Surrogate Technologies for Estimating Suspended Sediment in the Snake and Clearwater Rivers Completed
Because fluvial sediment poses both economic and ecological problems, resource managers need a safe, cost-effective way to measure sediment in streams, particularly in remote areas.
The USGS is leading research to evaluate technologies such as acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs), laser diffraction particle analyzer instruments, and optical turbidity monitors to indirectly measure sediment by measuring other, related parameters. Effective surrogate technologies are low-maintenance and robust over a range of hydrologic conditions. The parameters they measure can be modeled to estimate in real-time both sediment concentrations and the duration of elevated sediment levels.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Use of surrogate technologies to estimate suspended sediment in the Clearwater River, Idaho, and Snake River, Washington, 2008-10
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Because fluvial sediment poses both economic and ecological problems, resource managers need a safe, cost-effective way to measure sediment in streams, particularly in remote areas.
The USGS is leading research to evaluate technologies such as acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs), laser diffraction particle analyzer instruments, and optical turbidity monitors to indirectly measure sediment by measuring other, related parameters. Effective surrogate technologies are low-maintenance and robust over a range of hydrologic conditions. The parameters they measure can be modeled to estimate in real-time both sediment concentrations and the duration of elevated sediment levels.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Use of surrogate technologies to estimate suspended sediment in the Clearwater River, Idaho, and Snake River, Washington, 2008-10
Elevated levels of fluvial sediment can reduce the biological productivity of aquatic systems, impair freshwater quality, decrease reservoir storage capacity, and decrease the capacity of hydraulic structures. The need to measure fluvial sediment has led to the development of sediment surrogate technologies, particularly in locations where streamflow alone is not a good estimator of sediment loadAuthorsMolly S. Wood, Gregg N. Teasdale - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.