (Persero) for the construction of supporting infrastructure with a total construction cost of IDR 2.06 trillion.