Indonesian 'Karien Dam' Completed with Korean Technology...Water Supply and Tourism Benefits

Karian Dam in Java Island, Banten Province
Prevents Ground Subsidence by Supplying Drinking Water to the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Designed and Supervised by Korea Rural Community Corporation
Dam Construction Completed... Landscaping Work Underway

The multipurpose dam 'Karian Dam,' which will supply drinking water to 4 million residents in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is about to begin full-scale operation. It is the third largest dam in Indonesia, and it has attracted attention as a large amount of Korean technology was applied from design to construction. The dam is expected to serve various roles such as flood prevention and small hydropower generation. There are also prospects that it will become a local attraction.

The area around Karian Dam in Banten Province, Java Island, Indonesia, on the 25th of last month. Photo by Kim Pyeonghwa

On the 25th of last month, I traveled about three hours from Jakarta, Indonesia, to visit Karian Dam located in Banten Province on Java Island. After arriving near Karian Dam, driving along a road lined densely with palm trees on both sides, I reached the dam site, which was so widely developed that the view opened up broadly.

Karian Dam is located on a tributary of the Ciujung River, which runs through Banten Province about 100 km southwest of Jakarta. In terms of scale, it is the third largest dam facility in Indonesia. It is 516 meters long and 63 meters high, with a storage capacity of 315 million cubic meters (tons). This is similar in scale to Korea's Paldang Dam.

The Karian Dam area consists of the main dam, auxiliary dam, support towers, and intake tunnels. Construction began in 2013, and the main facilities are now completed, with finishing works such as landscaping underway. Water impoundment started in September last year, and as of last month, the reservoir is 79% full.

Karian Dam has attracted attention not only locally but also in Korea because Korean technology and capital were invested. Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC) succeeded in winning the Karian Dam project in 2014 based on over 100 years of Korean dam technology and took charge of design and supervision, while DL E&C entered the dam construction by forming a consortium with a local state-owned company.

While many dams in Korea were built to suit narrow and deep river terrains, Karian Dam is characterized by its wide and shallow width. KRC designed Karian Dam reflecting the geographical characteristics of Indonesia, where river scales are not as large as in Korea.

Karian Dam will play a key role in supplying various water resources to Jakarta and Banten Province in the future. It will be responsible for drinking water for the western region of Jakarta, home to 4 million people, and will supply agricultural water near the dam. For Indonesia, which worries about ground subsidence due to excessive groundwater use, this project is essential.

Choi Nak-won, head of the Karian Dam division at KRC's Global Business Department, said on site, "60 to 70% of Jakarta residents use groundwater," adding, "Excessive use has caused repeated ground subsidence and seawater intrusion." He explained, "If multipurpose water supply is provided through this project, ground subsidence can be alleviated. This is the purpose of our project."

Karian Dam will also play a role in disaster prevention by controlling floods. A small hydropower plant with a capacity of 1.8 MW is also planned. Through landscaping facilities around the dam, it can be developed into a local tourist destination. KRC explained that nearby residents already visit Karian Dam to tour and relax, making it a well-known attraction.

Of course, there are remaining challenges to realize these plans. Even if Karian Dam is ready for operation, a water conveyance channel must be constructed to supply drinking water to Jakarta, which is 50 km away. Currently, Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) is promoting a public-private partnership (PPP) project, but it is expected to take considerable time.

However, once the construction of the water conveyance channel is completed, Karian Dam is expected to immediately fulfill its role. KRC plans to successfully promote various projects including Karian Dam to enhance the status of K-technology locally.

Oh Young-in, head of the Indonesia office at KRC, whom I met locally, said, "We will discover many projects where KRC's technology (K-Rural Engineering Technology) can be applied in Indonesia in the future," adding, "By creating many projects and leading with KRC's flag, gathering private engineering companies, and discovering many Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects, there will be more opportunities for domestic companies to participate."