Spatial and temporal variation in size and shape of sediment particles in the Tobacco Creek Watershed

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Date
2015-01-21
Authors
Liu, Cenwei Jr
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Abstract
Particle size and shape are important characteristics of the sediment which affects the adsorption of sediment-associate contaminants and nutrients onto the surface of sediment. This thesis characterized the spatial and temporal variation in size and shape of sediment particles in the Tobacco Creek Watershed. A strong correlation between the particle size of suspended sediment and stream discharge was observed. Spatial and temporal variation in size of suspended and channel bed sediment showed that particle size was significantly coarser at the upper reaches and following the rainfall events, but finer at the lower reaches and following the snowmelt events. Image analysis of coarser particles showed that rock fragments are not becoming rounded in short distances, but they reduced in size. The coarser materials from bedrock outcrops can be sources of fine-sized particle during transport. These findings have important implications for understanding suspended sediment dynamics transport in the study watershed.
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Keywords
sediment, particle size, particle shape, Tobacco Creek Watershed
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