Mahakam watershed is experiencing significant environmental challenges, including land degradation, increased incidences of floods and droughts, and declining water quality. These issues are exacerbated by institutional weaknesses, particularly the lack of a centralized authority overseeing watershed management for both upstream and downstream areas. This hampers effective and coordinated efforts to address the watershed’s environmental problems.
InterventionStrengthening institutional coordination is essential to solve the challenges in Mahakam watershed. Increasing cooperation and coherence among various watershed management agencies will enhance the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Implementing comprehensive watershed protection strategies is also critical, with a focus on safeguarding and restoring watershed areas through watershed rehabilitation, land-use management, and both vegetative and civil engineering measures. Additionally, reinforcing regulatory enforcement is necessary to prevent further degradation of the conditions in Mahakam watershed.