The Spatial Distribution of Bed Sediments at Krueng Cut Estuary: The Sieve Analysis Approach

This research studied the characteristic of bed sediment in the estuar y of Krueng Cut, Banda Aceh. Analyzing the field samples from different site of stations along the channel from upstream to estuary shows different pattern and profile of deposited bed sediment. Therefore, sorting the size of sediment is important spatially because pattern of its deposition and characteristic will illustrate how distribution patterns indicate the nature of the channel. Hence, the study aims to determain the pattern of bed sediment distribution as well as its profile spatially . To implement t he intended purpose, the coring method was employed by using purposive random sampling for 15 station s of taken sampling. The sample of sediment was proceeded by using a 2,5 cm diameter of PVC paralon at the depth of 25 cm from the bathymetry base. Sample was analyzed using wet sieve analysis method. The result inform ed that the dominant of bed sediment size are medium sand found around the mouth of the river , fine sand existed along the mixing area , and very fine sand occurred in the transition zone . In the region of coastal dynamic, the sediment was dominated by medium sand size , m eanwhile in the area of river dominated flo w, the sediment is subject to fine sand size. Thus, t he fraction of very fine sand size of sediment was found in the zona of transition.