Community Enviroment: Causes of River Sedimentation

Rivers are the source of life for living things on earth, including us humans. Not a few people who depend on the river for their lives. Both as a source of the economy, a source of clean water, and for other needs.

Along with the increasing activities and needs of human life, rivers are often damaged both physically and the quality of the water itself, one of which occurs sedimentation. River sedimentation is also a factor causing flooding. This is because sedimentation can reduce the water discharge capacity when it rains. What are the factors that cause river sedimentation? Here are some of the factors causing it:

1. Landslide. The unstable river bank will cause landslides easily. Where the landslide material falls into the river and eventually accumulates on the riverbed. This pile of material then inhibits the flow of water and holds other materials. Over time it becomes thick sedimentation and makes the river shallow.

2. Damaged Watersheds. Watershed (DAS) which includes all areas where the estuary of the water leads to the river as a buffer for the integrity of the river itself. If then the watershed is damaged by various activities, for example due to mining activities and forest encroachment, it will affect the river itself. Then when it rains it will carry soil or sand and other materials into the river, eventually becoming sediment in the river.

1. Garbage and Waste. Disposal of industrial or domestic waste and waste into rivers is also part of the factors causing river sedimentation. Plastic waste that has a period of hundreds of years will aggravate sedimentation.

Those are the three factors that cause river sedimentation. One solution that will permanently help this condition is by providing critical education to the community, especially the people who live in the river environment.