KBRN, Semarang: The ongoing normalization project of the Wulan River in Central Java is expected to reduce the flood-affected area by up to 303.5 hectares. The project traverses the regencies of Demak, Kudus, and Jepara.

The acting governor of Central Java, Nana Sudjana, inspected the project in Goleng Hamlet, Pasuruhan Lor Village, Jati Subdistrict, Kudus Regency on Thursday, February 6, 2025.

"From 2024 to 2026, there are numbers of activities to prevent floods, including river normalization, embankment raising, and sediment dredging," Nana said during the inspection, as quoted by rri.co.id.

He added that other efforts to prevent floods include restoring the function of forests in mountainous and hilly areas, as the conversion of forest land in the upper reaches of the river is one of the main causes of floods.

"Wa as the Central Java Provincial Administration along with the central government and the regencies administrations, are jointly measures to prevent flooding," he said.

The Pemali-Juana River Basin Agency Head Fikri Abdurrachman added that the three projects, covering 30 kilometers, are being carried out by three contractors.

"So far, around 4 percent of the project has been completed. A total length of 30 kilometers with a value of IDR 1.1 trillion, covering Kudus, Demak, and Jepara," he said.

According to Fikri, the Wulan River's current capacity is 700 cubic meters per second. The normalization and embankment raising project will increase this capacity to 1,300 cubic meters per second.

The focus is on dredging to increase depth. "The embankment material still uses soil, which is still the best option. If we use concrete, it is prone to collapse due to soil movement," he explained. ***