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Inaccuracies in sediment budgets arising from estimations of tributary sediment inputs: an example from a monitoring network on the southern Colorado plateau

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Abstract

Sediment budgets are an important tool for understanding how riverine ecosystems respond to perturbations. Changes in the quantity and grain-size distribution of sediment within river systems affect the channel morphology and related habitat resources. It is therefore important for resource managers to know if a channel reach is in a state of sediment accumulation, deficit or stasis. Many studies have estimated sediment loads from ungaged tributaries using regional sediment-yield equations or other similar techniques. While these approaches may be valid in regions where rainfall and geology are uniform over large areas, use of sediment-yield equations may lead to poor estimations of sediment loads in semi-arid climates, where rainfall events, contributing geology, and vegetation have large spatial variability.

Suggested Citation

Griffiths, R.E., Topping, D.J., 2015, Inaccuracies in sediment budgets arising from estimations of tributary sediment inputs: an example from a monitoring network on the southern Colorado plateau, SEDHYD 2015, Reno, Nevada, April 19-23, 2015, 12 p.

Study Area

Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Inaccuracies in sediment budgets arising from estimations of tributary sediment inputs: an example from a monitoring network on the southern Colorado plateau
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher Joint Federal Interagency Conference
Contributing office(s) Southwest Biological Science Center
Description 12 p.
Larger Work Type Conference Paper
Conference Title SEDHYD 2015
Conference Location Reno, Nevada
Conference Date April 19-23, 2015
Country United States
State Arizona
Other Geospatial Upper Marble Canyon
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Additional publication details