Chapter 20
Hydrological Management Practices
Alue Dohong and Lisa Tanika
Abstract Indonesia has the largest tropical peatland globally. This unique but
fragile ecosystem provides a range of ecosystem services such as biodiversity
conservation, carbon storage, hydrological as well as social-economic benefits,
and so forth. Despite these values and services, around 50% of the country’s
peatland experienced degradation due to several factors, namely logging, land use
conversion, drainage, and recurrent fires. Peatland degradation has brought negative
consequences for the economy, society, and environment, namely climate change
resulted from CO 2 emissions.
One major element of peat swamp ecosystem is hydrology, which together with
vegetation and peat substrate creates a natural and balanced peat ecosystem. Hydrological balance plays a key role to sustain peatland ecosystem as ninety percent of
peatland comprises water. Removal of peatland vegetation cover and construction of
artificial drainage canals lead to the disturbance of hydrological balance, which in
turn propagates negative impacts to the ecosystem in the form of over-drainage
resulting in peat subsidence due to peat oxidation, consolidation, and compaction.
This chapter aims at outlining the factors of peatland hydrological disturbances
and management strategy therefore, which is addressed via estimation of the impacts
by employing peatland hydrological restoration applied in Indonesia. The chapter
ends with investigative case study of canal blocking impacts on hydrological
dynamics in Central Kalimantan.
Keywords Artificial canal · Canal blocking · Hydrological · Over-drainage ·
Restoration
A. Dohong (*)
Peatland Restoration Agency, Republic of Indonesia, Badan Restorasi Gambut Republik
Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Palangka Raya University, Jalan Yos Sudarso Kampus Tunjung Nyaho, Palangka Raya,
Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia
e-mail: alue.dohong@brg.go.id; https://www.brg.go.id
L. Tanika
Peatland Restoration Agency, Republic of Indonesia, Badan Restorasi Gambut Republik
Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Osaki et al. (eds.), Tropical Peatland Eco-management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4654-3_20
567
Hydrological Management Practices
Alue Dohong and Lisa Tanika
Abstract Indonesia has the largest tropical peatland globally. This unique but
fragile ecosystem provides a range of ecosystem services such as biodiversity
conservation, carbon storage, hydrological as well as social-economic benefits,
and so forth. Despite these values and services, around 50% of the country’s
peatland experienced degradation due to several factors, namely logging, land use
conversion, drainage, and recurrent fires. Peatland degradation has brought negative
consequences for the economy, society, and environment, namely climate change
resulted from CO 2 emissions.
One major element of peat swamp ecosystem is hydrology, which together with
vegetation and peat substrate creates a natural and balanced peat ecosystem. Hydrological balance plays a key role to sustain peatland ecosystem as ninety percent of
peatland comprises water. Removal of peatland vegetation cover and construction of
artificial drainage canals lead to the disturbance of hydrological balance, which in
turn propagates negative impacts to the ecosystem in the form of over-drainage
resulting in peat subsidence due to peat oxidation, consolidation, and compaction.
This chapter aims at outlining the factors of peatland hydrological disturbances
and management strategy therefore, which is addressed via estimation of the impacts
by employing peatland hydrological restoration applied in Indonesia. The chapter
ends with investigative case study of canal blocking impacts on hydrological
dynamics in Central Kalimantan.
Keywords Artificial canal · Canal blocking · Hydrological · Over-drainage ·
Restoration
A. Dohong (*)
Peatland Restoration Agency, Republic of Indonesia, Badan Restorasi Gambut Republik
Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Palangka Raya University, Jalan Yos Sudarso Kampus Tunjung Nyaho, Palangka Raya,
Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia
e-mail: alue.dohong@brg.go.id; https://www.brg.go.id
L. Tanika
Peatland Restoration Agency, Republic of Indonesia, Badan Restorasi Gambut Republik
Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Osaki et al. (eds.), Tropical Peatland Eco-management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4654-3_20
567