Towards sustainable land subsidence mitigation in Semarang and Demak, Central Java: Analysis using DPSIR Framework

The Semarang-Demak plain has experienced intense human intervention over the last 40 years, therebycausing land subsidence. This study aims to assess long-term conditions in the study area using the drivers-pressuresstate-impacts-response (DPSIR) framework to mitigate land subsidence. Methods include analysis of land subsidence, socioeconomic, surface, and subsurface data, as well as spatial analysis. Results show that rapid population growth and economic activities are major driving forces, manifesting as pressures exerted from overexploitation of groundwater, increasing building and infrastructure loads, and decreasing non-built areas. Groundwater overexploitation reduced the artesian pressure in the 1980s, forming depression cones of the groundwater level from 5 to 30 m below mean sea level. From 1984 to the present, the constructed areas have increased more than tenfold, with Semarang City possessing the most densely built area. Based on our findings, we propose responses consisting of surface water utilization, spatial building regulation, and rigorous groundwater and land subsidence monitoring. Moreover, we encourage thestrengthening of law enforcement and inter-sectoral management to ensure the successful land subsidence mitigation.