Bigger dams, more ponds, river dredging: KL and Selangor plan five flood fixes on the table

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are teaming up to address flood issues in the Klang Valley, with a five-point plan in place. The joint effort aims to review dam capacities, construct new retention ponds, and dredge rivers to better manage water flow from Hulu Selangor into Kuala Lumpur and the southern parts of the Klang Valley. Both Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh emphasized the importance of collaborating to manage water drainage from the Hulu Selangor area.

The first step involves a technical meeting to determine project locations, costs, funding sources, and implementation methods. The administrations also seek to assess whether the Batu Dam and Klang Gate Dam have sufficient capacity to handle water management needs for the next 20-30 years. They will explore upstream potential sites for new flood-retention ponds, including three existing ponds that could be expanded in Selangor, such as Kampung Laksamana Pond, Sungai Kertas Pond, and the Bukit Lagong pond.

However, the Bukit Lagong site may face challenges as it is within a forest reserve and would require de-gazettement if repurposed. River dredging and sediment removal efforts will be coordinated across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, with the Kuala Lumpur Department of Irrigation and Drainage assisting in finding a 30-acre site in Selangor for disposing of dredged material.

The plan is set to be detailed further before the next parliamentary session and Budget 2027, with ongoing progress tracking and issue resolution meetings planned. The goal is to reduce flood risk, enhance urban resilience, and alleviate residents' concerns during the rainy season, as the two administrations account for 41.7% of Malaysia's economy and are home to about a third of the country's population.