Rain is God’s gift to the entire universe. It is not only beneficial for humans but also for other living things. Rain with normal intensity is good for all nature. Natural phenomena that have occurred lately have changed. High rainfall intensity can cause flood disasters for certain regions. High intensity of rain can cause flood to happen. Besides a bad rainwater infiltration system can be another factors that cause it to happen or even land which is not able to absorb rainwater completely because of several obstacles such as the number of buildings, hardening of the soil surface such as asphalt, concrete.
Increasing soil infiltration of rainwater is one way to maintain high water levels in the soil and reduce the potential for flooding. One easy way to make rainwater infiltration is to make biopore infiltration. This method of infiltration with biopore holes was first put forward by Dr. Kamir R. Brata, a research expert in land and land resources from IPB (Bogor Agricultural Institute).
Form of Biopore Rainwater Infiltration
The form of biopore rainwater is a hole called a biopore hole. The term biopore is the term for holes in the soil that are formed due to the activities of microorganisms such as worms, ants, and termites that occur in the soil.
The biopore hole is a cylindrical hole with a diameter of 10 – 30 cm that is made vertically into the ground with a depth of about 100 cm or 1 meter. In principle, the depth of the hole does not exceed the surface of the groundwater. In certain cases, there is land with a depth of groundwater less than 1 meter, the biopore hole is made on top of it, for example, is 50 cm. Making this biopore hole must pay attention to the shape of the soil.
If you encounter hardened soil, the depth of the biopore hole also does not need to be forced. This biopore hole is made in large quantities. The distance between one hole and the other is 30 – 100 cm. The upper surface of the hole can be reinforced with 2 cm thick cement with a width of about 2 – 3 cm.
The biopore hole is then filled with organic waste. Organic waste can be in the form of plant residues and leaves or you can use grass. This biopore hole must remain in full state so as not to be filled with other material. This organic waste will then turn into the compost because of the activity of the organism.
Location of Making Biopore Rainwater Infiltration
The more biopore holes that can be made, then the better the level of water absorption. We must also pay attention to the distance between one hole and the other. Ideally, the distance between the holes is 50 cm. Making biopore holes is carried out in certain locations.
- Area Around the Tree
If there is a tree, the area around the tree is very good for making biopore holes. In addition to the biopore hole, it serves to increase soil absorption against rainwater. The compost in the biopore hole can be used as fertilizer for the tree.
- Empty Location Between Trees
A location that has trees like, in a park, this arena can be used to make many biopore holes. Biopore holes can be made in an empty area between one tree and another.
- The Basis of Rainwater Channels Around the House or Other Buildings
Rainwater channels that are located around houses, office buildings, and other buildings are usually made with cement. This results in rainwater not being absorbed into the soil. Precipitation will flow with the flow according to the channel that has been made. If the volume of water flowing is large enough it can cause flooding. This water channel should be given biopore holes so that the flowing rainwater can be absorbed into the soil through the biopore hole.
Benefits of Biopore Rainwater Infiltration
Biopore holes used to absorb rainwater have quite a number of benefits.
- Increase Water Absorption
Soil that has been made biopore holes will be able to absorb more water than the soil that does not have biopore holes. The biopore hole can be the entrance to water which will then be absorbed by the land with the size of the biopore hole wall. The more holes that can be made, the greater the water absorption power that the land will have.
- Turn Organic Waste into Compost
Biopore holes filled with organic waste will turn into compost. Compost will be useful as fertilizer for the soil and can be useful for soil fertility. With the existence of this hole, the location will be clear of organic waste so that it can be maintained sustainably.
- Reduce the Potential for Disease Due to Stagnant Water
When high rainfall and soil infiltration are not optimal, water that is not absorbed will pool at the ground level. These puddles can be used by mosquitoes to breed so that they can cause diseases such as dengue fever and others. Biopore holes increase the absorbency of the soil, reducing the amount of standing water on the ground.
- Reduce the Risk of Flooding
One of the causes of flooding is the amount of rainwater that is not absorbed by the soil. If the intensity of rainfall is high, it has the potential to cause flooding. One way to accelerate the absorption of water into the soil is to make rainwater infiltration in the form of a biopore hole.
- Maximize the Role of Flora and Fauna Activities on the Soil
The occurrence of biopore holes is due to the activity of microorganisms in the soil. One such activity is to convert organic waste into compost which then functions as soil fertilizers. Tumors in the area are rotten from the compost. In this cycle, the role of flora and fauna on the soil is maximized.
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