Karst Groundwater Vulnerability and Risk to Pollution Hazard in the Eastern Part of Gunungsewu Karst Area

Abstract

Karst landscape generally has a high vulnerability to pollution. Karst landscape is a landscape that forms from soluble rock. The solution processes results many holes which connecting the surface to underground river networks. Soil and vegetation are generally thin and sparse. The increasing of the population and they various activities can add pressures to the landscapes such as in the eastern parst of Gunungsewu. The karst groundwater management and protection effort need its intrinsic vulnerability and risks to the groundwater pollution hazard characteristics information. The aim of the study are to assess the level of vulnerability and risk of groundwater in the eastern part of Gunungsewu karst area against pollution hazards, as well as making maps of land use directives in the area. Vulnerability and risk to pollution was based on budiyanto’s model. The model was based on remote sensing data of Landsat 8 OLI and GDEM ASTER. The result of this study indicate that most of the study area has a high level of vulnerability to pollution hazard. However, this area mostly has a low level risk to pollution hazard. It is in line to the lack of sources of groundwater pollutants hazard, the presence of soils on karst rocks, and the presence of vegetation cover. Land use direction maps produced based on the level of vulnerability and risk to pollution. It shows that most of these areas are designated as protected areas. However, there are areas for the maintenance of land functions that vulnerable and high risk to pollution.