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Mapping peat thickness and groundwater level using a portable electromagnetic instrument in Indragiri Hilir, Riau, Indonesia

Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management · Vol. 12 No. 3 (2025) · pp. 7431–7441

DOI
10.15243/jdmlm.2025.123.7431
ISSN
2502-2458, 2339-076X
Published
2025-04-01
Publisher
Brawijaya University
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0

Abstract

Peatlands play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, water regulation, biodiversity conservation, research, education, and recreation. Peat thickness and groundwater level (GWL) are key parameters for optimizing these peatland functions; therefore, mapping peat thickness and GWL quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively is essential. This study applied a geophysical survey using a portable electromagnetic instrument to estimate peat thickness and GWL. The instrument, which is simple to operate and wirelessly connected to a mobile phone, enables rapid measurement and visualization of subsurface resistivity. A research site in Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia, was picked up as an experiment site to test the instrument. Three transects with measurement path lengths of 100 m each and a distance of about 1.4 km each were designed for the experiment. To validate the resistivity data against subsurface stratigraphy, core sampling was conducted at three points along each transect. The results demonstrated that the electromagnetic method effectively identified the interface between peat soil and the underlying marine clay. Analysis revealed that the resistivity values for unsaturated peat, saturated peat, and saturated clay were 68-81 ohm m, 75-96 ohm m, and 82-115 ohm m, respectively. These findings suggest that GWL mapping and peat stratigraphy characterization can be accurately achieved using this method.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

25 authors · 78 co-authorship links

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Riau University
  • National Research and Innovation Agency
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Koichi YamamotoAffiliation unknown8
Rinaldi RinaldiAffiliation unknown5
Hendra SaputraAffiliation unknown3
Khusnul Setia WardaniNational Research and Innovation Agency3
Nur HidayatiAffiliation unknown3
ZULKIFLI ZULKIFLIAffiliation unknown2
Soewignjo Agus NugrohoAffiliation unknown2
Syawal SatibiAffiliation unknown2
Agus Ika PutraAffiliation unknown2
Dhani Adrian FirmansyahAffiliation unknown1
Kausar KausarAffiliation unknown1
arfan andre susantoAffiliation unknown1
Arfan Andre SusantoRiau University1
Ahmad RifaiRiau University1
Sinta Haryati SilvianaAffiliation unknown1
Bambang H. SaharjoAffiliation unknown1
Yenni VetritaAffiliation unknown1
Ahmad NurhudaAffiliation unknown1
M MubarakAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) http://jdmlm.ub.ac.id/index.php/jdmlm/oai, first harvested 9 Nov 2026, last seen 9 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en-US">Mapping peat thickness and groundwater level using a portable electromagnetic instrument in Indragiri Hilir, Riau, Indonesia</dc:title>
	<dc:creator>Sutikno, Sigit</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Yusa, Muhamad</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Hendri, Andy</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Kusairi, Muhammad</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Muhammad, Ahmad</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Qomar, Nurul</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">electromagnetic</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">ground water level</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">handy instrument</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">peat thickness</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">resistivity</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en-US">Peatlands play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, water regulation, biodiversity conservation, research, education, and recreation. Peat thickness and groundwater level (GWL) are key parameters for optimizing these peatland functions; therefore, mapping peat thickness and GWL quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively is essential. This study applied a geophysical survey using a portable electromagnetic instrument to estimate peat thickness and GWL. The instrument, which is simple to operate and wirelessly connected to a mobile phone, enables rapid measurement and visualization of subsurface resistivity. A research site in Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia, was picked up as an experiment site to test the instrument. Three transects with measurement path lengths of 100 m each and a distance of about 1.4 km each were designed for the experiment. To validate the resistivity data against subsurface stratigraphy, core sampling was conducted at three points along each transect. The results demonstrated that the electromagnetic method effectively identified the interface between peat soil and the underlying marine clay. Analysis revealed that the resistivity values for unsaturated peat, saturated peat, and saturated clay were 68-81 ohm m, 75-96 ohm m, and 82-115 ohm m, respectively. These findings suggest that GWL mapping and peat stratigraphy characterization can be accurately achieved using this method.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en-US">Brawijaya University</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-04-01</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://jdmlm.ub.ac.id/index.php/jdmlm/article/view/16996</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15243/jdmlm.2025.123.7431</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en-US">Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management; Vol. 12 No. 3 (2025); 7431-7441</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2502-2458</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2339-076X</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15243/jdmlm.2025.123</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://jdmlm.ub.ac.id/index.php/jdmlm/article/view/16996/1442</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>