The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified sediment as a leading cause of impairment in the Nation’s rivers and streams. Excessive sedimentation degrades aquatic habitat; reduces longevity of water-supply, flood-control reservoirs; and is the primary transport mechanism of toxic organic chemicals, heavy metals, and nutrients. The USGS Texas Water Science Center (TXWSC) has multiple projects that collect sediment data to assist in understand long-term water quality trends. Visit the links below for more information on our data and science.
In Texas, high flows in rivers caused by local rainfall or by releases from upstream reservoirs can increase sediment erosion and nutrient runoff downstream. Sediment transported by rivers and streams to estuaries and bays can affect water quality and reduce water clarity. Concentrations of suspended sediment also are affected by natural conditions (such as soil erosion and streambed resuspension) and can also be affected by human activities (such as development, timber harvesting, agricultural practices, and hydraulic alteration).
SEDIMENT SCIENCE CAPABILITIES
TXWSC has expertise in sediment science applications, including, but not limited to:
- Suspended Sediments in Streams, Storm Runoff, and Impervious Surface Runoff
- Quantifying Loads and Yields of Contaminants
- Identifying Sources of Sediment-Associated Trace Elements and Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants
- Understanding Relations Between Streamflow and Sediment and Contaminant Transport
- Characterizing Relations Between Land-Use and Sediment Quality
- Streambed Sediments
- Characterizing Sediment Quality
- Identifying Source(s) of Contaminant Inputs
- Lake/Reservoir Bottom Sediments
- Age Dating Sediments to Calculate Deposition Dates and Sedimentation Rates
- Reconstructing Water-Quality Trends of Sediment-Associated Trace Elements and Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants
- Describing Effects of Land-Use and Regulatory Changes and Urbanization on Water-Quality
Find out more about TXWSC water-quality science and sediement science expertise in these printable information sheets.
LOOKING FOR SEDIMENT DATA?
WaterQualityWatch: Real Time Turbidity
USGS National Real-Time Water Quality: Texas Real-Time Water Quality
CURRENT SEDIMENT SCIENCE
Coastal Monitoring
Coastal Inflow Sediment and Nutrient Monitoring
Nutrient and Sediment Variability in the Lower San Jacinto River
Lake Monitoring
Water-Quality Monitoring of the Lake Houston Watershed
River Monitoring
San Antonio River Sediment and Water Quality Monitoring in an Oil and Gas Production Area
Statewide Monitoring
National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Surface Water Activities
Projects related to sediment studies are listed below.
Water-Quality Monitoring of the Lake Houston Watershed
San Antonio River Sediment and Water Quality Monitoring in an Oil and Gas Production Area
National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Surface Water Activities
Nutrient and Sediment Variability in the Lower San Jacinto River
Nutrient and Sediment Monitoring in Inflows to Texas Bays and Estuaries
- Overview
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified sediment as a leading cause of impairment in the Nation’s rivers and streams. Excessive sedimentation degrades aquatic habitat; reduces longevity of water-supply, flood-control reservoirs; and is the primary transport mechanism of toxic organic chemicals, heavy metals, and nutrients. The USGS Texas Water Science Center (TXWSC) has multiple projects that collect sediment data to assist in understand long-term water quality trends. Visit the links below for more information on our data and science.
In Texas, high flows in rivers caused by local rainfall or by releases from upstream reservoirs can increase sediment erosion and nutrient runoff downstream. Sediment transported by rivers and streams to estuaries and bays can affect water quality and reduce water clarity. Concentrations of suspended sediment also are affected by natural conditions (such as soil erosion and streambed resuspension) and can also be affected by human activities (such as development, timber harvesting, agricultural practices, and hydraulic alteration).
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.SEDIMENT SCIENCE CAPABILITIES
TXWSC has expertise in sediment science applications, including, but not limited to:
- Suspended Sediments in Streams, Storm Runoff, and Impervious Surface Runoff
- Quantifying Loads and Yields of Contaminants
- Identifying Sources of Sediment-Associated Trace Elements and Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants
- Understanding Relations Between Streamflow and Sediment and Contaminant Transport
- Characterizing Relations Between Land-Use and Sediment Quality
- Streambed Sediments
- Characterizing Sediment Quality
- Identifying Source(s) of Contaminant Inputs
- Lake/Reservoir Bottom Sediments
- Age Dating Sediments to Calculate Deposition Dates and Sedimentation Rates
- Reconstructing Water-Quality Trends of Sediment-Associated Trace Elements and Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants
- Describing Effects of Land-Use and Regulatory Changes and Urbanization on Water-Quality
Find out more about TXWSC water-quality science and sediement science expertise in these printable information sheets.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Manually collecting a streambed sediment sample using a ponar sampler (Public domain.) LOOKING FOR SEDIMENT DATA?
WaterQualityWatch: Real Time Turbidity
USGS National Real-Time Water Quality: Texas Real-Time Water Quality
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Collecting data from the USGS Streamgage on the Trinity River near Wallisville, Tex., during flood conditions. (Public domain.) CURRENT SEDIMENT SCIENCE
Coastal Monitoring
Coastal Inflow Sediment and Nutrient Monitoring
Nutrient and Sediment Variability in the Lower San Jacinto River
Lake Monitoring
Water-Quality Monitoring of the Lake Houston Watershed
River Monitoring
San Antonio River Sediment and Water Quality Monitoring in an Oil and Gas Production Area
Statewide Monitoring
National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Surface Water Activities
- Suspended Sediments in Streams, Storm Runoff, and Impervious Surface Runoff
- Science
Projects related to sediment studies are listed below.
Water-Quality Monitoring of the Lake Houston Watershed
Real-time water-quality, streamflow and water height information for Lake Houston and the surrounding San Jacinto watershed are now available from a new web application from the U.S. Geological Survey, done in cooperation with the City of Houston.San Antonio River Sediment and Water Quality Monitoring in an Oil and Gas Production Area
During 2011-2013, baseline concentrations of many different water and streambed-sediment constituents were determined at Phase I sites upstream from, within, and downstream from the area of active oil and natural-gas production within the San Antonio River Basin. With baseline conditions previously established, this study will provide current information that couples recent water and stream-bed...National Water-Quality Assessment Project in Texas - Surface Water Activities
The USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project was established by Congress in 1992 to answer the following question:What is the status of the Nation’s water quality and is it getting better or worse? Since 1992, NAWQA has been a primary source of nationally consistent data and information on the quality of the Nation’s streams and groundwater. Data and information obtained from...Nutrient and Sediment Variability in the Lower San Jacinto River
The San Jacinto River is the second largest inflow into Galveston Bay. The USGS Texas Water Science Center collects water-quality samples in the lower reaches of the San Jacinto River over a range of hydrologic conditions to improve our understanding of the variability of nutrient and sediment concentrations in freshwater inflows from the San Jacinto River into Galveston Bay.Nutrient and Sediment Monitoring in Inflows to Texas Bays and Estuaries
The USGS Texas Water Science Center is evaluating the variability of nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads entering Texas bays and estuaries across a range of hydrologic conditions in Galveston Bay (inflow from the Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers), Matagordo Bay (inflow from the Colorado River), San Antonio Bay (inflow from the Guadalupe River), and Nueces Bay (inflow from Nueces River). - Publications
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