Subak irrigation system

One of the traditional systems well preserved in Bali Island, Indonesia, is Subak. A Subak is a social–religious communal organization of farmers and its irrigation system in Bali. In Jatiluwih village, the system was probably more than a 1,000 years old. The sustainable system has been awarded UNESCO’s World Heritage. It is interesting to note that the community has traditionally managed the system. The system is very effective in sustaining both the system and the environment. A lot of the original structures have been upgraded with permanent structures. However, the irrigation network is mainly unchanged. Many tunnels that were built hundreds of years ago remain operational. Such tunnels have undergone minor renovation. This engineering artifact indicates that the Subak is also a hydraulics engineering heritage. Today, Subak faces many challenges that need more government commitment to overcome.