Study on hydraulic structure optimization in acid sulfate soils of Belanti i Lowland Irrigation Area

The post-covid-19 world condition and the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe threaten global food security, including Indonesia. The government carried out various policies to avoid the food crisis. The Belanti I Lowland Irrigation Area is a development area that is possible to increase productivity through new land clearing (extensification). There is 1200 ha of shrubs that can be converted into paddy fields. However, it should be noted that most of the land is acid-sulfate soil. Currently, several water structures in the secondary canal are not functioning, so the authors are interested in conducting an optimization study of hydraulic structures as one of the mitigation efforts from the impact of the acid-sulfate soil. The method used in this study is simulation modelling using the Hec-Ras application with the geometry and boundary conditions of the Belanti I Lowland Irrigation Area. Based on the results of the Hec-ras simulation, it is known that the operation of hydraulic structures can maintain a minimum water level on the land to minimize pyrite oxidation in the soil. In addition, the optimization of hydraulic structures can also change water management from two-way to one-way flow so that the leaching process becomes more effective. © 2024 Author(s).