Penentuan Status Kualitas Air Sungai Belawan Provinsi Sumatera Utara dengan Menggunakan Makroinvertebrata Air Sebagai Bioindikator

Abstract

The Belawan River, located in North Sumatra Province, flows through Medan City, originating from the upstream areas of Sibolangit and Kutalimbaru Districts in Karo Regency, passing through the midstream area bordering Deli Serdang and Medan City, and ending downstream in Hamparan Perak District, Medan City. This study aims to analyze the macroinvertebrate community structure in the Belawan River, determine the spatial distribution of macroinvertebrates, and assess water quality with the SingScore and BMWP methods. The sampling stations were determined using purposive sampling, with 15 stations spread across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sections. Sampling was conducted once at each station, with two sampling points per station: one at the riverbank and one in the middle of the river. The results showed that the macroinvertebrate community along the Belawan River consisted of 25 species and 12 families. The spatial distribution in the downstream section recorded 21 families, with the most frequently found group being from the phylum Arthropoda or class Insecta. Based on the SingScore and BMWP methods, the upstream section of the Belawan River was categorized as good category, while the midstream to downstream sections were classified as bad category.