Cibodas Biosphere Reserve-Ciliwung River Basin: Role and Problems Related to Eco-DRR Management in Indonesia

Floods are serious hazard in Indonesia. A number of 118 flood disasters were recorded between 1980 and 2010. In the beginning of January 2014, during two weeks, the Capital City of Indonesia, Jakarta, and outlying areas have experienced continued rains causing river overflows and inundation. Thousands of houses, buildings, and roads were flooded. Approximately 134,662 persons or 38,672 households in 100 urban villages were directly affected by the flood. At least 62,819 persons were displaced and sheltered in 253 displacement centers. Telephone lines and electricity networks were disrupted. Floodwaters blocked some major roads. Flood water levels varied from 0.2 m up to 1.2 m and were at around 2 m at the river banks. Flood disaster as an environmental hazard are influenced by many factors including change in climate, and socio economic development. Prolonged and intense rainfall, an increasing amount of runoff, and human activities are considered to cause flooding in this country. The section of Ciliwung in Jakarta is heavily polluted. Informal settlements or slums flourished on the banks of Ciliwung, increasing the amount of waste and reducing the surface area of the river. Some canals were completely blocked by slums and people created informal gardens inside by drying the canals. Water maintenance and ecological awareness are minimal. With many of the original forest converted into settlements within the watershed area, flooding is experienced annually. The Cibodas Biosphere Reserve includes Gede and Pangrango Mounts National Park and Botanical Garden. It is an upstream area to the city of Jakarta and has played an important role to conserve water and control flooding of Ciliwung River Jakarta. Ciliwung, the main river flows into a densely populated area in Jakarta. The catchment area is around 337 km2 with 110 km length of river. The average annual rainfall is 2,500 mm. Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) is very needed to be implemented in the Biosphere Reserve integrated management, i.e.: in the ecosystem of mountain forests, includes vegetation on hillsides; wetlands, riverbank coastal and dry land ecosystems. It will emphasis on investments in sustainable development, especially in the prevention phases or conservation. International Conference Analysis and Management of Changing Risks for Natural Hazards. Hal. 1-10