Evaluation of the method of collecting suspended sediment from large rivers by discharge-weighted pumping and separation by continuous-flow centrifugation

A method for collecting suspended sediment samples has been developed that pumps a discharge-weighted volume of water from fixed depths at four to 40 locations across a river and separates the suspended sediment in the sample using a continuous-flow centrifuge. The efficacy of the method is evaluated by comparing the particle size distributions of sediment collected by the discharge-weighted pumping method with the particle size distributions of sediment collected by depth integration and separated by gravitational settling. The pumping method was found to undersample the suspended sand sized particles (> 63 μm) but to collect a representative sample of the suspended silt and clay sized particles (< 63 μm). The centrifuge separated the silt and clay sized particles (< 63 μm) into three fractions. Based on the average results of processing 17 samples from the Mississippi River and several of its large tributaries in 1990, about 10% of the silt and clay sized material was trapped in a centrifuge bowl-bottom sealing unit containing the nozzle and consisted of mostly medium and coarse silt from 16 to 63 μm. About 74% was retained on a Teflon liner in the centrifuge bowl and consisted of sizes from 0–1 to 63 μm. About 9% was discharged from the centrifuge in the effluent and was finer than 0–1 μm. About 7% was lost during the processes of removing the wet sediment fractions from the centrifuge, drying and weighing. The success of the discharge-weighted pumping method depends on how homogeneously the silt and clay sized particles (< 63 μm) are distributed in the vertical direction in the river. The degree of homogeneity depends on the composition and degree of aggregation of the suspended sediment particles.     

The particle size characteristics of fine‐grained channel deposits in the River Exe Basin,Devon, UK

Deposition and storage of fine‐grained (<62·5 μm) sediment in the hyporheic zone of gravel bed rivers frequently represents an important cause of aquatic habitat degradation. The particle size characteristics of such fine‐grained bed sediment (FGBS) exert an important control on its hydrodynamic properties and environmental impact. Traditionally, particle size analysis of FGBS in gravel bed rivers has focused on the absolute size distribution of the chemically dispersed mineral fraction. However, recent work has indicated that in common with fluvial suspended sediment, significant differences may exist between the absolute and the in situ, or effective, particle size composition of FGBS, as a result of the existence of aggregates, or composite particles. In the investigation reported in this paper, sealable bed traps that could be remotely opened to sample sediment deposited during specific storm runoff events and a laser back‐scatter probe were used to quantify the temporal and spatial variability of both the absolute and effective particle size composition of FGBS, and the associated suspended sediment from four gravel bed rivers in the Exe Basin, Devon, UK. The absolute particle size distributions of both the FGBS and suspended sediment evidenced c. >95%<62·5 μm sized primary particles and displayed a seasonal winter–summer fining, while the opposite trend was displayed by the effective particle size distribution of the FGBS and suspended sediment. The effective particle size distributions of both were typically highly aggregated, comprising up to 68%>62·5 μm sized particles. Spatial variation in the effective particle size and aggregation parameters was of secondary importance relative to temporal variation. The effective particle size distribution of the FGBS was consistently coarser and more aggregated than the associated suspended sediment and there was evidence of aggregate break‐up in samples of resuspended bed sediment. The implications of these findings for sediment transport modelling are considered. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seasonal variation in the flux of planktonic foraminifera: time series sediment trap results from the Panama Basin

A mooring array with three automated sediment traps capable of collecting time series samples was deployed in the Panama Basin for one year beginning in December 1979. A series of six consecutive two-month long samples was collected at each of three depths (890, 2590 and 3560 m) in order to examine seasonal variation in the flux of planktonic foraminifera, and evaluate the contribution of foraminifera to the total carbonate flux.The flux of the larger planktonic foraminifera (250–500 μm and 500–1000 μm) is greatest during February–March when upwelling is most intense in the Panama Basin. In contrast, the maximum flux of the smaller foraminifera (125–250 μm) is associated with a phytoplankton bloom during the summer months (June through September). This size-dependent flux pattern appears to be a species specific effect. The flux of the larger foraminifera is dominated by non-spinose forms (i.e. Neogloboquadrina dutertrei and Globorotalia theyeri), while the flux of the smaller foraminifera consists predominantly of spinose species (i.e. Globigerinoides ruber, G. sacculifer and G. conglobatus). Although the magnitude of the flux varied throughout the year, the average weight of individual foraminiferal tests in different size fractions showed no seasonal variability.With the exception of the June–July period when there was a major coccolith bloom, planktonic foraminifera greater than 125 μm account for between 28 and 34% of the total carbonate flux at this location. During the coccolith bloom, planktonic foraminifera accounted for less than 2% of the total carbonate flux. Planktonic foraminifera in the 250–500 μm size range are the most significant contributors to the overall particulate flux, accounting for roughly 70–80% of the total foraminiferal fluxes measured at the three trap depths.     

基于多波束地形测量的上荆江典型河段沙波形态特征分析

沙波形态影响水流结构、泥沙输移及动床阻力。本研究采用多波束测深系统首次精细测量了上荆江典型河段的床面地形,采用改进后的沙波形态量化算法统计了各类沙波形态参数,分析了不同水流强度下沙波形态的变化特征。计算结果表明:(1)测量河段小型与大型沙波的平均波高分别为0.16～0.81和0.96～2.31 m,波长分别为13～27和16～41m;沙波尺度相较于水深较小,小型与大型沙波的波高分别不超过水深的0.045和0.150倍;(2)沙波背流面坡度基本不超过14°,小于泥沙水下休止角,其与陡度之间的关系可以用线性方程描述;(3)中洪水流量对沙波形态尺度的塑造作用强于枯水流量,且对浅水区大型沙波形态尺度的塑造作用强于深水区。本研究量化了天然河流的沙波形态,较好地反映了沙波形态特征,能为大型冲积河流沙波形态的量化及特征参数的统计分析提供参考。     

Measuring and modeling vertical gradients in suspended sediments in the Solimões/Amazon River

Accurately measuring sediment flux in large rivers remains a challenge due to the spatial and temporal cross‐sectional variability of suspended sediment concentrations in conjunction with sampling procedures that fail to accurately quantify these differences. This study presents a field campaign methodology that can be used to improve the measurement of suspended sediment concentrations in the Amazon River or similarly large rivers. The turbidity signal and Rouse model are together used in this study to define the spatial distribution of suspended sediment concentrations in a river cross‐section, taking into account the different size fractions of the sediment. With this methodology, suspended sediment fluxes corresponding to each sediment class are defined with less uncertainty than with manual samples. This paper presents an application of this methodology during a field campaign at different gauging stations along a 3,000‐km stretch of the Solimões/Amazon River during low water and flood periods. Vertical concentration profiles and Rouse model applications for distinctive sediment sizes are explored to determine concentration gradients throughout a cross‐section of the river. The results show that coupling both turbidity technology and the Rouse model may improve our understanding of the spatial distribution of different sediments fractions sizes in the Solimões/Amazon River. These data are very useful in defining a pertinent monitoring strategy for suspended sediment concentrations in the challenging context of large rivers.     

Decadal to millennial-scale periodicities in North Iceland shelf sediments over the last 12 000 cal yr: long-term North Atlantic oceanographic variability and solar forcing

Giant piston core MD99-2269 recovered 25 m of sediment in Hunáfloáall, a deep trough on the North Iceland margin fronting the Iceland Sea, and the site of a shelf sediment drift. The rate of sediment accumulation is 2 m/kyr (5 yr/cm); the core terminated in the Vedde tephra (12 cal ka). The sediment was sampled at between 5 and 50 yr/sample, including rock magnetic, grain-size, and sediment properties. Data reduction was carried out using principal component analysis. Two PC axes for the 5-yr/sample magnetic data are strongly correlated with measures of coercivity (ARM_{20 mT}/ARM) and magnetic concentrations (kARM). In turn ARM_{20 mT}/ARM is highly correlated (negatively) with grain-size and the mean size of the sortable silt fraction. Analyses of the two PC axes with MTM spectral methods indicate a series of significant (>99%) periodicities at millennial to multidecadal scales, including those at 200, 125, and 88 yr which are associated with solar variability. We also document a strong correlation between the sediment magnetic properties and the ∂¹⁸O on benthic foraminifera on the North Iceland inner shelf. We hypothesize that the links between variations in grain-size, magnetic concentrations, and solar forcing are controlled by atmospheric and oceanographic changes linked to changes in the relative advection of Atlantic and polar waters along the North Iceland margin. Today these changes are associated with variations in the deep convection in the Greenland and Iceland Seas. The precise linkages are, however, presently elusive although a combination of coarser sediments and low ∂¹⁸O values define a Holocene thermal maximum between 8 and 6 cal ka.     

Large‐scale sediment bodies and superimposed bedforms on the continental shelf close to the Strait of Gibraltar: interplay of complex oceanographic conditions and physiographic constraints

A previously unknown field of large‐scale sedimentary bodies has been mapped and studied on the continental shelf off the Cape Trafalgar near the Strait of Gibraltar with particular emphasis on the relationship between large‐scale sediment bodies and the superimposed bedforms. This study is based on a grid of 975 km of high‐resolution seismic profiles collected at water depths ranging between 15 and 60 m. High variability of large‐scale sedimentary bodies is attributed to the complex interaction of hydrodynamic agents. The most prominent sedimentary features are sand banks and ridges that indicate long‐term southwest and southward‐directed sediment transport patterns, possibly due to the interplay of two dominant current systems flowing southward and westward. These sediment bodies evolve laterally to distinct external geometries, such as sand shoals in shallow water and sand sheets in the vicinity of larger sand banks that indicate moderate current velocities. In addition, pre‐existing physiography is considered to play a role in the generation of certain sediment bodies, developed over inclined surfaces or confined laterally by elevations. Relationships between superimposed bedforms (mostly very large dunes) and underlying sediment bodies vary across the study area. Most superimposed bedforms occur over the complex mosaic of sediment banks and sheets, suggesting the interaction of several high‐energy currents with different directions, such as tidal and/or wind‐driven currents. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physico-chemical Limnology of Lake Naini Tal,Kumaun, Himalaya (U. P.), India

The monomictic lake at a height of 1937 m, having an area of 48 ha, a mean depth of 16 m and a maximum depth of 27 m, is subjected to such an intensive use in its drainage area that the lake became eutrophicated. The spatial-temporal distribution of important physico-chemical criteria is represented for a period of two years. The depth of visibility varies between 0.4 m (March) and 2 m (June). The thermal stratification keeps up from March to November; therefore in the deep water zone a typical oxygen depletion and an enrichment of PO₄? P (26 μg/l) and of N_inerg (940 μg/l) occur. The pH-value lies in the alkaline range and shows a significantly positive correlation with primary production and temperature and a negative correlation with the carbonate content. Also the oxygen concentration is positively correlated with the primary production and temperature. During stagnation, the sediment/water contact zone is free of oxygen for ca. 70 % of the area.     

Metals in sediments and fish from Sea Lots and Point Lisas Harbors, Trinidad and Tobago

Concentrations of heavy metals were determined in nearshore marine sediments and fish tissue from Sea Lots area on the west coast, at Caroni Lagoon National Park, and in the Point Lisas harbor, Trinidad. The most dominant metals found in sediments were Al, Fe and Zn with mean concentrations highest at Sea Lots (Al-39420 μg/g; Fe-45640 μg/g; Zn-245 μg/g), when compared to sediments from Point Lisas (Al-11936 μg/g; Fe-30171 μg/g; Zn-69 μg/g) and Caroni (Al-0400 μg/g; Fe-19000 μg/g; Zn-32 μg/g), High concentration of Cu, Al, Fe and Zn were also detected in fish tissue from Point Lisas and Caroni. Metal concentrations in fish tissue showed significant correlation with sediment metals concentration, which suggests that tissue levels are influenced by sediment concentration. Of the metals, only Zn, Hg and Cu had a bioaccumulation factor (BAF) greater than one, which suggests a high bioaccumulation potential for these metals.     

Particle size characteristics of suspended sediment in Southern Ontario rivers tributary to the great lakes

In spite of the important relationship between sediment particle size and the transport/deposition of adsorbed pollutants in fluvial systems, little information regarding the size characteristics of suspended sediment transported by southern Ontario Great Lakes tributaries is currently available. This paper examines long-term sediment and hydrometric data collected by the Water Resources Branch of Environment Canada in order to provide information on (1) typical particle size distributions of suspended sediment, (2) relationships between source material and particle size characteristics of suspended sediment, and (3) temporal variation in the particle size characteristics of suspended sediment from six southern Ontario rivers. Results illustrate the complex behaviour and variability of sediment particle size transport in these rivers and demonstrate the need for a better understanding of seasonal effects on sediment availability and conveyance processes in fluvial systems.     

Spatial and temporal variations of heavy metal contamination in sediments of a mangrove swamp in Hong Kong

Spatial and temporal variations of heavy metal contamination in sediments of a small mangrove stand in Hong Kong were examined by laying two transects perpendicular across the shore. Surface sediment samples were taken along the two transects running landward to seaward at intervals of 5 or 10 m during December 1989, and March, July and September 1990. Total concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn and Pb did not show any specific trend along each transect, although the maximum concentration of heavy metals tended to occur at the landward edge. There was a high level of variability among locations within each transect; for instance, the Cu concentrations fluctuated from 1 to 42 μg g⁻¹. Certain sites contained exceptionally high levels of total metals. Total concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn and Pb as high as 42, 150, 640 and 650 μg g⁻¹, respectively, were recorded, implying contaminated sediment. A comparison of the two transects indicated that the sediments of Transect B seemed to contain higher total Zn but lower Cu and Mn concentrations than those of Transect A. Most of the heavy metals accumulated in the sediments were not extractable with ammonium acetate and no Cu or Pb was detected in these extracts. The concentrations of extractable Zn and Mn were low, less than 10% of the total metal concentration in the sediment, and appeared to decrease from the landward to seaward samples. For both total and extractable metals, there were significant seasonal fluctuations for both transects, but no specific trends could be identified. These spatial and temporal variations suggest that the scale and representativeness of sampling require careful planning, and a single sample might not give a satisfactory evaluation of the levels of heavy metal contamination in mangrove ecosystems.     

Spatial heterogeneity of diatom stratigraphy in varved and non-varved sediments of a small,boreal-forest lake

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of recent diatom stratigraphy were assessed for a small (23 ha) dimictic lake in Northern Sweden (Kassjön). Varves are confined to water depths > 10 m. Six freeze cores were taken along a transect covering a range of water depths (3–12 m) and both varved and non-varved sediments. Core profiles were compared for dry mass accumulation, loss-on-ignition (LOI), and diatom relative frequency stratigraphy and accumulation rate. Excluding the 3.2 m water depth, non-varved core, all parameters showed good repeatability between cores, apart from diatom accumulation rates which were more variable. The 3.2 m core was atypical and had lower LOI values, low planktonic diatom percentages and high values of benthic taxa that were not abundant in the deep-water sediments. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) ordinations were compared; both methods clearly differentiated the shallow water core, and showed the general similar ecological trends of the deeper-water cores. CCA axes constrained by environmental (i. e. core location) data resulted in slightly lower eigenvalues than that obtained by Correspondence Analysis (CA), but the axes were significantly non-random. A Partial-CCA of the four varved cores alone (with effects of sediment depth, i.e. age, partialled out), indicated that there was no significant difference between their diatom assemblages.     

Uranium-series isotopes in river materials: Insights into the timescales of erosion and sediment transport

The uranium-series isotope signatures of the suspended and dissolved load of rivers have emerged as an important tool for understanding the processes of erosion and chemical weathering at the scale of a watershed. These signatures are a function of both time and weathering-induced fractionation between the different nuclides. Provided appropriate models can be developed, they can be used to constrain the residence time of river sediment. This chronometer is triggered as the bedrock starts weathering and the inferred timescale encompasses the residence time in the weathering profile, storage in temporary sediment deposits (e.g. floodplain) and transport in the river. This approach has been applied to various catchments over the past five years showing that river sediments can reside in a watershed for timescales ranging from a few hundreds of years (Iceland) to several hundreds of thousands of years (lowlands of the Amazon). Various factors control how long sediment resides in the watershed: the longest residence times are observed on stable cratons unaffected by glacial cycles (or more generally, climate variability) and human disturbance. Shorter residence times are observed in active orogens (Andes) or fast-eroding, recently glaciated catchments (Iceland). In several cases, the residence time of suspended sediments also corresponds to the time since the last major climate change. The U-series isotope composition of rivers can also be used to predict the river sediment yield assuming steady-state erosion is reached. By comparing this estimate with the modern sediment yield obtained by multi-year sediment gauging, it is clear that steady-state is seldom reached. This can be explained by climate variability and/or human disturbance. Steady-state is reached in those catchments where sediment transport is rapid (Iceland) or where the region has been unaffected by climate change and/or human disturbance. U-series are thus becoming an important tool to study the dynamics of erosion.     

Suspended sediment monitoring in alluvial gullies: A laboratory and field evaluation of available measurement techniques

Gully erosion is a significant source of fine suspended sediment (<63 μm) and associated nutrient pollution to freshwater and marine waterways. Researchers, government agencies, and monitoring groups are currently using monitoring methods designed for streams and rivers (e.g., autosamplers, rising stage samplers, and turbidity loggers) to evaluate suspended sediment in gullies. This is potentially problematic because gullies have several hydrological features and monitoring operational challenges that differ to those of continually flowing streams and rivers (e.g., short and intense flows, high suspended sediment concentrations, and rapid scouring and aggradation). Here we present a laboratory and field-based assessment of the performance of common suspended sediment monitoring techniques applied to gullies. We also evaluate a recently-described method; the pumped active suspended sediment (PASS) sampler, which has been modified for monitoring suspended sediment in gully systems. Discrete autosampling provided data at high temporal resolution, however, it had poor collection efficiency (25 ± 10%) of coarser sediment particles (i.e., sand). Rising stage sampling, while robust and cost-effective, suffered from large amounts of condensation under field conditions (25–35% of sampler volume), due to harsh climatic conditions creating large diurnal temperature differences at the field site, thereby diluting sample concentrations and introducing additional measurement uncertainty. The turbidity logger exhibited a highly variable response when calibrated at each site with physically collected suspended sediment samples (R² = 0.17–0.83), highlighting that this approach should be used with caution. The modified PASS sampler proved to be a reliable and representative measurement method for gully sediment water quality, however, the time-integrated nature of the method limits its temporal resolution compared to the other monitoring methods. We recommend monitoring suspended sediment in alluvial gully systems using a combination of complementary techniques (e.g., PASS and RS samplers) to account for the limitations associated with individual methods.     

Laboratory analyses of nutrient release processes from Haihe River sediment

Sediment samples were collected from the heavily contaminated Haihe River to conduct static nutrient release experiments with tap water,and to evaluate the effect of dredging depths,salinity and light ...     

Enumeration and distribution of bacterial populations of Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound was divided with a total of 25 north-south transects. Ninety-six stations were established along these transects at which sediment and/or water and plankton samples were collected. Total faecal coliforms and total viable bacteria were enumerated from sediments from 53 stations. The presence of vibrios was determined in sediment, water and plankton samples from 186 enrichments.

Counts obtained along the Connecticut shore were similar to those along the Long Island shore. No correlation was noted between the prevalence of faecal coliforms and total viable bacteria in sediment from the same station. Dilute seawater medium was superior to Marine Agar (Difco) for the enumeration of bacteria from 34 of the 53 stations tested. Presumptive vibrios were present in 95% of the sediment samples, 51% of the water samples and 100% of the plankton samples. No correlation was observed between the distribution of vibrios and faecal coliforms.     

Channel sediment variability along a river: A case study of the Siret River (Romania)

The Siret River has the largest drainage basin (42 274 km²) in Romania. It gathers all the rivers from the eastern part of the Eastern Carpathians, a fact that causes marked asymmetry of the basin. This study is principally concerned with changes in the form of the longitudinal profile and the grain size variability introduced by the Carpathian tributaries. Channel sediment analyses considered the petrography, granulometry, and morphometry of the pebbles, relating these to the river bed and floodplain geometry and to some properties of the drainage basin. The following conclusions arise. The Siret River undergoes an intense regrading of its longitudinal profile, with marked aggradation between transects 24 and 26 (see Figures 1 and 2). This reflects selective accumulation of coarse material due to the massive contribution of the Carpathian tributaries. This phenomenon has been continuous throughout the Holocene, resulting in the gravel sheet formation of the Pericarpathian piedmont.     

Persistent organochlorine residues in sediments along the coast of mid-Black Sea region of Turkey

The aim of this study is to determine aspects of water and surface sediment quality in the coastal zone of the mid-Black Sea, and of rivers discharging into it, by analyzing their organochlorine pesticides (OC) levels. Surface sediment samples and water samples were collected from 14 sites from the rivers Ye?ilirmak, Abdal, Mert, Kürtün, Engiz and Kizilirmak. In sediments, Aldrin ranged from 19.3 to 87.3 ng/g and p,p'-DDT ranged from 18.6 to 31.0 ng/g.     

A field investigation of the sediment transport characteristics of a high sediment load intermittent river in Taiwan

Most rivers in Taiwan are intermittent rivers with relatively steep slopes and carry rapid sediment‐laden flows during typhoon or monsoon seasons. A series of field experiments was conducted to collect suspended load data at the Tzu‐Chiang Bridge hydrological station of the lower Cho‐Shui River, which is a major river with the highest sediment yield in Taiwan. The river reach was aggrading with a high aspect ratio during the 1980s. Because of sand mining and extreme floods, it was incised and has had a relatively narrow main channel in recent years. The experimental results indicated that typical sediment transport equations can correctly predict the bed material load for low or medium sediment transport rates (e.g. less than about 1000 tons/day‐m). However, these equations far underestimate the bed material load for high sediment transport rates. The effects of cross‐sectional geometry change (i.e. river incision) and earthquakes on the sediment load were investigated in this study. An empirical sediment transport equation with consideration of the aspect ratio was also derived using the field data collected before and after river incision. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adjustments in channel form,sediment calibre and vegetation around check‐dams in the headwater reaches of mountain torrents,Calabria, Italy

The structure and dynamics of vegetation in valley bottoms are both strongly associated with fluvial processes and landform dynamics. All of these associations are disrupted by the installation of engineering control works. We use survey and analysis methods developed previously to investigate the impact of the installation of check‐dams within the confined headwaters of steep seasonally‐flowing streams (fiumaras) in Calabria, southern Italy, on active channel form, sediment calibre, and the richness, cover and development of riparian vegetation. Based on detailed field measurements along transects across the active channel, estimates of indices of vegetation extent (GCC), development (WCH) and their cross‐sectional variability (coefficients of variation of both indices at each survey site CV_GCC, CV_WCH), the number of species present (Ns), channel shape (w/d – the width/depth ratio), cross‐sectional area (CSA), downstream gradient (slope), surface bed sediment calibre (D₅₀) and subsurface fine sediment content (percentage less than 250 µm by weight) were obtained for 60 transects located immediately upstream (U), downstream (D) and at intermediate sites (I) around 20 check‐dams located in four different headwater catchments. Analysis of this data set suggests that statistically significant changes in channel form and sediment calibre upstream of check‐dams are associated with more consistent vegetation development across the active channel, including an increase in species richness relative to other transects, but notable increases in vegetation cover and development only arise where the physical characteristics of the channel are notably different from intermediate and downstream channels. Because of the naturally steep profile of the study torrents, intermediate sections between check‐dams tend to be more similar in form to channels located immediately downstream of check‐dams than those located upstream, leading to similar structural properties in the riparian vegetation. The intermediate transects support considerably more species than downstream reaches, but the conditions upstream of the check‐dams appear to be so favourable for riparian vegetation development that species richness exceeds that found in intermediate reaches. Despite the confined headwater locations, these contrasts in form, sediment and vegetation development around check‐dams are strong and consistent across the study catchments, over‐riding more subtle contrasts in species richness and sediment calibre between catchments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.