Dipo Caesario, Konstantin Gisevius, Endah Purwaningsih, Dwi Rachmawati, Boris Braun
Many densely populated coastal regions, especially in the Global South, are characterised by deteriorating groundwater quality. Patenggangan Beach in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra is an instructive example of these challenges and the underlying processes. Patenggangan Beach is a coastal area on Sumatra's west coast which covers an area of approximately 10 square kilometers. It is surrounded by a densely populated area bounded by two large rivers, the Batang Kuranji river and the Batang Air Dingin river. Coastal urban environments, particularly Patenggangan Beach in Padang City, present unique groundwater resource management challenges due to hydrogeological variety and increasing human activity. This paper provides an extensive discussion of the hydrogeological settings that describes Patenggangan Beach's groundwater system, as well as their implications for the region's sustainable use of water resources. In order to assess groundwater conditions and quality in coastal urban settings, the study follow a multidisciplinary approach that includes field investigations, hydrogeological modeling, and water quality analysis. Geological and hydrogeological surveys reveal the presence of diverse aquifer systems composed of unconsolidated sediments influenced by complex interactions between freshwater and seawater intrusion processes. Groundwater level monitoring data from a collection of observation water wells indicate seasonal fluctuations caused by precipitation patterns, tidal effects, and human activities. The spatial distribution of groundwater levels determined by surveying the condition of residents' wells, identifying areas likely to experience decreased levels of groundwater, and detecting any indications of saltwater intrusion emphasizes the importance of long-term management practices to mitigate these risks. Furthermore, to support this spatial distribution map, a subsurface survey was conducted using one-dimensional geoelectric methods at ten locations between these two rivers. This subsurface survey will help to characterize groundwater flow patterns, define saltwater intrusion extents, and evaluate management scenarios for sustainable groundwater resource utilization. Finally, the characterization of hydrogeological parameters provides insight into the conditions of groundwater resources in coastal urban areas. Integrating these findings into groundwater management strategies is critical for ensuring long-term water supply sustainability, protecting ecosystem health, and promoting regional socioeconomic development. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd
Department of Geography, Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia; Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Geological Engineering, Universitas Jendral Soedirman, Banyumas, Indonesia
