TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourist attraction Ranu Pane Lake in Ranu Pane village, Lumajang Regency is estimated to be drain out within next ten years. The lake is experiencing siltation and shrinkage due to mud flowing in from vegetable farms on the surrounding hills.
Nunuk, a resident of Ranu Pane village said to Tempo on Thursday, December 11 that the lake is severely silting each year.
“In 1980s, location where the houses around the lake now standing was still covered by lake water,” said Nunuk who said that the lake is now less than 1-hectare large.
“The depth is now only 3 meters from previous measured depth of 7 meters.”
The Head of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Ayu Dewi Utari said that short-term solution for the siltation and shrinkage is to dredge the lake.
“While the long-term solution is to change the plantation structure on the hills surrounding the lake to perennials. The problem is that the vegetables farms on the hills are the main source of living for the residents,” said Ayu.
She also predicted that the lake will disappear after ten years.
“The lake functions as a water reservoir. When it is disappear, I can not imagine what will happen.”
DAVID PRIYASIDHARTA