CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Hansen, D.; and Bray, D.I.
Date : 1993
Title : Single-station estimates of suspended sediment loads using sediment rating curves.
Publication : Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering
Issue : 20(1):
Page(s) : 133-143.
Abstract
Sediment rating curves plus daily flow data have often been used to estimate the total mass of sediment flowing through a given river cross section over relatively long periods of time. Techniques were sought that would make the best use of limited noncontinuous suspended-sediment concentration data to generate nine partial years of sediment load by means of sediment rating curves for the Kennebecasis River (drainage area of 100 sq km) in New Brunswick, Canada. Initially, the data were partitioned in an attempt to improve correlations between concentration and discharge. Partitioning by season, month, periods of rising stage, or periods of falling stage did not uniformly improve correlations as compared with the correlations for non-partitioned data. Various combinations of less well-known methods were then used, including a moving-intercept method that makes greater use of point concentration observations in time, and correction-factor methods for simple power-type relations. Use of power-type suspended-sediment rating curves developed from the data for individual years, together with a correction factor, yielded results within about 10% of published April 1 to October 31 loads. The moving-intercept method was found to give comparable results but requires more computational effort. In addition, the validity of some of the underlying assumptions for performing ordinary least-squares regression was examined and it was concluded that although the statistical characteristics of the concentration data are in some ways less than ideal, this does not appear to adversely affect the utility of the technique in estimating suspended sediment load over relatively long periods of time (April 1 to October 31). Short-term load estimates may be much less accurate, however. Finally, the effect of daily flow averaging on the computed load was examined and found to be small for this basin.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology