Measuring suspended sediment

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Abstract

Suspended sediment in streams and rivers can be measured using traditional instruments and techniques and (or) surrogate technologies. The former, as described herein, consists primarily of both manually deployed isokinetic samplers and their deployment protocols developed by the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project. They are used on all continents other than Antarctica. The reliability of the typically spatially rich but temporally sparse data produced by traditional means is supported by a broad base of scientific literature since 1940.


However, the suspended sediment surrogate technologies described herein – based on hydroacoustic, nephelometric, laser, and pressure difference principles – tend to produce temporally rich but in some cases spatially sparse datasets. The value of temporally rich data in the accuracy of continuous sediment-discharge records is hard to overstate, in part because such data can often overcome the shortcomings of poor spatial coverage. Coupled with calibration data produced by traditional means, surrogate technologies show considerable promise toward providing the fluvial sediment data needed to increase and bring more consistency to sediment-discharge measurements worldwide.

Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Measuring suspended sediment
Chapter 1.10
DOI 10.1016/B978-0-12-382182-9.00012-8
Volume 1
Year Published 2013
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Office of Surface Water
Description 48 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Monograph
Larger Work Title Comprehensive water quality and purification
First page 157
Last page 204
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