Changes in the Value of Sinuosity Index in Komering River Channel, Province South Sumatera Years 1990 - 2016

Abstract

Komering Watershed has experienced degradation in the quality of environment and ecosystems. This ecosystem and environmental degradation is due to significant deforestation and land conversion in upstream and central areas. Land conversion which led to erosion in the upstream and sedimentation in the downstream causing changes in river channel. This study aims to analyze the deformation (morphodynamics) of river channel of Komering River in 1990, 1997, 2000, 2010 and 2013. The occurred changes are identified using satellite image interpretation and calculation from sinuosity index based on changes in river channel. Satellite image data are obtained from multitemporal Landsat images to identify changes in the river channel, while sinuosity index is used as an indicator of changes in the river channel. The results of this study showed that during 26 years period (1990 - 2016), the channel of Komering River changes in eleven locations. There are five locations that indicate tendencies to be straight and six locations show tendencies to get curved. This conclusion is based on the calculation of the sinuosity index value due to changes in land cover.