Land Cover Change in Minraleng Watershed, Maros Reduces Dry Season Water Flow

Image: article cover, from Wahyullah and Samperuru (2026), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY 4.0.

A research team from Universitas Indonesia Timur and Universitas Hasanuddin has recorded that river flow stability in the Minraleng Sub-watershed, located in Cenrana, Camba, and Mallawa Districts, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, tends to decline. Covering approximately 29,400 hectares, this sub-watershed forms part of the upper Walanae Watershed, one of Indonesia's national priority watersheds. Published in Jurnal Wasian, the study compares land cover conditions in 2018 and 2023 and their impact on water yield and river flow stability.

Between 2018 and 2023, mixed dryland agriculture decreased, while secondary dryland forest and paddy fields increased. Despite the forest gain, hydrological model simulations show that the rise in annual rainfall was accompanied by increased surface runoff, mean flow, and maximum flow. Conversely, minimum flow dropped sharply. This means the watershed's capacity to retain water during the dry season has weakened. The River Regime Coefficient (RRC) also increased, indicating a widening gap in flow between the wet and dry seasons. These simulation results align with accounts from local residents and farmers interviewed at the site.

For forest-dependent communities and farmers in the upper Walanae Watershed, these findings are significant because abundant water during the wet season is no longer effectively stored for dry season needs. The researchers conclude that the hydrological stability of the Minraleng Sub-watershed is declining due to land use change and increased rainfall, making more careful watershed management increasingly important.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Impact of Land Use Change on Water Yield Using the SWAT Model in the Minraleng Sub-Watershed, Maros by Wahyullah Wahyullah and Yefane Samperuru, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 13 No. 01 (2026). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Wahyullah, W., & Samperuru, Y. (2026). Impact of Land Use Change on Water Yield Using the SWAT Model in the Minraleng Sub-Watershed, Maros. Jurnal Wasian, 13(01), 20–28. https://doi.org/10.62142/tjn33t18

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY 4.0.