Bengawan Solo River, Central Java
Bengawan Solo River us the longest river in Java, which flows along the eastern edge of the town from its source in the lime stones hill of the south, near East Java border to its mouth nearby Surabaya, on the Java sea. It is 600 km length and flows in 2 provinces: Central Java and East Java. It rises on the slope of Mount Lawu volcano (10,712 feet [3,265 m]) and the southern limestone range (Sewu Mountains) and flows north, then east to discharge into the Java Sea at a point opposite Madura Island, northwest of Surabaya.
This river is used as an irrigation facility, and for the past 30 years has reach a significant level of development. This was mark by the completed of irrigation building, such as reservoir, dam, dike, irrigation net, and others. Those buildings is useful for flood controller, Hydraulic Power Generator, water supply for farming, industry, drink water, fishery, and others.
Even there is a well-known song ‘Bengawan Solo’ composed by Mr. Gesang to the remembrance of this site. The song tell us about the legendary river in a poetic and nostalgic way. The river is surrounded by mountains, its sources are near the city of Surakarta, that it ends in the sea, and that the merchant class always makes use of it. People usually sing it in the local Keroncong style, a popular folk style with influences from Portuguese.
