Saguling Reservoir, Artificial reservoir in West Java, Indonesia

Saguling Reservoir is an artificial lake in West Bandung Regency, West Java, at 643 metres above sea level, formed where the Citarum River is dammed. Its 5,606-hectare surface holds an initial volume of 875 million cubic metres and follows an irregular shoreline with many bays, since the flooded land was farmland among hills.

Dutch engineers surveyed the Citarum in 1922, and W.J. van Blommestein's 1948 paper proposed a dam first called Waduk Tarum. PLN began planning in 1976 with NEWJEC, Indra Karya and Geo ACE; the US$738.256 million project drew US$470 million from IBRD and OECF loans. About 10,000 people from 31 villages in six districts were resettled from 1980. Soeharto laid the cornerstone on 31 May 1983, the dam was finished in January 1984, and the diversion tunnel closed on 15 February 1985.

The reservoir's drawdown zone is farmed seasonally by local farmers, while the water itself supports inland fisheries and tourism. The reservoir is managed by PT Indonesia Power, a subsidiary of PLN, and its 700 MW plant produces about 2,156 GWh per year. Villagers also use the water for bathing, washing and waste disposal, a practice that affects water quality.

The reservoir can be accessed through several entry points, with designated fishing areas and boat rental options available near the main gates. The best time to visit depends on weather conditions and water levels, so checking conditions beforehand is helpful.

The reservoir's basin was farmland before it was flooded, and its shoreline is highly irregular, forming many bays where hill streams enter. Its catchment is the first filter for Citarum River waste before it reaches Cirata and Jatiluhur reservoirs downstream. Sediment accumulates at about 4.2 million cubic metres a year.