Identification of Water Resources in the East Sumba Region for Land Irrigation Requirement

Abstract

East Sumba Regency is one of the regencies in East Nusa Tenggara Province, where is an inseparable part of national development. The topography of East Sumba is generally in the coastal area, sloping to wavy lowland and hilly. Areas with elevations above 1,000 meters are only a few in hilly and mountain areas. One of the dominant and empowering sectors in East Sumba district is the agricultural sector, although the agricultural sector is the first place in regional income, the area of rice fields that can be cultivated is only 11% of the total district land area, it’s because the water supply problem. The problem of water supply in East Nusa Tenggara Province is caused by many factors, namely rainfall, soil, vegetation, water sources, locations to utilize, reservoirs, air quality, supporting facilities and infrastructure, and the community. From the results of this study, it was found that there are several recommendations for the use of water sources: (1) Surface Water, there are 5 rivers namely Melolo, Rindi Majangga, Tatung, Mburukulu and Kaliongga rivers which are always available with water. The water from these rivers can be utilized by taking and flowing it to the location of artificial reservoirs in the riverside area. (2) Reservoirs and Irrigation Pipes: it is possible to build several dams in the upstream area of the land area next to the river. The irrigation combination system uses pipe, gravity, and pump. (3) Underground Water: water from underground has a small potential with a discharge of about 0.1 - 1 liter per second. However, there are indications that the water is used by local residents by using artesian wells. (4) Desalination: Very Possible with Seawater Reverse Osmosis System (SWRO) to irrigate concession lands near the coast.