Bogor, W Java (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia is estimated to have 1,575 lakes consisting of 840 large-sized lakes and 735 small-sized lakes, in a total area of ​​around 491,724 hectares, according to the 2016 data from the National Development Planning Agency.

“The function of the lakes as sources and reservoirs is often forgotten. There is no clear coordination and boundaries between the central government and local administrations on which agencies responsible for managing the lakes. Whereas lakes are very important in our life,” Minister of Research and Technology/head of the agency, Bambang Brodjonegoro, said when opening a national webinar on the Indonesian Lake Database and the launching book series entitled Identification of Indonesian Lakes on Thursday (Dec 3).

He expected that the book series which was published by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) could be used as initial data to create a national data system on lakes in the archipelagic country.

Meanwhile, the head of LIPI, Laksana Tri Handoko, said the discussion about lakes in Indonesia was not only about numbers.

"As an illustration, the management of Lake Toba, which encompasses seven districts in North Sumatra province, is still a complicated problem," he said.

"Restoring the capacity and sustainability of a lake requires an integrated and holistic research approach with various modifications and collaboration among all parties," the head of LIPI said, adding that one of LIPI's efforts to compile a database of lakes in Indonesia was to publish the book series.

The Identification of Indonesian Lakes has seven series, namely the Sumatra series, the Java-Bali-Nusa Tenggara series, the Sulawesi series, the Maluku-Papua series, and the Kalimantan series.

A researcher from LIPI’s Limnology Research Center, Aan Dianto, said the book was compiled based on satellite imagery from a certain year.

"The number and area of lakes could be different at any time, depending on the environmental dynamics. In addition, a cloud cover during the rainy season becomes an obstacle since small to very small-sized lakes are difficult to be identified," he said.

Reporting by Indonesia Window