As Gajah Mungkur reservoir recedes, Wonogiri farmers plant rice
Previously submerged land is being used again during the dry season, with harvest expected in about three months.
The decline in water levels at Gajah Mungkur reservoir during the dry season is being used by farmers in Wonogiri, Central Java, to open new farmland and plant rice. The activity was seen on Thursday (20/8/2026), when farmers plowed the soil with tractors, brought water pumps and then planted seedlings in areas that are usually submerged by the reservoir. The land exposed by the receding water is being used as an additional source of income for farming families. They estimate the rice crop could be harvested in about three months, depending on crop conditions and weather. For local farmers, the reservoir’s receding water in the dry season is not only a change in the landscape but also opens temporary planting space in areas that were previously unproductive.