GIS and RS-Based Analysis of Water Pollution Potential Caused by Acid Mine Drainage in Samarinda, Indonesia

Abstract

Large-scale mining activity is the major environmental issue, including water pollution caused by Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). Samarinda, which is located in the province of East Kalimantan, Indonesia, has open pits and acid contributing land as a source of AMD pollutants. The potential AMD pollution can be assessed by utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS), which are considered reliable tools for measuring, mapping, monitoring, and model making for an area. The variables used in this research are void distribution, land cover, soil type, rainfall, topography, water body, and groundwater. The integration of these variables is used to analyze the potential of AMD pollution to water bodies by acid contributing land. Meanwhile, the void distribution and groundwater integration data are used to analyze the potential of AMD pollution to groundwater by voids. The overlay method is employed to analyze the potential spatial patterns of AMD pollution in the study area. The results show the high potential of AMD pollution to water bodies, specifically in the districts of Samarinda Utara, Palaran, and Sungai Kunjang. The high potential of AMD pollution to groundwater is found in the south delineation area, namely Palaran, Loa Janan Hilir, and Samarinda Seberang districts, with low and medium groundwater depth categories (20 - 70 and 50 - 150 MBGL). The spatial pattern of AMD pollution was random with the geometric arrangement of AMD pollution in the form of clusters.