Floods are still one of the most frequent natural disasters, occurring in almost all regions of Indonesia. There are many triggering factors that cause this disaster to occur repeatedly, ranging from high rainfall, river siltation, clogged waterways, damaged embankments, to coastal erosion.
Although flooding cannot be completely avoided, in recent years more and more regions have been trying to minimize its impact by utilizing Geobags as a preventive measure.
So how do Geobags work to prevent flooding, and in which areas has this technique been implemented? Read the full explanation in the following article!
How Geobags Work in Flood Prevention
In general, geobags are actually plastic materials made from polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene. Geobags are usually sewn using high-strength Nylon D9 thread.
This makes geobags capable of withstanding large amounts of water pressure and load, while also being resistant to UV rays, chemical exposure, and abrasion, making them more durable and long-lasting.
In the context of flood control, there are several common methods that are most commonly applied, namely:
1. Spread out on slopes
Geobags can be applied by spreading them directly over the surface of the targeted slope.
This method can be applied in landslide-prone areas, where a layer of geobags can provide comprehensive protection so that the slope soil is not easily eroded by water.
2. Stacked use near embankments
In addition, geobags are often applied in a pyramid-like stack. Each geobag is usually placed half overlapping another geobag with the long side parallel to the coastline or embankment.
The main purpose of installing geobags in this way is to form a solid and stable embankment structure to withstand water pressure, current thrust, and waves.
The stacked arrangement is also effective in distributing the weight of the water across all layers of geobags, rather than just one point.
Things to Consider When Installing Geobags
Like bags or sacks, geobags need to be filled before being installed in their designated locations. However, make sure not to fill the geobags to full capacity, only 75% is sufficient.
If filled to capacity, the geobag will be too round. This shape causes the surfaces between geobags to touch only at certain points, making them prone to shifting and difficult to form a flat surface.
The round shape can also cause gaps between geobags, allowing water to pass through and reducing the effectiveness of the protection. Unlike when filled to capacity, filling the geobag to 75% capacity makes it flatter, so that its sides are wider and it can adhere better to other geobags and the ground surface.
Examples of Geobag Applications for Flood Prevention in Indonesia
Currently, many regions have tried to control flooding using the geobag method, from North Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi to Jakarta.
1. Geobag Application for Flood Prevention in North Luwu
In June 2025, the North Luwu Regency government began promoting a solidarity movement called “1 Geobag to Overcome Floods.” This initiative was intended as an effort to accelerate flood management, especially in Malangke, North Luwu, which is often affected by flooding.
The government and related parties began to actively encourage participation in collecting Geobags and coconut tree trunks as the main technical and ecological materials for flood prevention.
On its official website, North Luwu Regency announced plans to use at least 4,300 Geobags and around 300 coconut tree trunks to quickly build a water barrier in Mario Dusun Salutuara Village.
These Geobags will be filled with materials such as sand or soil and stacked like pyramids to strengthen the embankment to prevent disasters that occur regularly every year.
2. Installation of Geobags for Flood Control in North Jakarta
At the end of March 2025, the Jakarta Provincial Government took swift action to protect the North Jakarta area from the threat of tidal flooding by installing geobags.
The bags were filled with sand and soil to serve as mitigation embankments at various vulnerable points such as Sunda Kelapa, Baywalk Pluit, and Marunda Pulo.
After that, the geobags were immediately stacked to resemble embankments, accompanied by other anticipatory measures such as raising the existing embankments in Muara Angke and patching leaks in Muara Baru using concrete walls.
The government at that time also deployed mobile pumps in Ancol Hilir and the R.E. Martadinata area as an additional measure alongside the installation of geobags, maximizing their effectiveness.
This is how geobags work in flood mitigation and examples of their application in various regions in Indonesia.
It is important to remember that the effectiveness of geobags in flood management can only be achieved if they are installed using the correct technique and high-quality materials, such as geobags from Urban Plastic.
With the right products and proper installation, geobags from Urban Plastic can be an effective, fast, and economical solution to mitigate the risk of flooding in various flood-prone areas in Indonesia.
For more information about Geobag please contact: Whatsapp/Mobile Phone: +62 811 1721 338 (Ms. Ais) or Email : info@baligeotex.com