| Abstract: | In the absence of actual suspended sediment concentration (SSC) measurements, hydrologists have used sediment rating (sediment transport) curves to estimate (predict) SSCs for subsequent flux calculations. Various evaluations of the sediment rating-curve method were made using data from long-term, daily sediment-measuring sites within large (>1 000 000 km2), medium (<1 000 000 to > 1000 km2), and small (<1000 km2) river basins in the USA and Europe relative to the estimation of suspended sediment fluxes. The evaluations address such issues as the accuracy of flux estimations for various levels of temporal resolution as well as the impact of sampling frequency on the magnitude of flux estimation errors. The sediment rating-curve method tends to underpredict high, and overpredict low SSCs. As such, the range of errors associated with concomitant flux estimates for relatively short time-frames (e.g. daily, weekly) are likely to be substantially larger than those associated with longer time-frames (e.g. quarterly, annually) because the over- and underpredictions do not have sufficient time to balance each other. Hence, when error limits must be kept under ??20%, temporal resolution probably should be limited to quarterly or greater. The evaluations indicate that over periods of 20 or more years, errors of <1% can be achieved using a single sediment rating curve based on data spanning the entire period. However, somewhat better estimates for the entire period, and markedly better annual estimates within the period, can be obtained if individual annual sediment rating curves are used instead. Relatively accurate (errors
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| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70024634 |
| Citation Author: | Horowitz, A. J. |
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| Citation End Page: | 3409 |
| Citation Issue: | 17 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Hydrological Processes |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 23 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | An evaluation of sediment rating curves for estimating suspended sediment concentrations for subsequent flux calculations; 2003; Article; Journal; Hydrological Processes; Horowitz, A. J. |
| Citation Start Page: | 3387 |
| Citation Volume: | 17 |
| Citation Year: | 2003 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | An evaluation of sediment rating curves for estimating suspended sediment concentrations for subsequent flux calculations; 2003; Article; Journal; Hydrological Processes; Horowitz, A. J. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1299 |
| Date Other: | Wed, 1 Jan 2003 00:00 -0600 |
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