Geoelectrical Sounding For Groundwater Interpretation In Oil Palm Plantation

Abstract

Data on aquifer characteristic is an important factor in studying groundwater, especially to determine the capacity of groundwater, which can be stored in the soil layer and how much that can be utilized. Geoelectrical survey was applied to observed groundwater at oil palm plantation. The research was conducted in PT. Bio Nusantara oil palm plantation, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia especially at 2, 4, 7, 14 and 22 years of mature plant age (TM). As a comparison for the mature plant age level, the survey was also performed at the oil palm plantation farm-soccer field, oil palm plantation farm-residential and oil palm plantation farm-secondary forest. The result of electric survey on TM2 and TM4 showed some rocks, clay and dry litter still existed. While at the depth over than 4 m was dominated by a shallow aquifer. The dry zone wasn't found at site of TM7, TM14 and TM22, all sites was in high soil humidity. The electric survey result at oil palm plantation farm-soccer field indicated that able to maintain the balance of soil-water availability, there is a shallow aquifer zone at the residential site and a water scarcity at secondary forest site.