Hydrological and Climatological Aspect Evaluation for Salt Farm Development in the Coastal Area of Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Salt has major importance as a basic necessity in households, feedstock for various kinds of industry, and a means of fortification to prevent diseases attributed to iodine deficiency. However, the amount of salt produced in Indonesia has yet to meet the national demand, hence warranting the necessity of salt yield improvement. This research set out to evaluate the hydrological and climatological states of the coastal area of Gunungkidul Regency for potential salt farms. The hydrological analysis identified underground rivers, springs, and surface rivers emptying into the study area, whereas the hydrochemical analysis observed major elements of seawater and salinity and determined the effects of hydrological characteristics on seawater. The climatological evaluation involved analyzing rain, temperature, humidity, and daily wind data from 1979–2013. All of these details were matched against the suitability parameters for salt farms. The results showed that the hydrological and geological conditions were closely related and that the underground rivers, springs, and surface rivers decreased salinity and sodium and chloride contents of seawater. Based on salinity levels, several beaches were highly suitable (S1) for salt farms, but climatologically, the study area was slightly suitable (S3) and suitable (S2) for this purpose.