1 Overall Management by PJTII

The following section has been drafted following review of previous studies, in depth meetings with PJT
II at head office, Divisional, Sectional and Pengamat officers and following both reconnaissance level
visits across the whole JIS and more intensive visits within the Binong Section area.

1.1 The JIS System

Need a brief description and a map.

1.2 System Organisation

The JIS is managed by 4 Divisions under PJT II and each Division has Section and Pengamat offices as seen
in Figures 1.

There are number of staff of the Provincial Water Resources Office (Dinas PSDA Provinsi) seconded as gate
operators in the field. The operators of some of the weirs of local headworks are staff of BBWSC whilst
staff operating weirs that supply areas of the JIS are usually PJTII staff.

1.2.1 Water acquisition process for irrigation

PJT II annually issued “Instruksi Direksi” as a plan of water allocation for irrigation (including water
allocation for DMI) based on the result of coordination meeting with 5 Kabupaten Governments within
Jatiluhur Irrigation area which is legalized by Governor decree.

Regarding the Ministry Decree of Public Work and Housing (Permen PUPR) No 12/2015 and (Permen
PUPR) No 17/2015 in principle at the onset of the first planting season the cropping pattern and
calendar are discussed between WUAs and Pengamats. Information for the whole area is
collected and processed by the Section and Division staff from PJTII for subject of discussion
in Komisi Irigasi Kabupatens (5 Kabupatens). Komisi Irigasi Provinsi discuss and
accommodate proposals of 5 Komisi Irigasi Kabupaten including Consequently a draft water
allocation plan for irrigation for the whole area is discussed in a meeting of with the Komisi
Irigasi Provinsi (Provincial Irrigation Council Provincial Irrigation Commission). The commission
prepares a final proposal for the Govenor of West Java, which includes a description of the
proposed cropping intensity and the so-called Golongan system. The proposal is legalised in a
decree (SK Govenor) and referred to as Pola tata Tanam (cropping plan). Based on this
decision and after discussions with the SPKTPA (Secretariat Pelaksanaan Koordinasi tata
Pengatuturan Air (Coordination Unit for Water Allocation)1, the PJTII prepares the water release
schedule for the reservoirs and the water allocation plan for the year. These will take into
account irrigation and DMI (domestic, municipality and industrial) water demand. This principle
however, has not been followed.

1
Comprises staff from 1) BBWS-C, 2) PJTII, 3) PLN and subsidiaries, 4) PT.PJP (Pengbankitan Jawa Balifor operation
of Cirata Reservoir and 5) PT Indonesian Power (operation of Saguling Reservoir), 6) BMKG 9badan Meteorologi,
Klimatologi dan Geofisica), 7) PusAir and 8) Baden Pengkacian dan Penerapan Teknologi.
The water allocation for irrigation is computed based on a number of ‘golongan’, area of each golongan,
and stage of crop growth. Subsequently, the allocation of water in WTC, ETC, NTC and main canals from
cross-river sources (Bekasi, Karang, Beet, Salamdarma, Gadung, Macan, Jengkol, Barugbug) are
determined.

Fine tuning of actual water release and distribution to the three main canals occurs on a bi-
monthly basis: Actual field information is gathered weekly from the WUAs and PPLs by the
PJTII section staff. The information is compiled and discussed during the bi-monthly Tepasa
meetings (with representation of SPKTPA) in which water releases, electricity production, water
distribution and agricultural information are discussed. Adjustments are made for the next two
weeks.

The role of Irrigation Council is to coordinate stakeholders in defining the cropping pattern and its Commented [UP1]: Is this the same as the
schedule. The requirements which are officially stipulated in the Ministry Decree of Public Work and Provincial Irrigation Commission?
Housing (Permen PUPR) No 12/2015 and (Permen PUPR) No 17/2015 have not been followed. Commented [UP2]: This needs more explanation.
Why not followed?
‘The Instruksi Direksi’ is used as guidance for offices of Divisions, Sections and Pengamat in the operation
of canal system. Pengamat and their field staff (Juru) disseminate the defined golongan and its cropping
schedule to the farmers through meetings and by sending an official letter to related offices of kabupaten
governments.

The actual field condition of practiced golongan and cropping schedule are not in accordance with ‘the
Instruksi Direksi’ so that delivering water at turn out structures is following the actual stage of crop
growth. Pengamats and Jurus record the area of actual cropping and report it to the Section Office and
then it is relayed to the Division Office.

Section Offices record discharge at the intakes of local headworks and division structures of WTC, ETC and
NTC. Discharge measurement is carried out by measuring devices structures. It is noted that most of the
measuring devices at the intake of the local headworks need to be rehabilitated as they do not operate
correctly. Many of the secondary canal offtakes from the ETC have measuring structures whilst the tertiary
turnouts, which had Romijn gates no longer function. There are also unmeasured releases from the ETC
into streams to be later picked up at weirs such as Pawelutan and Gadung.

Almost all of measuring devices at turnout structures along secondary canal are missing so that releasing
discharge at the turnout is carried out by estimation from the opening gate. Some juru said they measure
flows by using water bottles as floats whilst others said they estimated flows into tertiary areas from
experience. In the areas close to the ETC considerable drainage flows were seen returned to the secondary
canals afer drop structures.

Division Offices and other PJT II staffs carry out regular meeting to discuss the actual cropping schedule
and the implementation of water distribution for evaluation and are reported in annual report of PJT II.

The cropping schedule is different in each village. Local farmers decide the start of planting date through
farmers’ meeting. Basically, the start of planting date is based on the experience of farmers on rainfall and
water reliability and when pest are likely to arrive or proliferate. There is communication between farmers
and local field staffs of Pengamats in the process of distributing water. There are established Water User Commented [UP3]: You mean juru?
Association (Mitra Cai) and Agriculture extension worker in some particular villages and on a more
informal basis in others where water is managed by an appointed ulu ulu. The cropping pattern is almost
universally two rice crops a year.

Most of tertiary canals are in good condition owing to the District Agriculture Office providing budged Commented [UP4]: Should we use District or
assistance to line the canals. Most of quaternary canals and tertiary boxes do not exist so that water Kabupaten? Whatever you choose it must be
consistent.
distribution within tertiary blocks is carried out by field to field with excess water flowing into drainage
canals. Field staffs of Pengamats claim to have knowledge of the boundaries of each tertiary block.

1.2.2 Water allocation, formal water use rights and the golongans system

The actual cropping schedule does not follow the PJT II ‘Instruksi Direksi’ as illustrated in Figure 2. The
start of planting in both wet and dry cropping seasons are late compared with the ‘Instruksi Direksi’
schedule. Farmers or village officials decide themselves on when they prefer to start cultivation based on
their tradition. This is often in spite of Pengamat field staff encouraging them to follow ‘golongan’ as
planned in ‘Instruksi Direksi’. It should be noted that many areas following later planting have only
established this as a tradition since the completion of the ETC. Previously they were in the lower reaches
of schemes such as Barugbug and Macan and either planted earlier when there was still water in the river
and canals using giliran methods or grew a single crop.

Most farmers are not willing to plant a third crop, neither rice nor palawija crops. It is difficult to establish
a universal reason for this. Reasons provided were: Growing a third crop is not in their tradition, they do
not believe it will be remunerative or they can find more profitable work elsewhere. Farmers grow
palawija crops along the bunds of rice field while at the same time they grow rice crop. During fallow
periods after harvesting they work as labor for cultivation in the other villages. According to some farmers
interviewed, working as labor is a lower financial risk rather than planting a third crop.

Water released into the WTC, ETC and NTC basically follows scheduled half monthly discharge set out in
the ‘Instruksi Direksi’ although the planned golongan is not followed by farmers. This condition potentially
creates water distribution issues in the field. In the current condition, issues on water allocation are locally
discussed and solved in the field between farmers and Pengamat staff. During periods of shortage the
field staff request increased flows up the administrative system. Such requests are discussed and, if appear
reasonable, greater flows are released from Juanda Dam. However, bottlenecks and sedimentation in the
main canals limit the flows that can be transmitted in response. There have been instances of farmers from
particularly badly affected areas, such as those supplied through the Bugis Main Canal, threatening PJT II
staff to open ETC cross regulating gates further or releasing greater flows upstream of Salamdarma Weir.
and water It seems that social unrest due to water shortage has never happened.

1.2.3 Distribution systems including giliran / rotations

Water distribution from turnout structures along main and secondary canals into rice fields is based on
actual cropping area and stage of cultivation of rice crop. However, due to missing measuring devices and
computations of specific crop water requirements, the amount of allocated water through turnout gate
is usually carried out by estimation of crop needs. The estimation of the released discharge is influenced
by considering field to field water distribution in the tertiary block, but also by what will satisfy farmers.
This tends to lead to oversupply in areas near the head of canals and shortages in lower areas. Thus, such
water delivery is less effective because there is wasted water flowing into drainage canals. This might be
one of the causes of water shortages at the locations shown in Figure 3 and Table 1 with total area of
about 13,000 ha. Figure 3 shows that the locations of water shortage are mostly located at downstream
end of secondary canals. Shortages are experienced in the Bugis and Cibeet systems owing to rapid
siltation of the canals.

The implementation of rotation of water distribution (called gilir-giring) as seen in Table 1 is carried out
by fully open and full closure of the gates in turn at turnout and control structures. Prior to the
implementation Pengamat conduct farmers’ meeting to discuss and to get agreement on the rotation
system.

1.2.4 Water delivery and measurement

Minister Decree of Public Work and Housing (Permen PUPR) No. 12/2015 on O&M of Irrigation System
stipulate procedure of operation of irrigation system including water delivery and measurement. As a
large irrigation system the JIS should be a fully technical irrigation system with the capacity to control and
measure flows into the tertiary systems where there is a change in responsibility for the water. This is the
rational way to effectively operate the irrigation system. However, the operation of Jatiluhur irrigation
system has not followed the Ministerial Decree. The reasons for flows not to be accurately measured are
due to the following reasons;

- Lengthy process in implementing participatory works to include WUAs and Irrigation Councils and
to plan and implement cropping patterns and irrigation schedules.
- The onerous routine and tight daily activities of field staff to record data and check that delivered
discharges are in accordance with the half monthly water delivery demands.
- Lack of infrastructures such as measuring devices to support the implementation of that activity.
- It is felt that the current water distribution method of estimation, including a rotation system in
dry periods, is sufficiently adequate in most areas to ensure two crops with high yields.
- There a few instances of serious problems or complaints coming from farmers' community as
beneficiaries.

The proposed agro-economic study will assess these constraints. In particular, as well as the proposed
pilot area, it should focus on the 12,240 ha of area where there are reports of water shortage. It should
also ascertain why some farmers find growing a third palawija crop remunerative whilst others do not.
This should allow the agricultural experts to work with the District Agricultural Service to develop
strategies and crops that will motivate farmers and raise farm incomes.

In addition, only by measuring flows around the JIS as a whole can there be improved outcomes of
irrigation system operation in the form of adequacy and reliability of supply to all areas resulting in
increasing cropping intensity and cropping yield. The problems of climate change also need to be
addressed with the need for adaption of water control infrastructure and cropping patterns in low lying
areas that are currently unable to plant rice during the wet season.

1.2.6 Performance and productivity of Jatiluhur operational staff

The field staffs of Section Offices regularly record and reported components of water distribution activities
such as areas of cropping stages, discharges at intake, division and turnout structures, daily rainfall, rice
field conversion areas etc. They know the boundaries and areas of each tertiary unit in the field and
consider they can estimate water needs. What they do not do is check the drainlines and discharge points
for excess water going to waste.

At present there is no system of monitoring and evaluation to statistically prove that water supplies are
reliably satisfying demands, particularly in downstream areas or that water supplied is well in excess of
demands. Other indicators that are not monitored are the condition of the infrastructure, the participation
of the WUAs in water management or maintenance activities and the performance of the operational
staff. There was no evidence that Pengamats routinely observed or checked their staff in the field, checked
the veracity of their reports or carried out annual interviews and assessments with their staff or followed
their capacity development and training. The same is true for pengamat, sectional and divisional staff. Commented [UP5]: Min. Please check this out.
There is no evidence that the flows reported at tertiary turnouts are corroborated at the same time with
representative of the particular WUA.

Communication between field staffs and farmers are intensively underway as part of the IoPIM project in
some areas. This is in the form of informal discussions in the field and in the form of formal meetings and
cover participatory water management, canal and structure maintenance and tertiary system
development. Local agriculture extension workers have been involved in discussions as well. One of the
problems being found is that absentee (from agricultural activities) landlords are buying up large areas of
land that increases tenanted farms and landless farm workers. The tenants and workers are becoming
reluctant to carry out unpaid work such as ‘gotong royang’ when they are not the owners of the land.

1.2.7 Illegal canal water abstractions

In the locations of water shortage are shown in Table 1 along with areas of illegal abstractions. Some
farmers are using pumps to take water from canal when their area is out of command or excluded from
the rotation system. Other farmers damage or drill holes through masonry structures or insert pipes
through canal banks, often because the tertiary systems are not adequately provided with quaternary
canals, This makes accurate flow monitoring impossible.

In some places fish farmers illegally take water from secondary canal by installing pipes directly into
fishponds then discharge large quantities into drainlines. A large area of rice irrigation that is out of
command of the Bugis canal is irrigated via a battery of pumps during the dry season from water
discharged into the Cipunegara upstream of the Salamdarma weir intended for the Bugis system. There
are also large factory sized chicken sheds on the scheme and duck hatcheries illegally on the banks where
water is taken without payment whilst manure is disposed of in the canal.