Distribution pattern of water salinity analysis in Jeneberang river estuary using ArcGIS

Abstract

Interaction between freshwater and saltwater is a natural phenomenon in river estuaries, with no exception for Jeneberang estuary. This interaction will affect the distribution of salinity. Due to the difference in the density of saltwater and freshwater, blending will occur in between the two types of fluids. In another perspective, the existence of a driving factor such as the tidal routines affects the level of salinity. The purpose of this research was to describe the distribution of salinity at Jeneberang River Estuary both on high and low tide conditions. The results show that the salinity in Jeneberang River estuary in high tide conditions is distributed to distance as far as 2.63 km from the mouth of the estuary, while at low tide conditions the distances reach 2.12 km to the upstream. The salinity would decrease in line with the increase of the distance towards the headwaters of the river. The Salinity would also decrease in the same trends with increasing distance towards the surface of the river. While the value of salinity between the high tide and low tide is not too significant at depth of 0.8H. This is caused by the difference in the depth of the River at each point of sampling and a low stream at low tide conditions, so that the salt sediment washed from the sea at high tide did not return at low tide. Based on water classification, the kind of water in the Jeneberang River estuary could be categorized as freshwater to brackish.