February 5, 2026 | 06:08 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Budi Heru Santosa, an Associate Researcher at the Limnology and Water Resources Research Center, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), stated that both river naturalization and river normalization are equally effective for solving river problems and controlling flooding in Jakarta if implemented with the right methods. "There should be no conflicting views on which is better, naturalization or river normalization. Both can be implemented when necessary," said Budi, during a discussion at the BJ Habibie Building, Central Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
However, Budi cautioned that these two methods have different characteristics and impacts. "Where there is no land, normalization is sufficient. But if there is usable land, it can be returned to naturalization. That's my view. The handling varies depending on the case," he said.
Previously, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung announced plans to normalize three rivers in Jakarta: the Ciliwung, Krukut, and Cakung Lama, as a flood control solution. He stated that Jakarta's maximum capacity can only accommodate around 150 millimeters of rainfall per day before widespread flooding occurs. This is the basis for the policy.
"If that can be done, ladies and gentlemen, then we have already taken precautionary measures, although, as Jakarta stands, if rainfall exceeds 200 mm, flood management is essential," Pramono said.
Why Jakarta Chose Normalization
Normalization was chosen because it is considered to have a direct and measurable impact on increasing river drainage capacity. Widening, deepening, dredging, and strengthening river walls are considered to be more rapid in reducing flooding in downstream areas. The Jakarta government positions normalization as a medium- to long-term solution in critical segments that have been mapped.
The Governor's Special Staff for Public Communications, Cyril Raoul Hakim, also known as Chico Hakim, stated that silting, sedimentation, and buildings on the riverbanks have altered the natural flow and reduced the capacity to accommodate rainwater and runoff from upstream. In this situation, flooding easily occurs even if the rainfall is not considered extreme.
"The narrow width of the river further limits its capacity," he said on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. He added that the Jakarta government also made the decision to normalize the river to address the annual flooding problem. "(Normalization) is a concrete medium- to long-term solution."
Dani Aswara contributed for this article.
Read: Bekasi to Normalize CBL River to Overcome Annual Flooding
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