"[1]Libbis went on to observe that there was another version of the story, involving two brothers, one of whom thrust a spear causing a spring to gush forth from the ground.
[2][3][4] From the tripoint, the river continues generally in a southerly direction, and forms the border between the two municipalities, until it discharges into the Timor Sea 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Betano.
[10]: 107 Its lower reaches are located within Manufahi's principal population centre, the Same administrative post, which also includes the municipality's capital city, Same, and most of its actively utilised irrigated rice paddies.
[11]: 71, 84 During the rainy season, plumes emerging from the river into the Timor Sea are carried both east and west by currents.
Cablaki [de] is the mountain range that forms the boundary between Manufahi and Ainaro municipality to its north (expressed ritually as Cablaki-Taradayi).
To counter armed resistance by the people of the catchment, the Indonesians gradually directed the scattered highland communities to move into concentrated settlements near the main population centres, ostensibly for security reasons.
However, a growing local population has combined with the erosion of traditional protocols to place pressures on land resources in the area, leading to deforestation and increased clearing of the forest zone.
In the upper and middle catchment, the Indonesians engaged in large scale logging, and the military burned substantial areas of forest as part of the relocation policy.
[10]: 43–44 In the lower catchment, around Betano, vegetation loss was probably due to the expansion and development of rice paddies and also the town, along with flooding and the avulsion in the river delta.
During the Indonesian occupation, transmigrants were relocated from other parts of Indonesia and Timor Timur to work in the rice paddies.
[11]: 14 [10]: 18 Timor-Leste has been broadly divided into twelve 'hydrologic units', groupings of climatologically and physiographically similar and adjacent river catchments.
[22]: 9, 52 [23] The uplands of the Caralaun River catchment near Maubisse were originally vegetated with grass, and on high ground there were Eucalyptus trees.
During the ensuing Indonesian occupation, many trees were removed, and local people were encouraged to grow both Casuarinas and coffee plants.
By the early twenty first century, tree planting had stopped due to a lack of local support and problems with fire.
[11]: 18–21 Since the Portuguese colonial era, there has been much erosion (denudation), many landslides and some gullying in the catchment, especially after tree removal or heavy rainfall.
Downstream, the river has widened and become shallower, leading to greater flooding, riverbank erosion, and lateral movement of flow paths.
Additionally, the two forms of erosion had combined to increase flooding in the river, and, by making its channels wider and braided, had caused its flows to become more erratic.
In particular, the application of Tara Bandu was said to be required to limit tree removal, prevent farming along rivers and regulate freshwater fishing.
[12]: 7 [10]: 22 Long term tectonic uplift rates have been estimated at 1.5 to 2 mm/annum, and rocks from both sides of the collision can be found throughout the island.
Land is inherited by maternal descent associated with the respective uma lisan (origin groups or clans) who hold traditional jurisdiction.
The water supply system was made up mainly of galvanised steel pipes, and included several reservoirs and concrete break pressure tanks.
[26]: E-41–E-44 Ika ki'ik (small freshwater fish) are caught in the catchment's rivers near Same, and also further downstream along with boik (prawns).
During the eastern monsoon between May and July, large tasi bo’ot ('sea swells'), waves and sea currents surge along the coast and restrict fishing activity.
[6]: ES-5 [27] The site, which would be named Nova Betano and also host a new town if the proposed facility were constructed, abuts the eastern shore of the river, and is in a high flood risk region.