SOLO RIVER
River of Life Bengawan Solo Solo River, or Bengawan Solo as it is called locally (Bengawan is an old Javanese word for river), is the longest river on the Indonesian island of Java. Solo River is approximately 540km in length. It rises on the slopes of Mount Lawu volcano and passes through the major city of Surakarta (called Solo by local inhabitants) thereafter the river has little gradient and meanders over the lowlands before discharging into the Java Sea at a point opposite Madura Island. The river’s marshy delta here is used for fish ponds. To reduce silting of the strait between Madura and the northern approach to Surabaya on Java, the main mouth of the Solo was diverted north in the 19th century. Flooding is common during the wet season and the consequent distribution of silt and volcanic ash is a major contributor to the high agricultural fertility that has historically sustained the Java’s high population density. In the dry season much of the riverbed is dry. In the past, the river was an important transport link between Solo and the north coast of Java but these days, the river is too shallow to be navigated safely. However, Solo River and its tributaries is an important watercourse to the inhabitants and supplies the farmlands of the eastern and northern parts of the island with valuable water to irrigate crops. Bengawan Solo has also been a lifesaver - Solo River was the crash site of Garuda Indonesia Flight 421 in January 2002. The plane hit thick clouds and the engines cut out, unable to restart them, the pilot saw the river when he broke through the cloud cover and landed there. The depth of the river and the high water level saved all 54 passengers. Solo River was compiled by Adrian Evans in 2012. Rivers of the World is a Thames Festival project delivered in partnership with the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms with support from HSBC Global Education Trust. www.riversoftheworld.org