Finally, the technologies used in the peatlands should be simple, low cost, and easy
to maintain because they are meaningless if they are not widely used by national,
local governments, communities, as well as other countries.
3.12.2 Water Stock/Reservoir, Irrigation, and Water Cycle
There have been many reports on the importance and arrangement of canal blocking
in relation to peatland dryness, peat fires, peat subsidence, and CO 2 emissions (e.g.,
Urzainki et al. 2020; Ritzema et al. 2014; Armstrong et al. 2009). As Urzainki et al.
(2020) indicated, the relationship between canal blocking and groundwater level
(GWL) is complex and depends on factors such as the topography of the canal
network, site topography, peat hydraulic properties, vegetation characteristics, and
meteorological conditions. However, even if the factors that determine the GWLs
are complex, the management approach itself should not be complex. For example, a
detailed topographic map should be available to determine the basic canal network
and locations of canal blocking. Thus, peat management must be achieved not only
by companies that can invest costs and labor but also by the government, local
governments, and even local communities, which must cover Indonesia.
The first thing that needs to be addressed is to block the existing canal for
drainage purposes. In particular, where the canal is located on the slope of a peat
dome, canal blocking must be used to stop the water flow from the top to the bottom
of the slope (water stock). In addition, an area at the top of the peat dome should be
designed to have a water storage function (water reservoir). It does not require any
particular infrastructure technology, but simply brings the GWL close to the natural
state, i.e., the GWL to 0 cm. Since the reservoir also had the function of a
conservation area, the surrounding area should be enclosed by a buffer zone.
These activities increase the water storage capacity of the peat dome, but when
examining the entire dome, a large variation in GWLs is apparent. That is, high
GWLs and extremely low GWLs occur in some areas. A network of canals along the
contour line should be constructed to uniformize the GWL throughout the peat dome
(irrigation). Water storage in peat domes is strongly influenced by seasonal precipitation patterns and evapotranspiration. However, a combination of water stock/
reservoir and irrigation can maintain adequate GWLs throughout the peat dome
(water cycle), which is called Stock-based water management (WM).
3.12.3 New Technology for Large-Scale Eco-Management
of Tropical Peatland
The real-time monitoring system, which is an IoT system, is expected to be a useful
tool in the future because it can provide real-time meteorological data and soil
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T. Kato et al.
to maintain because they are meaningless if they are not widely used by national,
local governments, communities, as well as other countries.
3.12.2 Water Stock/Reservoir, Irrigation, and Water Cycle
There have been many reports on the importance and arrangement of canal blocking
in relation to peatland dryness, peat fires, peat subsidence, and CO 2 emissions (e.g.,
Urzainki et al. 2020; Ritzema et al. 2014; Armstrong et al. 2009). As Urzainki et al.
(2020) indicated, the relationship between canal blocking and groundwater level
(GWL) is complex and depends on factors such as the topography of the canal
network, site topography, peat hydraulic properties, vegetation characteristics, and
meteorological conditions. However, even if the factors that determine the GWLs
are complex, the management approach itself should not be complex. For example, a
detailed topographic map should be available to determine the basic canal network
and locations of canal blocking. Thus, peat management must be achieved not only
by companies that can invest costs and labor but also by the government, local
governments, and even local communities, which must cover Indonesia.
The first thing that needs to be addressed is to block the existing canal for
drainage purposes. In particular, where the canal is located on the slope of a peat
dome, canal blocking must be used to stop the water flow from the top to the bottom
of the slope (water stock). In addition, an area at the top of the peat dome should be
designed to have a water storage function (water reservoir). It does not require any
particular infrastructure technology, but simply brings the GWL close to the natural
state, i.e., the GWL to 0 cm. Since the reservoir also had the function of a
conservation area, the surrounding area should be enclosed by a buffer zone.
These activities increase the water storage capacity of the peat dome, but when
examining the entire dome, a large variation in GWLs is apparent. That is, high
GWLs and extremely low GWLs occur in some areas. A network of canals along the
contour line should be constructed to uniformize the GWL throughout the peat dome
(irrigation). Water storage in peat domes is strongly influenced by seasonal precipitation patterns and evapotranspiration. However, a combination of water stock/
reservoir and irrigation can maintain adequate GWLs throughout the peat dome
(water cycle), which is called Stock-based water management (WM).
3.12.3 New Technology for Large-Scale Eco-Management
of Tropical Peatland
The real-time monitoring system, which is an IoT system, is expected to be a useful
tool in the future because it can provide real-time meteorological data and soil
130
T. Kato et al.