- Type of project
- Developing a pilot polder
- Location
- Semarang (Indonesia)
- Continent
- Asia
- Company
- Witteveen + Bos
- Client
- Government of Indonesia
- Period
- 2001-
- Contract value
- 2,500,00
- Objective
Improve the living conditions of the 85.000 inhabitants of the Banger Polder Area.
Project information
In 2001 Witteveen+Bos organised a seminar that proposed polder systems as a possible solution for flood problems in waterfront cities in Indonesia. To prove that the polder concept can contribute to lower flood risks, it has been decided to develop a pilot polder in the city of Semarang. As time progresses the waterfront city of Semarang is flooded more often due to large land subsidence and rising sea levels. This causes disturbance to society and disrupts economic development, because companies leave the area.
Description of project
Phases
The Semarang Pilot Polder project initially comprised of four phases, (1) Feasibility study , (2) institutional implementation of a Polder Authority (PA) in co-operation with the Dutch Schieland and Krimpenerwaard District Water Board (HSSK), (3) the technical design of the Pilot Polder, (4) knowledge transfer by the establishment of guidelines, addressing the experience of previous phases. Now we arrived at the final stage, implementation and sustainment.
The physical conditions are quite different from the Dutch situation. For instance: the pilot area is densely built and contains an organic network of infrastructure, the rainfall is 5 times as intense and, moreover, the pilot area is subject to land subsidence of approximately 10 cm per year.
Implementation
Beside the challenging technical aspects, the implementation of the polder concept in the existing social structures is a tough job. To manage the implementation, a PA has been set up in co-operation with local authorities. Gradually, the PA will take on responsibility for the polder management. In order to establish appropriate management, public support is essential. This requires extensive contacts with representatives of the local community. The PA were trained on the basis of the polder guideline and intensive courses. At the end of 2009, the polder design and the guideline will were handed over to the PA.
At the moment parts of the design are being implemented and the PA is established, still receiving back-up of Dutch experts from Witteveen+Bos and HSSK.
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