Water balance analysis and hydraulic structure design to prevent peatland fires

Abstract

Land fires have become a new phenomenon in Indonesia that has occurred continuously every year and on a large scale since 2010. Land fires mostly occur on peatlands during the dry season and the focus of this research is to find the solution for fire problem in peatlands. In this case, a hydrological approach is carried out to explain the causes of the fires that occur, and a solution is also made using this scientific approach. Many peatland fires occured when the groundwater level on the peat reaches 0.4 m below the surface of the land. Then a water balance analysis was carried out to calculate the potential for water in peatlands and also the water needed for evapotranspiration and other needs. After obtaining the amount of water demand, a long storage design with a volume of 1,097,344 m 3 was planned which was divided into six reservoirs. Long storage was designed with a transverse length of 35 m in the canals and with runners that have a height of 4 m from the riverbed. With storage in long storage, it was hoped that the existing water can be used in an effort to rewet peatlands and prevent potential fires.