Hydrological consequences of land use/land cover change in Indonesia: Impacts, trends, and disaster mitigation

This study aims to examine the consequences of land use/land cover change (LULCC) in Indonesia, focusing on the triggering factors for hydrological disasters and exploring mitigation strategies. The three major LULCC in Indonesia, namely changes from forests to oil palm, from forests to agriculture, and from agriculture to settlements. Increasing surface flow and decreasing infiltration rate associated with LULCC are among the key contributing factors to major floods in various regions in Indonesia, acting in conjunction with high rainfall intensity and topographic conditions. On the other hand, reduced water reserves and base flows have caused drought and water shortages in several regions. Conversion from forest to oil palm cultivation impacts hydrology due to high transpiration and soil compaction, resulting in reduced water infiltration and reduced water reserves and base flow. LULCC from forest to dry land agriculture and from agricultural land to settlement increase surface runoff, reduced infiltration, and decreased base flow. Recommended mitigation techniques, which include managing leaf piles and mud pits for oil palm cultivation, agroforestry, and soil-water conservation for LULCC from forest to farms. Meanwhile, for LULCC from agricultural land to residential areas, it is necessary to evaluate land use planning, polder construction, and base retention measures. These things are done to reduce the negative impacts of economic and physical development.