Mapping land use suitability for development of recharge wells in the ciliwung watershed, Indonesia

Rapid population growth and the need to mitigate the impact of rainfall-runoff has made groundwater conservation a significant environmental issue in Indonesia’s Ciliwung Watershed. The availability of recharge wells in developed areas is essential for groundwater conservation and runoff reduction. Selection of suitable locations for the construction of recharge wells depends on a combination of factors such as topography, soil layers, land use, and climatology. This study of land suitability for recharge well development in the Ciliwung Watershed, an area of heterogenous land use, employed GPS-based weighted data on technical geology, soil type, soil hydrology group, groundwater level, slope, average rainfall, and land use. Mathematical simulations were performed to develop a land suitability map. The findings indicate that only 2% of the total area (in Cisarua, Bogor) is ideal for the construction of recharge wells, and that 48% of existing recharge wells in the Jakarta area are situated in a suitable zone. The results provide a basis for technical recommendations for future construction of recharge wells in the Ciliwung Watershed.