Saguling reservoir is one of three large multi-purpose cascade reservoirs constructed along the Citarum river basin. These reservoirs and its river basin play important roles to provide water needs for agriculture irrigation, domestic, hydropower plant and industrial activities in West Java and DKI Jakarta Provinces. Several environmental problems have increased in the last two decades in this region related to flood, soil erosion, land use change, water pollution, and fluctuations of water supply. Similar conditions werw experienced in Saguling reservoir in terms of environmental degradation consisting of sedimentation and water pollution.

Despite equipment, tools, and effort engaged so far, this dam has experienced a declined in capacity and potential functions. USLE method was used to estimate erosion level around Saguling reservoir cacthment area. These cacthment areas showed a very high erosion index up to 491 tons/ha/year and with total erosion of 112 milion tons/year. Citarum, Ciwidey, and Cisangkuy sub-cacthments had very high erosion levels with 661, 567, and 540 tons/ha/year respectively and classified as very bad erosion index.