Climate Change Impacts on Irrigation Water Availability in Pante Lhong Irrigation Area, Peusangan Watershed Bireuen Regency

Maimun; Cut Azizah; Ridwan Iriadi

doi:10.61579/future.v4i2.804

Authors

Maimun Postgraduate Program in Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Universitas Almuslim, Bireuen, Indonesia
Cut Azizah Postgraduate Program in Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Universitas Almuslim, Bireuen, Indonesia
Ridwan Iriadi Postgraduate Program in Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Universitas Almuslim, Bireuen, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61579/future.v4i2.804

Keywords:

Climate Change, Adaptation Strategies, Bireuen

Abstract

Climate change poses a significant threat to water security, particularly for agricultural irrigation systems in monsoon-dependent regions. This study assesses the impact of climate change on irrigation water availability in the Pante Lhong Irrigation Area (DI Pante Lhong), Peusangan Watershed, Bireuen Regency, Aceh. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzed decadal climate data (2014–2024) from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), field measurements of river discharge, and interviews with farmers and irrigation officials. Results indicate a significant declining trend in annual rainfall (~-2.8% per year) and a consistent increase in maximum temperature (~+0.16°C per year). These changes have led to a substantial reduction in the reliable discharge (Q80) of the Peusangan River, particularly during the dry season (July-October), with decreases of up to 29%. A monthly water balance analysis projected a chronic water deficit for seven months (April-October), with the peak deficit in August (7.7 million m³), indicating that available water can meet only about 30% of irrigation demand during critical periods. The study concludes that climate change severely threatens the sustainability of rice farming in the region. Recommended adaptation strategies include infrastructure modernization, crop diversification, and strengthened water user institutions to enhance climate resilience.

References

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D., & Smith, M. (1998). Crop evapotranspiration: Guidelines for computing crop water requirements (FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Amin, M., & Abbas, S. (2021). Climate resilience in irrigation systems: A review of adaptive strategies in Southeast Asia. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 12(3), 789–805.

Azizah, N., Rahman, A., Yusuf, M., & Iskandar, T. (2024). Impact of land use change on water availability for irrigation in Aceh, Indonesia. Agricultural Water Management, 245, 106502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106502

Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Kabupaten Bireuen. (2023). Data kejadian bencana Kabupaten Bireuen tahun 2015–2023.

Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional. (2021). Laporan kinerja pengelolaan sumber daya air di Indonesia 2020. Kementerian PPN/Bappenas.

Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Daerah Kabupaten Bireuen. (2023). Analisis kerentanan infrastruktur irigasi terhadap bencana di Kabupaten Bireuen.

Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat. (2020). Panduan adaptasi perubahan iklim untuk infrastruktur sumber daya air. Kementerian PUPR.

Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika. (2022). Analisis perubahan iklim di Provinsi Aceh 2010–2020.

Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika. (2024). Data curah hujan dan suhu udara Kabupaten Bireuen tahun 2014–2024.

Dinas Pekerjaan Umum dan Penataan Ruang Kabupaten Bireuen. (2023). Laporan tahunan kinerja bidang sumber daya air tahun 2022.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2019). The state of food and agriculture 2019: Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction. FAO.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2022). Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.

Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat. (2021). Peraturan Menteri Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat Nomor 12/PRT/M/2021 tentang Standar Perencanaan Irigasi Berkelanjutan.

Ng, K. L. (2022). Climate change adaptation in water-stressed agricultural systems: Case study of Northern Sumatra (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Melbourne).

Rangkuti, F. (2018). Analisis SWOT: Teknik membedah kasus bisnis. PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama.

Sharma, R., & Ghosh, P. (2020). Modelling climate change impacts on river discharge: Case studies from tropical regions. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 65(8), 1243–1257. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2020.1740702

Sugiyono. (2016). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.

World Bank. (2020). Ebb and flow: Water, migration, and development. World Bank.

World Bank. (2025). Climate risk profile for Indonesia: Freshwater and irrigation systems. World Bank Group.