Twenty-five years with OBS sensors: The good,the bad,and the ugly

Since their development for investigating sand transport in the surf zone more than 25 years ago, optical backscatter sensors (OBSs) have been in continual use for a wide variety of scientific, engineering, and environmental-monitoring applications. Many OBS designs have evolved in that time but they all work in the same simple way. A water sample is illuminated by a light source and photodetectors in the sensor convert the light scattered from the sample to photocurrent. The amount of photocurrent depends mainly on the illuminated area of the particles, and because particle volume is proportional to area, the photocurrent provides an indirect estimate of suspended-sediment concentration. The relationship between OBS signal and sediment concentration is almost linear for many suspended sediments and this is the most important “good” feature for OBS users. Many other factors influence OBS measurements, including: (1) particle size, shape, composition, and aggregation/flocculation; (2) dissolved light-absorbing matter; (3) bubbles; and (4) chemical and biological fouling. Some of these factors can be troublesome and can result in poor data quality or ambiguous results; these are “bad” ones. And a few of the same factors can have truly “ugly” consequences when their effects are ignored. Unknown time variation in particle size or aggregation/flocculation and fouling will nearly always result in inaccurate OBSs data.     

Using ADV backscatter strength for measuring suspended cohesive sediment concentration

Laboratory experiments were conducted at two institutes to reveal the relationship between acoustic backscatter strength and suspended sediment concentration (SSC). In total, three acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADVs) with different frequencies (5, 10 and 16 MHz) were tested. Two different commercial clays and one natural sediment from Clay Bank site in the York River were checked for acoustic responses. The SSCs of selected sediments were artificially changed between a selected low and a high value in tap or de-ion water. Each ADV showed quite different backscatter responses depending on the sediment type and SSC. Not all devices had a good linear relationship between backscatter strength and SSC. Within a limited range of SSC, however, the backscatter strength can be well correlated with the SSC. Compared with optical backscattering sensor (OBS), the fluctuation of ADV backscatter signals was too noisy to be directly converted to the instantaneous changes of SSC due to high amplification ratio and small sampling volume. For the more accurate signal conversion for finding the fluctuation of SSC, the ensemble average should be applied to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. There are unexpected responses for the averaged backscatter wave strength: (1) high signals from small particles but low signals from large particles; and (2) two linear segments in calibration slope. These phenomena would be most likely caused by the different gain setting built in ADVs. The different acoustic responses to flocculation might also contribute somewhat if flocs are tightly packed. This study suggests that an ADV could be a useful instrument to estimate suspended cohesive sediment concentration and its fluctuation if the above concerns are clarified.     

Estimating suspended sediment concentrations from turbidity measurements and the calibration problem

In situ turbidity meters are being increasingly used to generate continuous records of suspended sediment concentration in rivers. However, the usefulness of the information obtained depends heavily on the existence of a close relationship between fluctuations in suspended sediment concentration and turbidity and the calibration procedure that relates suspended sediment concentration to the turbidity meter's signal. This study assesses the relationship between suspended sediment concentration and turbidity for a small (1·19 km²) rural catchment in southern Brazil and evaluates two calibration methods by comparing the estimates of suspended sediment concentration obtained from the calibrated turbidity readings with direct measurements obtained using a USDH 48 suspended sediment sampler. With the first calibration method, the calibration relationship is derived by relating the turbidity readings to simultaneous measurements of concentration obtained from suspended sediment samples collected from the vicinity of the turbidity probe during flood events. With the second method, the calibration is based on the readings obtained from the turbidity meter when the probe immersed in samples of known concentration prepared using soils collected from the catchment. Overall, there was a close link between fluctuations in suspended sediment concentration and turbidity in the stream at the outlet of the catchment, and the estimates of sediment concentration obtained using the first calibration method corresponded closely with the conventionally measured sediment concentrations. However, use of the second calibration method introduced appreciable errors. When the estimated sediment concentrations were compared with the measured values, the mean errors were ± 122 mg l^?1 and + 601 mg l^?1 for the first and second calibration procedures respectively. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved method for evaluating the seasonal variability of total suspended sediment flux field in the Yellow and East China Seas

The suspended sediment flux field in the Yellow and East China Seas(YECS) displays its seasonal variability.A new method is introduced in this paper to obtain the flux field via retrieval of ocean color remote sensing data,statistical analysis of historical suspended sediment concentration data,and numerical simulation of three-dimensional(3D) flow velocity.The components of the sediment flux field include(i) surface suspended sediment concentration inverted from ocean color remote sensing data;(ii) vertical distribution of suspended sediment concentration obtained by statistical analysis of historical observation data;and(iii) 3D flow field modeled by a numerical simulation.With the improved method,the 3D suspended sediment flux field in the YECS has been illustrated.By comparison with the suspended sediment flux field solely based on the numerical simulation of a suspended sediment transport model,the suspended sediment flux field obtained by the improved method is found to be more reliable.The 3D suspended sediment flux field from ocean colour remote sensing and in situ observation are more closer to the reality.Furthermore,by quantitatively analyzing the newly obtained suspended sediment flux field,the quantity of sediment erosion and deposition within the different regions can be evaluated.The sediment exchange between the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea can be evident.The mechanism of suspended sediment transport in the YECS can be better understood.In particular,it is suggested that the long-term transport of suspended sediment is controlled mainly by the circulation pattern,especially the current in winter.     

Monitoring alluvial sand suspension by eddy correlation

Eddy correlation techniques are standard tools in micrometeorology and oceanography to measure momentum and contaminant transport across turbulent boundary layers. They can, in theory, be used to estimate the net vertical suspended sediment flux directly over different areas of an alluvial channel boundary, and thus disclose ongoing erosion/deposition patterns. The basic principles and main problems in applying the technique to alluvial suspension are first introduced. Results from a trial application of the method in a large sand bed river are then presented; the focus of the analysis is on the substantial (and surprising) contributions of multi-minute flow fluctuations to suspension work in the study environment. The data were collected in a 10 m deep channel of the Fraser River near Mission, British Columbia, Canada. Turbulent fluctuations of flow components streamwise and normal to the bed, along with the output of an optical suspended sediment sensor, were monitored over 7 h, 1 m above the bed. Flow velocities averaged 0·9 ms^?1 and mean suspended sediment concentrations 500 mgl^?1, at sensor level above 1–5 dm high dunes. Spectral analysis of the records reveals that approximately 30 per cent of the vertical suspended sand mixing across the sensor level (and roughly as much of the momentum exchange) was linked to gradual flow oscillations with periods between 1 and 13·6 min (underlying briefer, turbulent fluctuations). Extended periods of sediment-rich, slightly upward directed but slower mean flow alternated with periods of sediment-poor, slightly downward and faster mean flow; these slow fluctuations involved 10–20 cms^?1 changes in 5 min average flow speed, 2–4· changes in vertical flow angle and 100 mgl^?1 changes in mean sand concentration. To obtain accurate eddy-correlation estimates of the vertical suspension flux in the study conditions, hour-scale flow and turbidity records that include many of these multi-minute cycles appear to be necessary. The spectra of the Fraser River near-bed signals do not conspicuously differ in overall shape (in terms of low-frequency content and location of peak) from turbulent spectra encountered in some atmospheric boundary layers. Nonetheless, the long period fluctuations observed on the Fraser River may not be turbulent; rather they may reflect slowly evolving perturbations in the near-bed streamlines, caused by bedform translation or gradual fluctuation within the large-scale streamwise cells of the secondary flow.     

Observations of sediment resuspension and settling off the mouth of Jiaozhou Bay,Yellow Sea

We deployed bottom-mounted quadrapod equipped with acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV), and optical backscatter sensor (OBS) over two semidiurnal tidal cycles along the western coast of the Yellow Sea, China. In combination with shipboard profiling of CTD and LISST-100, we resolved the temporal and spatial distributions of tidal currents, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and particle size distributions. During the observations, tidal-induced bottom shear stress was the main stirring factor. However, weak tidal flow during the ebb phase was accompanied by two large SSC and median size events. The interactions of seiche-induced oscillations with weak ebb flow induced multiple flow reversals and provided a source of turbulence production, which stripped up the benthic fluff layers (only several millimeters) around the Jiaozhou Bay mouth. Several different methods for inferring mean suspended sediment settling velocity agreed well under peak currents, including estimates using LISST-based Stokes’ settling law, and ADCP-based Rouse profiles, ADV-based inertial-dissipation balance and Reynolds flux. Suspended particles in the study site can be roughly classified into two types according to settling behavior: a smaller, denser class consistent with silt and clay and a larger, less dense class consistent with loosely aggregated flocs. In the present work, we prove that acoustic approaches are robust in simultaneously and non-intrusively estimating hydrodynamics, SSC and settling velocities, which is especially applicable for studying sediment dynamics in tidal environments with moderate concentration levels.     

A three-dimensional numerical model of particulate transport for coastal waters

A Lagrangian marker particle in Eulerian finite difference cell solution to the three-dimensional incompressible mass transport equation was developed for predicting particulate transport in coastal and estuarine waters. Special features of the solution procedure include a finite difference grid network which translates horizontally and vertically with the mean particle motion and expands with the dispersive growth of the marker particle cloud. The cartesian vertical coordinate of the three-dimensional mass transport equation has been transformed, using instantaneous water column depth to allow adaptation to flow situations with a temporally and spatially varying bottom topography and free surface. Results from this model for turbulent diffusion and advection of a uniform plug flow of sediment in an unbounded uniform flow field with various sediment settling velocities were in excellent agreement with the corresponding analytic solutions. Using current information from a two-dimensional vertically averaged hydrodynamic's model, the model was utilized to predict the long term diffusion and advection of dilute neutrally and negatively buoyant suspended sediment clouds resulting from a hypothetical instantaneous release of dredge spoil waste at Brown's Ledge in Rhode Island Sound.     

Burst-like sediment suspension events in a sand bed river

In a much quoted paper, Jackson (1976) hypothesized that turbulent [bursting] motions such as those documented in laboratory boundary layers play a major role in alluvial sediment suspension. To date, the hypothesis remained largely untested, due to difficulties in monitoring turbulent suspension in rivers. This study provides field data documenting burst-like turbulent motions over a sandy bed channel and quantifying the role of these motions in sand suspension. The data were collected in a 10 m deep channel of the Fraser River near Mission, British Columbia, Canada. Turbulent fluctuations of both flow components, downstream and normal to the bed, along with the output of an optical suspended sediment sensor, were monitored 1 m above the river bed. Typical flow velocities averaged 0·9 ms⁻¹ at the sensors, where mean suspended sediment concentrations were 500 mgl⁻¹; decimetre height small dunes on the backs of larger, half-metre amplitude dunes covered the channel bed in the area. Brief but intense, burst-like [ejection and inrush] events were identified in the flow records, where they are responsible for a high degree of [intermittency] in shear stress over the dunes: 80 per cent of the turbulent momentum exchange across the 1 m level can be ascribed to such brief (3-8 s duration) events, active under 12 per cent of the time. In addition, the record of fluctuating sediment concentrations reveals these burst-like motions to be highly effective in vertically mixing suspended sediment and thus, ultimately, in maintaining suspended sediment transport above the dune bed. The bulk (60 and 90 per cent in two deployments) of the vertical sediment mixing was accomplished by intense events active some 10 per cent of the time. No discrete recurrence timescale for these ‘burst-like’ mixing events is evident, however. Rather, a continuous variation of return periods was observed as a function of the magnitude of vertical mixing event considered. To that extent, conceptual models of sediment transport in terms of burst events with a predictable recurrence such as proposed by Jackson (1976) may be misleading.     

Particle size analysis of the sediment suspended in a proglacial stream: Glacier De tsidjiore Nouve,Switzerland

Hourly, at-a-point samples of suspended sediment taken from the outflow stream of Glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve, Switzerland, over a 60 day sampling period (n = 1440) are shown to be dominantly composed of silt-sized particles. Particle size, SEM, and XRD analyses indicate a subglacial provenance for the suspended sediment. Temporal variations in particle size and sorting correspond poorly to fluctuations in water discharge, being dominated by erratic hour-to-hour fluctuations and clockwise hysteresis over diurnal flow events. Examination of grain size and sorting dynamics over snowmelt- and icemelt-related ablation events, during precipitation events, and during glacier drainage events enables some inferences to be drawn regarding sediment source areas and supply regimes. We conclude that although the bulk of the suspended sediment in the proglacial stream of Glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve is derived directly from subglacial sources (with occasional contributions from the valley train during rapid snowmelt and heavy rainfall periods), a portion of the suspended load undergoes intermittent ‘flush-fall’ transfer through the proglacial zone, which acts as a sediment source during rising flows and as a sink during periods of waning flow.     

Particle size characteristics of suspended sediment in hillslope runoff and stream flow

This study examines the particle size characteristics of hillslope soils and fluvial suspended sediments in an agricultural catchment. Samples of surface runoff and stream flow were collected periodically and analysed for the size distributions of the effective (undispersed) sediment. This sediment was subsequently dispersed and the ultimate size distributions determined. The median effective particle size of stream suspended sediment was considerably coarser than the median ultimate particle size, indicating that most of the load included a substantial proportion of aggregates. Moreover, the proportion of fine material (i.e. silt and clay) increased, and the proportion of sand-sized material decreased, with increasing discharge. This decrease in sediment size with increased flow, which is contrary to the traditional assumption of a positive discharge/particle size relationship, is thought to reflect: (i) the influx of silt and clay, predominantly the former, originating on the catchment slopes and brought to the stream by overland flow along vehicle wheelings, roads and tracks; and (ii) erosion of fine material from the channel bed and banks. During large storms, however, the proportion of sand-sized sediment increased during the rising limb of the hydrograph, as a result of the entrainment of coarser source material from the valley floor during overbank flooding. The stream suspended sediment was finer than the catchment soils and considerably finer than material eroding from the catchment slopes during storms. The degree of clay and silt enrichment in the suspended sediments was largely the result of preferential deposition of the coarser fraction during the transport and delivery of sediment from its source to basin outlet. The data from this study confirm that a significant mode of sediment transport in fluvial systems is in the form of aggregates, and that the dispersed sediment size distribution is inappropriate for determining the transportability of sediment by flow. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calibration of a Par-Tec 200 laser back-scatter probe FOR in situ sizing of fluvial suspended sediment

The in situ or effective particle size distribution of fluvial suspended sediment may differ considerably from that of the chemically dispersed mineral fraction owing to flocculation. Obtaining a meaningful measure of the effective particle size distribution ideally requires that measurements should be made in situ. A rigorous assessment of the associated degree of flocculation also requires that the same measurement technique is used subsequently to establish the absolute particle size composition of the suspended sediment by analysis of the chemically dispersed mineral fraction. While few in situ measurement devices currently exist, a Par-Tec 200 laser back-scatter probe has previously been shown to be capable of making both in situ and laboratory particle size measurements of fluvial sediment. The accuracy and precision of this device is assessed in this paper. While able to distinguish relative size differences with a high degree of precision, the Par-Tec 200 performed poorly in terms of accuracy when compared with measurements made using a laser diffraction device. A calibration algorithm has been devised for the Par-Tec 200 size data, using standard sediment samples sized by means of a laser diffraction device as the reference. Application of the calibration to Par-Tec 200 measurements of heterogeneous sediment samples significantly improved the representativeness of the particle size distribution, both in terms of overall form, and the median particle size. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating spatial variation of suspended sediment rating curves in the middle Yellow River basin,China

Abstract The suspended sediment load in the middle Yellow River basin (YRB) cannot be well predicted by capacity‐based transport formulas because a large fraction of suspended sediment load is composed of wash load. This study evaluated the spatial variations of sediment rating curves (SRCs) in the middle YRB. Both power and linear SRCs were used to fit daily flow and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) historical data at 49 gauging stations throughout the middle YRB. The spatial variation in regression coefficients was investigated, and the relationship between regression coefficients and the physical characteristics of watersheds was discussed. The results indicate that SRC regression coefficients vary with drainage area and basin slope, but their responses to these parameters are remarkably different in watersheds with different underlying surfaces, which indicates the significance of sediment availability, erodibility, and grain size distribution. For power SRCs representing sediment transport in unsaturated flows, the regression coefficients are more closely correlated with the drainage area in loess regions and with the basin slope in rock mountain regions. For linear SRCs representing sediment transport in saturated flows, saturated SSCs vary with coarse (particle size > 0.05 mm) and fine (particle size < 0.01 mm) fractions in suspended sediment. The maximum saturated SSC among the different gauging stations is associated with the optimal grain size composition of suspended sediment, which has been proposed for loess regions in previous studies. This study provides theoretical support for estimating the regression parameters for sediment transport modelling, especially in ungauged basins.     

Fine sediment dynamics in a shallow lake and implication for design of hydraulic works

Lake Markermeer is a large (680?km²), shallow body of water in the middle of the Netherlands, with a mean water depth of 3.6?m. One of the major problems in the lake is its decreasing ecological value which is, among other reasons, caused by a gradual increase of suspended sediment concentration and associated increase of light attenuation in the water column. A thorough understanding of fine sediment dynamics in the lake is a prerequisite for solving this problem. This paper addresses the 3D nature of near-bed sediment dynamics in Lake Markermeer, based on data sampled from a 1-month field experiment in autumn 2007. The campaign involved the collection of 71 bed samples across the lake. At each location, dual-frequency echo soundings were carried out to assess the thickness of the silt layer, and sediment concentration throughout the water column was measured with an Optical Backscatter Sensor (OBS). Moreover, 2-week time series of wave height, water level, current velocities, and near-bed sediment concentration were collected at a single location. The time series of sediment concentration were measured with a regular OBS and an Argus Surface Meter IV (ASM). During the measurement period, flow velocities ranged between 2 and 15?cm/s, wave heights up to 1.2?m were observed and turbidity levels varied between 40?mg/l to more than 300?mg/l. The ASM data generally showed uniform concentration profiles. However, profiles with steep concentration gradients near the bed were found for wave heights above 0.5?m. The field experiments further revealed pronounced 3D structures near the bed during discrete storms. The results are generalized for a wider range of conditions and across the full water depth through application of a 1DV point model, using a two-fraction representation of the grain size distribution. The fine and coarse fractions are found to resuspend rapidly for wind speeds above 5?m/s and 10??2?m/s, respectively, forming a uniform concentration profile if these wind conditions persists. High-concentration (???g/l) layers near the bed, containing the coarse sediment fraction, only occur at the onset and towards the end of a storm, when wind speed changes rapidly. It is under these conditions that horizontal gradients in layer density or thickness can transport considerable fine sediment. This transport provides an additional mechanism for the infill of, for instance, silt traps and navigation channels.     

Quantifying the response of optical backscatter devices and transmissometers to variations in suspended particulate matter

Optical instruments have been used effectively in studies of sediment dynamics for several decades. Without accurate instrument calibrations, calculated concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) may be unreliable, with implications for interpretations of sedimentary processes and sediment fluxes. This review aims to quantify the effect of variations in SPM characteristics on the response of optical instruments (optical backscatter sensors OBS and transmissometers) and to note the implications for users of these instruments. A number of factors have a significant impact on instrument response, for example; a change in grain size from medium sands to fine silts may lead to a×100 increase in instrument response; flocculation of fine particles may decrease instrument response by×2; and the presence of plankton in suspension may lead to poor instrument calibrations of SPM concentration. Calibrations carried out in environments either with multi-modal bottom sediments, where flocculation of fine-grained sediments is likely, or where the hydrodynamics or grain type are highly variable must also include a determination of the changing nature of the suspended load in space and time. A more complete understanding of instrument response to SPM and of calibration requirements may enable optical devices to be used to a greater potential as long-term measures of SPM concentration, and also enable improvements in calculations of net sediment fluxes.     

Measurements of the turbulence characteristics of sand suspended by a tidal current

Measurements made with a new fast-response suspended sand sensor have for the first time enabled the turbulence characteristics of a natural sand suspension to be studied. Suspended sand concentration measurements, together with fast-response current measurements, were made 18 cm above a sandy bed under a strong tidal current. They showed a highly variable concentration field, dominated by clouds of sand which took 2 to 10 s to sweep past the sensor. The concentration spectrum had peak energy at a wavelength of about 3 m, and exhibited a −5/3 power dependence at high frequencies. Damping of the turbulence intensity of the current was observed when sand was suspended. A spectral approach produced more plausible values for the upward Reynolds flux of sediment than the direct covariance technique. The calculated upward fluxes were appreciably smaller than the settling fluxes around the time of maximum current, contrary to the expectation for an equilibrium concentration profile. The turbulence characteristics of the concentration field displayed marked similarities with standard results from atmospheric temperature measurements, strengthening assumptions commonly made in the prediction of sediment transport rates.     

LES-DEM simulations of sediment transport

In this work, a fully-coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model and Discrete Element Method (DEM) are used to simulate a unidirectional turbulent open-channel flow over the full range of sediment transport regimes. The fluid and particles are computed on separate grids using a dual-grid formulation to maintain consistency and avoid instability issues. The results of coupling the dispersed phase to a multiphase flow solver that uses volume-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are compared to those obtained from coupling through drag to a single flow solver. The current work also examines the applicability and limitations of lumping particles as a representative particle to reduce the cost of simulations. Insight to the impact of different turbulent events to the entrainment of particles is also given. The simulation results of sediment transport from both coupling techniques show good agreement with empirical formulas in the bedload regime, but under-predict sediment transport in the suspended load regime. In the suspended load regime, using partial coupling, the rate of sediment transport was found to be under-predicted as compared to full-coupling. The deviation in results in the suspended load regime was found to increase with increases in the applied shear stress. Both coupling methods revealed the same effect on the friction factor where friction increases in the bedload regime and decreases in the suspended load regime reaching a maximum at the transition between regimes. This result is contrary to past studies which have shown a discrete jump in the friction factor at the transition. Lumping particles as representative particles is shown to reduce the simulation cost by more than a factor of 5 when using a scaling factor of 2. By doing a quadrant analysis on information obtained from particle and flow field results, it was found that most of the particles are entrained by more frequent sweep events.     

Coherent structure dynamics and sediment particle motion around a cylindrical pier in developing scour holes

Recent investigations on the dynamics of the turbulent horseshoe vortex system (THV) around cylindrical piers have shown that the rich coherent dynamics of the vortical structures is dominated by low-frequency bimodal fluctuations of the velocity field. In spite of these advances, many questions remain regarding the changes of the flow and sediment transport dynamics as scour progresses. In this investigation we carry out laboratory experiments to register the development of the scour hole around a cylindrical pier in a fine-sand bed (d ₅₀ = 0.36 mm). We use the bathymetry measured in the experiment to simulate the flow field employing the detached-eddy simulation approach (DES), which has shown to resolve most of the turbulent stresses around surface-mounted obstacles. From these simulations we compare the dynamics of the THV to the flat-bed case, and analyze the effects on particle transport and sediment flux using the Lagrangian particle model of Escauriaza and Sotiropoulos (2011b) to study the impact of the changes of the flow on the sediment dynamics.     

CATCHMENT-WIDE ANALYSIS OF THE SEDIMENT REGIME WITH RESPECT TO RESERVOIR SEDIMENTATION

1 INTRODUCTIONIn Anstria reservoirs are frequentiy multi-purpose schemes, being used for power generation, floodprotechon and for wate suPPly downstream. These reservoirs have some adVerse imPaCts on theenvironment around the reservoir and also on the dOwnstream pat:. in rivers with mean annual discharge above 30 m3ls about 36 % of the total length of l884 lQn isimpounded, and only 35% remains as free flowing sections (Muhar, l992),. flooding has been, and continues to be, a serious pr…     

Time‐integrated sampling of fluvial suspended sediment: a simple methodology for small catchments

Fine‐grained (<62·5 µm) suspended sediment transport is a key component of the geochemical flux in most fluvial systems. The highly episodic nature of suspended sediment transport imposes a significant constraint on the design of sampling strategies aimed at characterizing the biogeochemical properties of such sediment. A simple sediment sampler, utilizing ambient flow to induce sedimentation by settling, is described. The sampler can be deployed unattended in small streams to collect time‐integrated suspended sediment samples. In laboratory tests involving chemically dispersed sediment, the sampler collected a maximum of 71% of the input sample mass. However, under natural conditions, the existence of composite particles or flocs can be expected to increase significantly the trapping efficiency. Field trials confirmed that the particle size composition and total carbon content of the sediment collected by the sampler were representative statistically of the ambient suspended sediment. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An integrated suspended sediment transport monitoring and analysis concept

A new integrated suspended sediment monitoring strategy applying direct and indirect technologies is presented.Optical sensors continuously record the turbidity at one point in the channel cross section close to the river bank and are calibrated by water samples taken close to the sensor.Additionally measurements are performed to establish the distribution of suspended sediment in a cross section（bottle samples combined with acoustic devices）.Using correction factors（probe and cross-sectional factor） these monitoring methods are combined and it is,thus,possible to fully document the temporal and spatial variability of the suspended sediment transport and to estimate the suspended sediment load for certain time periods.This monitoring strategy was implemented at various measurement sites in Austria as well as at the Hainburg Road Bridge site on the Danube River.It has already been successfully applied for three years at this measurement site and suspended sediment loads during high discharges up to a 15 year flood event have been monitored.To evaluate the new monitoring methods the results were compared with load estimation methods found in the literature including averaging and ratio estimators as well as rating curves.The results prove that with the new methodology,the temporal variability of the suspended sediment transport can be detected more accurately compared with the other methods.They also demonstrate that the additional consideration of the spatial distribution of the suspended sediment concentration in the cross section is crucial as the mean concentration in the cross section can significantly exceed the concentration near the banks,especially at large rivers like the Danube River.