JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), Basuki Hadimuljono emphasized that the Wilalung flood gate or Wilalung Flood Control Building (BPBWL) on the border of Kudus and Demak regencies may be opened if conditions are critical.
"The Wilalung flood gate was originally built by the Netherlands in 1908 to divide the water from the Lusi River to the right to the Juwana River as a swamp area," he said during a working visit in Kudus and Jepara, Thursday, January 12, during an intermediate visit.
So, when the water discharge in the Lusi River increased, it was deliberately channeled into the Juwana River for deposition into rice fields.
However, he said, now it has developed into urban areas, so it cannot function as a basic retardation (retention column), so that all doors are closed.
"There are 11 total doors leading to the Juwana River, while only three doors can be opened. That can also be opened when critical," he said.
Thus, he said, the water from the Lusi River is currently only flowed towards the Wulan River.
Because along the flow of the Wulan River experiencing severe sedimentation, the Central Government has prepared a budget to normalize, so that the water capacity can be maximized.
The total length of the river to be normalized reaches 47 kilometers, so that it can minimize the potential for flooding in Kudus Regency and its surroundings.
The increase in the Wulan River's water discharge has approached the edge of the embankment, causing the flood control pump engine to not be operated to reduce puddles in Jati Wetan Village, Jati District, Kudus Regency. So, more than 14 days of flooding in local villages has not subsided.
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