ENDORHEIC BASIN OF THREE LAKES BERATAN-BUYAN-TAMBLINGAN BALI-INDONESIA

The Three lakes area of Beratan, Buyan and Tamblingan located in Bedugul, Bali Indonesia is an endorheic basin form by the remnant of ancient volcanic caldera as size of 12 x 7 km. Water surface level of the three lakes located in an altitude of 1214-1231 m a.s.l The land has a fertile soil and has become a major source of vegetables input of Bali island. The cool climate and beautiful view made this area suitable to be resident permanently for farming and also for tourism industry. This endorheic basin also has a nature reserve; the Batukahu, that comprise of three mountains, the Tapak, Pohen and Lesong. There is also a botanic garden at the foothill of this nature reserve, known as “Eka Karya” Botanic Garden, under the authority of Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI). Hinduism temples are also presence in this area of the endorheic basin. The Ulun Danu Beratan temples are a sacred place for Balinese Hindu believers and have been continuously visited by foreign tourists that came to see this ancient indigenous heritage of Balinese Hinduism offspring. This three lakes are also play an important role as a source of water supply for the lowland area such as the Tabanan, Badung and Buleleng district. Recently had just been discover a deep earth heat source (geothermal) that useful for fulfilling the supply of electricity of this island. Various of endemic flora also found in this area such as the Pinanga arinasae, Paphiopedillum and various species of orchids and other interesting flora. Hinduism and Islamic people from Java lives peacefully and harmonic each other in this area.Most people in this area make their living as a farmer and trader. Some people still depends on natural forest extraction to fulfill their daily need such as for fuel woods and other non timber forest products whether for sale or self intake. Farm lands of vegetables lies on the flat and less steep area around these lakes. Farming with over exploited land carrying capacity activities has resulted in the increasing of sedimentation rate in the bottom of these lakes. Decrease in these three lakes water quality is a result from the extensive use of pesticide and fertilizer, tourist activities and domestic wastes dump. Recently the decrease in the three lakes surfaces has reach until 3 meters and has becoming an important issue to the authority concern. As one of tourism site in Bali, tourism infrastructure development in this three lakes area such as hotels, villas, and restaurants also developed in a quite rapid pace. The lack of spatial management system has lead to the destruction of this area ecosystem function. There is not any sufficient realistic effort yet to help improve the environment management system in this area. Recent re-greening activity by re-planting the local trees species is less sufficient compare to the damage level.

Endorheic basin of the three lakes Beratan, Buyan and Tamblingan is a unique nature phenomenon. It is regrettable if this is damaged due to over exploitation. Policy management of this area needs to be form as an integrated management in order to conserve this unique nature phenomenon. Some concept was introduced such as the biosphere reserve concept launched by UNESCO, but there has not been a positive respond for it. In the future some salvation efforts needs to be conduct especially in the three lakes buffer zones. It can be in a form of forest restoration activity, improvement of agricultural efforts through land and water conservation technique application, introduction to organic farming and a more strict spatial regulation.