MAPPING TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SEABED AND TYPES OF SEDIMENT IN BANYUASIN WATERS, BANYUASIN REGENCY, SOUTH SUMATERA

Abstract

Banyuasin waters consist of several areas such as shipping areas and conservation areas. The topography of the seabed in these waters can change due to silting due to sedimentation processes. This study aims to map the topography of the seabed and types of sediment in Banyuasin waters. This research was carried out from October 2020 to February 2021 in Banyuasin waters, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra. One of the methods used to detect underwater objects is the hydroacoustic method which utilizes sound waves using a single beam echosounder Simrad EK-15. The research results show that the lowest depth (0.6 meters) is located in the waters of Tanjung Carat, while the highest depth is located in the area approaching the Banyuasin territorial sea border (33 meters). The average depth of Banyuasin waters is 9 meters. Apart from that, three types of sediment were also obtained, namely clay, sandy clay and clayey sand. The dominant type of sediment is clay. Tidal measurements for the average sea level height (MSL) are 1.3 meters and the value of the tide front distance (Z0) is 1.16 meters. This study provides the latest information on the distribution of sediment types and bathymetry for shipping activities and conservation areas in the study area.