Water Resources Management of Subak Irrigation System in Bali

Use and management of water for irrigation in Bali has been exist since the IX century which is known as Subak Irrigation System. Subak irrigation system is a traditional irrigation system and is closely associated with the principle of Tri Hita Karana in form socio-religious-technical-agricultural practice and based on Hinduism concepts. As traditional irrigation system, the elements and facilities of subak include: irrigation networks, organisational structures and regulation called awig awig, and the way of distributing water was also using the traditional methods. Distribution of water on diversion structures used a comparison unit called ayahan. Ayahan unit is equivalent to the amount of the used of seed (wit), which is roughly equal about 25 kg of seeds or some 0.3-0.5 hectars of rice fields. One ayahan entitled to amount of water flow of one tektek or one kecoran, a unit of water flowing through the cross section of traditional spillway on countinuous basis, some time tektek or kecoran unit is still added through the consensus. If water available is limited, then water supply is managed by rotation basis called pergiliran or nyorog system that based on different planting time. The principle of nyorog is the upstream section get water first (called ngulu), the midstream obtain water after the upstream finished cultivating of soil (called maongin), and the downstream called ngasep. In rainy season however, rice planting is simultaneously in all area of subak so called kertamasa. Whereas in the dry season called gadon, rice planting is scheduled by principles of nyorog or rotation. The arrangements of water resources and the settings of cropping pattern was stated in the regulation (awig awig) and adjusted to the agreement (pasuara) of subak members meeting called paruman. Water distribution and used were managed by the administrators (prajuru) of subak within the territory, or through an agreement between the territorys’ administrators. The Sedahan and Sedahan Agung, which in charge as subak’s adviser have very important role in the coordination on management and use of water. However, recently Sedahan and Sedahan Agung face uncertain in existence, and causing the administrators of subak lost its coordination in resolving various problems. In the future, the functioning and empowerment of the Sedahan and Sedahan Agung as Subak’s Supervisors is needed, it is very helpful for administrators and subak members to coordinate and management of water. Keywords: subak, traditional irrigation system, tektek and nyorog system, Sedahan and Sedahan Agung