Waeapo River

Coordinates: 3°19′34″S 127°4′21″E / 3.32611°S 127.07250°E / -3.32611; 127.07250
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Waeapo River
Wae Apo, Way Apu, Apo
The Waeapo River
Waeapo River is located in Maluku
Waeapo River
Location of river mouth
Location
CountryIndonesia
ProvinceMaluku
RegencyBuru
South Buru
Physical characteristics
MouthBanda Sea
 • coordinates
3°19′34″S 127°4′21″E / 3.32611°S 127.07250°E / -3.32611; 127.07250
Length80 km (50 mi)[1] to 47.22 km (29.34 mi)[2]
Basin size1,800 km2 (690 sq mi)[3] to 1,891.4 km2 (730.3 sq mi)[1]
Discharge 
 • locationNear mouth
 • average(Period: 1971–2000)46.3 m3/s (1,640 cu ft/s)[1] (Period: 2003–2015)65.3 m3/s (2,310 cu ft/s)[4]
Basin features
River systemWaeapo River

The Waeapo River is a river which flows on the island of Buru, Maluku, Indonesia. It is one of the main rivers of the island, draining towards the Banda Sea in the northeast of the island.

History

Following the communist purges in the 1960s, thousands of political prisoners were incarcerated in Buru, and they were mostly placed around the Waeapo River valley.[5] This was partly due to the valley's topographic features, being surrounded by continuous steep cliffs.[6] As the river was navigable, it was used to transport prisoners inland.[5] The lower Waeapo valley later became a destination for Javanese transmigrants, with over 20,000 settlers moving into settlements on the Waeapo River's floodplain and establishing rice fields.[7] The Waeapo valley remains the concentration of nearly all rice agriculture in Buru.[8]

Since 2012, due to gold mining activities in a nearby mountain, mercury has begun leaching into the river, although 2015 measurements indicated acceptable levels.[9] Further illegal gold mining continued to pollute the river and its tributaries with mercury.[10] In August 2020, dam construction began in the river to provide water for irrigation systems and an expected electrical production of 8 MW.[11]

Geography

Waeapo River ("Apo") flowing to "Teluk Kajeli" on the northeast coast of Buru. Red line marks approximate watershed boundaries.

The river valley forms an alluvial plain in the northeast of the island, which comprised the Waeapo district of Buru Regency.[2] It is the largest alluvial plain in Buru, with a basin area of around 1,800 square kilometers.[3] It drains into the Kayeli Bay in the northeast of the island, which is connected to the Banda Sea.[12] The river floods annually during monsoon season.[13]

The river's mouth is a

mangrove swamp, the largest on the island.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Palau & East Indonesia".
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ .
  4. .
  5. ^ a b "Beribu Ingatan Tumiso akan Buru". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 21 April 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Berawal dari Lembah Waeapo". KOMPAS (in Indonesian). 19 October 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  7. .
  8. ^ .
  9. .
  10. ^ "Polisi Tak Tahu, Ada 1000 Penambang Ilegal di Gunung Nona, Pulau Buru". Berita Beta (in Indonesian). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Tertunda 2,5 Tahun, Proyek Bendungan Way Apu Rp 1 Triliun Dikebut". KOMPAS (in Indonesian). 3 March 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Descendants of Majapahit". Tempo. 6 (1–12). Arsa Raya Perdana. 2005.
  13. ^ "Sungai Waeapo Meluap, Puluhan Rumah Warga Tergenang Air". Tribun Maluku (in Indonesian). 7 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2021.