On correlation between urban development, land subsidence and flooding phenomena in Jakarta

Abstract

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia with a population of about 10.2 million people, inhabiting an area of about 660 square-km. It is located within a deltaic plain and passes by 13 natural and artificial rivers. In the last three decades, urban development of Jakarta has grown very rapidly in the sectors of industry, trade, transportation, real estate and many others, which has caused several negative environmental impacts. In turns Jakarta is then prone toward a few natural hazards mainly land subsidence and flooding. In general, based on geodetic measurement methods (e.g. Leveling, GPS surveys, and InSAR), conducted since 1982 up to 2014, it is obtained that land subsidence in Jakarta exhibits spatial and temporal variations, with the typical rates of about 3 to 10 cm year−1. In general, the impacts of land subsidence in Jakarta can be seen in the forms of cracking of permanent constructions and roads, changes in river canal and drain flow systems, wider expansion of coastal and/or inland flooding areas, and malfunction of drainage system. Several areas along the coast of Jakarta already have experienced tidal flooding during high tide periods. These coastal flooding usually occurs in the areas with relatively large subsidence rates. Subsidence in the areas along the rivers which are flowing throughout Jakarta will also worsen the impacts of riverine flooding. The changes in river canal and drain flow systems and malfunction of drainage system due to land subsidence will also aggravate the flooding. Land subsidence will have direct and indirect affects with the flooding in Jakarta, both in coastal or inland areas.