Sains Malaysiana 37(2): 143-147(2008)

Seasonal Bed Sediment Characteristics of the

Kuala Sepetang River, Perak

(Ciri-ciri Sediment Dasar Mengikut Musim di Kuala

Sungai Sepetang, Perak)

Kamaruzzaman Yunus, Ong Meng Chuan, Ridzwan Hashim

 & Ahmed Jalal Khan Chowdhury

Institute of Oceanography & Maritime Studies, Kulliyah of Science

International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Istana

Bandar Indera Mahkota,25200 Kuantan

Pahang, Darul Makmur

Received:  26 February 2007 / Accepted: 25 July 2007

ABSTRACT

Bottom sediment samples from the Kuala Sepetang River, Taiping, Perak were analysed for the grain size in order to understand better the sedimentation processes in the estuary and along the river.  The mean, standard deviation and skewness value of each sample were calculated by the moment’s method where each of every grain plot data was used to obtain the statistical information concerning the sedimentary population. In this study, there is no significant (p<0.05) relationship between sediment characteristic with the seasonal changes, but the mean particle size became a relatively smaller size during the monsoon season.  Finer sediments (7.4 Ø) were dominated during monsoon season while coarser sediments (6.2 Ø) dominated during the dry season.  The characteristics of deposited sediments at each station are much dependent upon the combination of physical forces such as freshwater runoff, tidal currents and waves.

Keywords: Kuala Sepetang River; grain size; sediment characteristic; monsoon season

ABSTRAK

Sampel sedimen dasar dari Kuala Sungai Sepetang, Taiping, Perak dianalisis bentuk butiran saiz bagi memahami dengan jelas proses sedimentasi di muara dan sepanjang sungai.  Nilai min, sisihan piawai dan kepencongan bagi setiap sampel diukur dengan kaedah momen dengan setiap butiran data adalah diguna bagi memperolehi maklumat statistik yang berkaitan dengan populasi sedimen.  Tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan (p<0.05) di antara ciri-ciri sedimen dengan perubahan musim, cuma nilai min saiz partikel yang menunjukkan penurunan secara relatif pada kedua-dua musim.  Sedimen yang lebih halus (7.4 Ø) mendominasi sungai semasa musim monson manakala sedimen yang lebih kasar (6.2 Ø) mendominasikan sungai pada musim bukan monson.  Ciri-ciri pemendakan sedimen bagi setiap stesen banyak bergantung kepada gabungan faktor fizikal seperti aliran air tawar, arus pasang surut and ombak.

Kata kunci: Kuala Sungai Sepetang; saiz butiran; ciri-ciri sediment; musim monsoon

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